diff --git a/lib/internal/modules/typescript.js b/lib/internal/modules/typescript.js
index 689788b09853c4..6abfc707657b92 100644
--- a/lib/internal/modules/typescript.js
+++ b/lib/internal/modules/typescript.js
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 'use strict';
 
+const {
+  ObjectPrototypeHasOwnProperty,
+} = primordials;
 const {
   validateBoolean,
   validateOneOf,
@@ -12,7 +15,6 @@ const { assertTypeScript,
         isUnderNodeModules,
         kEmptyObject } = require('internal/util');
 const {
-  ERR_INTERNAL_ASSERTION,
   ERR_INVALID_TYPESCRIPT_SYNTAX,
   ERR_UNSUPPORTED_NODE_MODULES_TYPE_STRIPPING,
   ERR_UNSUPPORTED_TYPESCRIPT_SYNTAX,
@@ -55,15 +57,16 @@ function parseTypeScript(source, options) {
      * Amaro v0.3.0 (from SWC v1.10.7) throws an object with `message` and `code` properties.
      * It allows us to distinguish between invalid syntax and unsupported syntax.
      */
-    switch (error.code) {
+    switch (error?.code) {
       case 'UnsupportedSyntax':
         throw new ERR_UNSUPPORTED_TYPESCRIPT_SYNTAX(error.message);
       case 'InvalidSyntax':
         throw new ERR_INVALID_TYPESCRIPT_SYNTAX(error.message);
       default:
-        // SWC will throw strings when something goes wrong.
-        // Check if has the `message` property or treat it as a string.
-        throw new ERR_INTERNAL_ASSERTION(error.message ?? error);
+        // SWC may throw strings when something goes wrong.
+        if (typeof error === 'string') { assert.fail(error); }
+        assert(error != null && ObjectPrototypeHasOwnProperty(error, 'message'));
+        assert.fail(error.message);
     }
   }
 }