diff --git a/lib/stream.js b/lib/stream.js
index 52c0e50582ddb2..f7e47df73145be 100644
--- a/lib/stream.js
+++ b/lib/stream.js
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@ try {
   } else {
     // This throws for Node < 4.2.0 because there's no util binding and
     // returns undefined for Node < 7.4.0.
-    Stream._isUint8Array = internalBinding('util').isUint8Array;
+    // Please do not convert process.binding() to internalBinding() here.
+    // This is for compatibility with older versions when loaded as
+    // readable-stream.
+    Stream._isUint8Array = process.binding('util').isUint8Array;
   }
 } catch (e) {
 }