diff --git a/lib/assert.js b/lib/assert.js
index 8a316ffa793d19..9378631d2763bd 100644
--- a/lib/assert.js
+++ b/lib/assert.js
@@ -61,11 +61,7 @@ assert.AssertionError = function AssertionError(options) {
 util.inherits(assert.AssertionError, Error);
 
 function truncate(s, n) {
-  if (typeof s === 'string') {
-    return s.length < n ? s : s.slice(0, n);
-  } else {
-    return s;
-  }
+  return s.slice(0, n);
 }
 
 function getMessage(self) {