diff --git a/lib/internal/validators.js b/lib/internal/validators.js
index b3a7ee26554e1a..81329160f07323 100644
--- a/lib/internal/validators.js
+++ b/lib/internal/validators.js
@@ -140,12 +140,21 @@ function validateBoolean(value, name) {
     throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE(name, 'boolean', value);
 }
 
+/**
+ * @param {unknown} value
+ * @param {string} name
+ * @param {{
+ *   allowArray?: boolean,
+ *   allowFunction?: boolean,
+ *   nullable?: boolean
+ * }} [options]
+ */
 const validateObject = hideStackFrames(
-  (value, name, {
-    nullable = false,
-    allowArray = false,
-    allowFunction = false,
-  } = {}) => {
+  (value, name, options) => {
+    const useDefaultOptions = options == null;
+    const allowArray = useDefaultOptions ? false : options.allowArray;
+    const allowFunction = useDefaultOptions ? false : options.allowFunction;
+    const nullable = useDefaultOptions ? false : options.nullable;
     if ((!nullable && value === null) ||
         (!allowArray && ArrayIsArray(value)) ||
         (typeof value !== 'object' && (