diff --git a/lib/internal/util/inspect.js b/lib/internal/util/inspect.js
index 4cee2d8b9fb4a3..49763fe7d2e299 100644
--- a/lib/internal/util/inspect.js
+++ b/lib/internal/util/inspect.js
@@ -1383,6 +1383,7 @@ function format(...args) {
 }
 
 
+const firstErrorLine = (error) => error.message.split('\n')[0];
 let CIRCULAR_ERROR_MESSAGE;
 function tryStringify(arg) {
   try {
@@ -1393,11 +1394,13 @@ function tryStringify(arg) {
       try {
         const a = {}; a.a = a; JSON.stringify(a);
       } catch (err) {
-        CIRCULAR_ERROR_MESSAGE = err.message;
+        CIRCULAR_ERROR_MESSAGE = firstErrorLine(err);
       }
     }
-    if (err.name === 'TypeError' && err.message === CIRCULAR_ERROR_MESSAGE)
+    if (err.name === 'TypeError' &&
+        firstErrorLine(err) === CIRCULAR_ERROR_MESSAGE) {
       return '[Circular]';
+    }
     throw err;
   }
 }