diff --git a/lib/internal/error-serdes.js b/lib/internal/error-serdes.js
index 895133bc8f79cf..b907842c3896ff 100644
--- a/lib/internal/error-serdes.js
+++ b/lib/internal/error-serdes.js
@@ -76,11 +76,12 @@ function GetName(object) {
   return desc && desc.value;
 }
 
-let util;
-function lazyUtil() {
-  if (!util)
-    util = require('util');
-  return util;
+let internalUtilInspect;
+function inspect(...args) {
+  if (!internalUtilInspect) {
+    internalUtilInspect = require('internal/util/inspect');
+  }
+  return internalUtilInspect.inspect(...args);
 }
 
 let serialize;
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ function serializeError(error) {
     return Buffer.concat([Buffer.from([kSerializedObject]), serialized]);
   } catch {}
   return Buffer.concat([Buffer.from([kInspectedError]),
-                        Buffer.from(lazyUtil().inspect(error), 'utf8')]);
+                        Buffer.from(inspect(error), 'utf8')]);
 }
 
 let deserialize;