diff --git a/test/parallel/test-zlib-not-string-or-buffer.js b/test/parallel/test-zlib-not-string-or-buffer.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..3f58583e034ca8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-zlib-not-string-or-buffer.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+'use strict';
+
+// Check the error condition testing for passing something other than a string
+// or buffer.
+
+require('../common');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const zlib = require('zlib');
+
+const expected = /^TypeError: Not a string or buffer$/;
+
+assert.throws(() => { zlib.deflateSync(undefined); }, expected);
+assert.throws(() => { zlib.deflateSync(null); }, expected);
+assert.throws(() => { zlib.deflateSync(true); }, expected);
+assert.throws(() => { zlib.deflateSync(false); }, expected);
+assert.throws(() => { zlib.deflateSync(0); }, expected);
+assert.throws(() => { zlib.deflateSync(1); }, expected);
+assert.throws(() => { zlib.deflateSync([1, 2, 3]); }, expected);
+assert.throws(() => { zlib.deflateSync({foo: 'bar'}); }, expected);