diff --git a/lib/internal/child_process.js b/lib/internal/child_process.js
index 748f14a283f05f..095d44e0f1801d 100644
--- a/lib/internal/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/internal/child_process.js
@@ -247,6 +247,13 @@ function stdioStringToArray(stdio, channel) {
       throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE('stdio', stdio);
   }
 
+  for (let i = 0; i < options.length; i++) {
+    const stream = options[i];
+    if (stream == null) {
+      throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_VALUE('stdio', options);
+    }
+  }
+
   if (channel) ArrayPrototypePush(options, channel);
 
   return options;