diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index ae2295533df3ef..8eaf62f0abbdd5 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -285,7 +285,11 @@ function inherits(ctor, superCtor) {
     throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE('superCtor.prototype',
                                    'Function', superCtor.prototype);
   }
-  ctor.super_ = superCtor;
+  Object.defineProperty(ctor, 'super_', {
+    value: superCtor,
+    writable: true,
+    configurable: true
+  });
   Object.setPrototypeOf(ctor.prototype, superCtor.prototype);
 }
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js b/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
index d37cb6bf8b73e4..9bbb4352dc3853 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-util-inherits.js
@@ -18,7 +18,15 @@ function B(value) {
 inherits(B, A);
 B.prototype.b = function() { return this._b; };
 
-assert.strictEqual(B.super_, A);
+assert.deepStrictEqual(
+  Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(B, 'super_'),
+  {
+    value: A,
+    enumerable: false,
+    configurable: true,
+    writable: true
+  }
+);
 
 const b = new B('b');
 assert.strictEqual(b.a(), 'a');