diff --git a/doc/api/deprecations.md b/doc/api/deprecations.md
index f7336ae19da623..bdc70aa4545249 100644
--- a/doc/api/deprecations.md
+++ b/doc/api/deprecations.md
@@ -1198,6 +1198,9 @@ The [`util.isObject()`][] API is deprecated.
 
 <!-- YAML
 changes:
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/50488
+    description: Runtime deprecation.
   - version:
     - v6.12.0
     - v4.8.6
@@ -1210,7 +1213,7 @@ changes:
     description: Documentation-only deprecation.
 -->
 
-Type: Documentation-only
+Type: Runtime
 
 The [`util.isPrimitive()`][] API is deprecated.
 
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index eca8ecb980e7a4..fbcacfa8228655 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -441,7 +441,11 @@ module.exports = {
   isFunction: deprecate(isFunction,
                         'The `util.isFunction` API is deprecated.  Please use `typeof arg === "function"` instead.',
                         'DEP0049'),
-  isPrimitive: deprecate(isPrimitive, 'The `util.isPrimitive API is deprecated.', 'DEP0054'),
+  isPrimitive: deprecate(isPrimitive,
+                         'The `util.isPrimitive` API is deprecated. ' +
+                         'Please use `arg === null || ' +
+                         '(typeof arg !== "object" && typeof arg !== "function")` instead.',
+                         'DEP0054'),
   log: deprecate(log, 'The `util.log API is deprecated.', 'DEP0059'),
   promisify,
   stripVTControlCharacters,