diff --git a/test/parallel/test-zlib-failed-init.js b/test/parallel/test-zlib-failed-init.js
index afc2c82ddfca8e..0ca70ad92d50b9 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-zlib-failed-init.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-zlib-failed-init.js
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
 'use strict';
 
-require('../common');
+const common = require('../common');
 
 const assert = require('assert');
 const zlib = require('zlib');
 
+if (process.config.variables.node_shared_zlib &&
+    /^1\.2\.[0-8]$/.test(process.versions.zlib)) {
+  common.skip("older versions of shared zlib don't throw on create");
+}
+
 // For raw deflate encoding, requests for 256-byte windows are rejected as
 // invalid by zlib.
 // (http://zlib.net/manual.html#Advanced)