diff --git a/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js b/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js
index 324fdb71a62..d95f1aa2939 100644
--- a/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js
+++ b/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js
@@ -30,13 +30,6 @@
   const isMainThread = internalBinding('worker').threadId === 0;
 
   function startup() {
-    const EventEmitter = NativeModule.require('events');
-
-    const origProcProto = Object.getPrototypeOf(process);
-    Object.setPrototypeOf(origProcProto, EventEmitter.prototype);
-
-    EventEmitter.call(process);
-
     setupTraceCategoryState();
 
     setupProcessObject();
@@ -378,6 +371,11 @@
   }
 
   function setupProcessObject() {
+    const EventEmitter = NativeModule.require('events');
+    const origProcProto = Object.getPrototypeOf(process);
+    Object.setPrototypeOf(origProcProto, EventEmitter.prototype);
+    EventEmitter.call(process);
+
     _setupProcessObject(pushValueToArray);
 
     function pushValueToArray() {