diff --git a/test/common/README.md b/test/common/README.md
index 009f8247879f69..cefacc756422a6 100644
--- a/test/common/README.md
+++ b/test/common/README.md
@@ -219,11 +219,6 @@ Platform check for Windows.
 
 Platform check for Windows 32-bit on Windows 64-bit.
 
-### leakedGlobals()
-* return [<Array>]
-
-Indicates whether any globals are not on the `knownGlobals` list.
-
 ### localhostIPv4
 * [<string>]
 
diff --git a/test/common/index.js b/test/common/index.js
index 2efec135772c98..0ccab184d9d454 100644
--- a/test/common/index.js
+++ b/test/common/index.js
@@ -723,7 +723,6 @@ module.exports = {
   isSunOS,
   isWindows,
   isWOW64,
-  leakedGlobals,
   localIPv6Hosts,
   mustCall,
   mustCallAsync,
diff --git a/test/common/index.mjs b/test/common/index.mjs
index e0842011c663c9..832f68a9ee0d3e 100644
--- a/test/common/index.mjs
+++ b/test/common/index.mjs
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ const {
   ddCommand,
   platformTimeout,
   allowGlobals,
-  leakedGlobals,
   mustCall,
   mustCallAtLeast,
   mustCallAsync,
@@ -75,7 +74,6 @@ export {
   ddCommand,
   platformTimeout,
   allowGlobals,
-  leakedGlobals,
   mustCall,
   mustCallAtLeast,
   mustCallAsync,
diff --git a/test/fixtures/leakedGlobal.js b/test/fixtures/leakedGlobal.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..6f4b1b992e250b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/leakedGlobal.js
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+'use strict';
+
+require('../common');
+
+global.gc = 42; // intentionally leak a global
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-common.js b/test/parallel/test-common.js
index eafe4dd830bcb2..51e0302868cbe6 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-common.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-common.js
@@ -27,10 +27,13 @@ const assert = require('assert');
 const { execFile } = require('child_process');
 
 // test for leaked global detection
-global.gc = 42;  // Not a valid global unless --expose_gc is set.
-assert.deepStrictEqual(common.leakedGlobals(), ['gc']);
-delete global.gc;
-
+{
+  const p = fixtures.path('leakedGlobal.js');
+  execFile(process.argv[0], [p], common.mustCall((ex, stdout, stderr) => {
+    assert.notStrictEqual(ex.code, 0);
+    assert.ok(/\bAssertionError\b.*\bUnexpected global\b.*\bgc\b/.test(stderr));
+  }));
+}
 
 // common.mustCall() tests
 assert.throws(function() {