diff --git a/lib/internal/readline/interface.js b/lib/internal/readline/interface.js
index e50172f5628ccc..63383658879095 100644
--- a/lib/internal/readline/interface.js
+++ b/lib/internal/readline/interface.js
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ const {
   validateString,
   validateUint32,
 } = require('internal/validators');
+const { kEmptyObject } = require('internal/util');
 const {
   inspect,
   getStringWidth,
@@ -922,7 +923,7 @@ class Interface extends InterfaceConstructor {
   // Handle a write from the tty
   [kTtyWrite](s, key) {
     const previousKey = this[kPreviousKey];
-    key = key || {};
+    key = key || kEmptyObject;
     this[kPreviousKey] = key;
 
     // Activate or deactivate substring search.
diff --git a/lib/readline.js b/lib/readline.js
index fa21c82f7158c2..7e55c99e65be23 100644
--- a/lib/readline.js
+++ b/lib/readline.js
@@ -100,7 +100,10 @@ const {
   kSubstringSearch,
 } = require('internal/readline/utils');
 
-const { promisify } = require('internal/util');
+const {
+  kEmptyObject,
+  promisify,
+} = require('internal/util');
 
 const { StringDecoder } = require('string_decoder');
 
@@ -987,7 +990,7 @@ Interface.prototype._moveCursor = function(dx) {
 };
 
 function _ttyWriteDumb(s, key) {
-  key = key || {};
+  key = key || kEmptyObject;
 
   if (key.name === 'escape') return;