diff --git a/lib/internal/event_target.js b/lib/internal/event_target.js
index 763542eb0fc2fa..611aa9922118a1 100644
--- a/lib/internal/event_target.js
+++ b/lib/internal/event_target.js
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class Event {
     this.#cancelable = !!cancelable;
     this.#bubbles = !!bubbles;
     this.#composed = !!composed;
-    this.#type = String(type);
+    this.#type = `${type}`;
     // isTrusted is special (LegacyUnforgeable)
     Object.defineProperty(this, 'isTrusted', {
       get() { return false; },
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-eventtarget.js b/test/parallel/test-eventtarget.js
index 99d717abda6e8d..1b79a6bbb0ffd6 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-eventtarget.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-eventtarget.js
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ ok(EventTarget);
 
   ev.preventDefault();
   strictEqual(ev.defaultPrevented, true);
+  throws(() => new Event(Symbol()), TypeError);
 }
 {
   const ev = new Event('foo');