diff --git a/test/parallel/test-zlib-failed-init.js b/test/parallel/test-zlib-failed-init.js
index 3b6da1d4fb840f..4f224ecd616ec7 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-zlib-failed-init.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-zlib-failed-init.js
@@ -6,11 +6,15 @@ const assert = require('assert');
 const zlib = require('zlib');
 
 // For raw deflate encoding, requests for 256-byte windows are rejected as
-// invalid by zlib.
-// (http://zlib.net/manual.html#Advanced)
-assert.throws(() => {
-  zlib.createDeflateRaw({ windowBits: 8 });
-}, /^Error: Init error$/);
+// invalid by zlib (http://zlib.net/manual.html#Advanced).
+// This check was introduced in version 1.2.9 and prior to that there was
+// no such rejection which is the reason for the version check below
+// (http://zlib.net/ChangeLog.txt).
+if (!/^1\.2\.[0-8]$/.test(process.versions.zlib)) {
+  assert.throws(() => {
+    zlib.createDeflateRaw({ windowBits: 8 });
+  }, /^Error: Init error$/);
+}
 
 // Regression tests for bugs in the validation logic.