diff --git a/test/pummel/test-tls-connect-memleak.js b/test/pummel/test-tls-connect-memleak.js
index 227d9c56f4366e..41e16ec76e2eee 100644
--- a/test/pummel/test-tls-connect-memleak.js
+++ b/test/pummel/test-tls-connect-memleak.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ tls.createServer({
 
   const options = { rejectUnauthorized: false };
   tls.connect(common.PORT, '127.0.0.1', options, function() {
-    assert(junk.length != 0);  // keep reference alive
+    assert.notStrictEqual(junk.length, 0);  // keep reference alive
     setTimeout(done, 10);
     global.gc();
   });