diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 32f006e..6f5f8f0 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ precinct.paperwork = function(filename, options = {}) {
 
   if (!options.includeCore) {
     return deps.filter(function(d) {
+      if (d.startsWith('node:')) {
+        return false;
+      }
       return !natives[d];
     });
   }
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index 956f380..6699c07 100644
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -338,6 +338,16 @@ describe('node-precinct', function() {
       });
     });
 
+    describe('that imports node-internal with node:-prefix', () => {
+      it('assumes that it exists', () => {
+        var deps = precinct.paperwork(path.join(__dirname, 'internalNodePrefix.js'), {
+          includeCore: false
+        });
+        assert(!deps.includes('node:nonexistant'));
+        assert.deepEqual(deps, ['streams']);
+      });
+    });
+
     describe('that uses dynamic imports', function() {
       it('grabs the dynamic import', function() {
         var es6 = precinct(read('es6DynamicImport.js'));
diff --git a/test/internalNodePrefix.js b/test/internalNodePrefix.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1d804f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/internalNodePrefix.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+const someModule = require("node:nonexistant")
+const anotherModule = require("streams")