diff --git a/lib/events.js b/lib/events.js
index f6e4996d20b40f..1356806f6544c3 100644
--- a/lib/events.js
+++ b/lib/events.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const { Math, Object, Reflect } = primordials;
+const apply = Reflect.apply;
 
 var spliceOne;
 
@@ -206,12 +207,12 @@ EventEmitter.prototype.emit = function emit(type, ...args) {
     return false;
 
   if (typeof handler === 'function') {
-    Reflect.apply(handler, this, args);
+    apply(handler, this, args);
   } else {
     const len = handler.length;
     const listeners = arrayClone(handler, len);
     for (var i = 0; i < len; ++i)
-      Reflect.apply(listeners[i], this, args);
+      apply(listeners[i], this, args);
   }
 
   return true;