diff --git a/lib/internal/process/stdio.js b/lib/internal/process/stdio.js
index 826a2a9916e297..b769ea2bca04b9 100644
--- a/lib/internal/process/stdio.js
+++ b/lib/internal/process/stdio.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ function getMainThreadStdio() {
     stderr = createWritableStdioStream(2);
     stderr.destroySoon = stderr.destroy;
     // Override _destroy so that the fd is never actually closed.
-    stdout._destroy = dummyDestroy;
+    stderr._destroy = dummyDestroy;
     if (stderr.isTTY) {
       process.on('SIGWINCH', () => stderr._refreshSize());
     }