diff --git a/lib/internal/event_target.js b/lib/internal/event_target.js
index cfd3a4922e62ad..70875ec3a142f8 100644
--- a/lib/internal/event_target.js
+++ b/lib/internal/event_target.js
@@ -115,14 +115,14 @@ class Event {
    *   composed?: boolean,
    * }} [options]
    */
-  constructor(type, options = kEmptyObject) {
+  constructor(type, options = undefined) {
     if (arguments.length === 0)
       throw new ERR_MISSING_ARGS('type');
-    validateObject(options, 'options');
-    const { bubbles, cancelable, composed } = options;
-    this.#cancelable = !!cancelable;
-    this.#bubbles = !!bubbles;
-    this.#composed = !!composed;
+    if (options != null)
+      validateObject(options, 'options');
+    this.#bubbles = !!options?.bubbles;
+    this.#cancelable = !!options?.cancelable;
+    this.#composed = !!options?.composed;
 
     this[kType] = `${type}`;
     if (options?.[kTrustEvent]) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-eventtarget.js b/test/parallel/test-eventtarget.js
index 72389a589056e4..cbe7eb3b0e8687 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-eventtarget.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-eventtarget.js
@@ -747,3 +747,9 @@ let asyncTest = Promise.resolve();
   event.cancelBubble = true;
   strictEqual(event.cancelBubble, true);
 }
+
+{
+  // A null eventInitDict should not throw an error.
+  new Event('', null);
+  new Event('', undefined);
+}