diff --git a/lib/core/client.js b/lib/core/client.js
index 9f8b93c81d4..9ff693b12db 100644
--- a/lib/core/client.js
+++ b/lib/core/client.js
@@ -346,7 +346,14 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
 class Parser extends HTTPParser {
   constructor (client, socket) {
     /* istanbul ignore next */
-    if (nodeMajorVersion >= 12) {
+    if (nodeMajorVersion === 12) {
+      super()
+      this.initialize(
+        HTTPParser.RESPONSE,
+        {},
+        client[kHeadersTimeout]
+      )
+    } else if (nodeMajorVersion > 12) {
       super()
       this.initialize(
         HTTPParser.RESPONSE,