diff --git a/test/parallel/test-worker-nearheaplimit-deadlock.js b/test/parallel/test-worker-nearheaplimit-deadlock.js
index 9b0839c343118e..1f38bc074da048 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-worker-nearheaplimit-deadlock.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-worker-nearheaplimit-deadlock.js
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
-const { isMainThread, Worker } = require('worker_threads');
+const { Worker } = require('worker_threads');
 
-if (isMainThread) {
+// Do not use isMainThread so that this test itself can be run inside a Worker.
+if (!process.env.HAS_STARTED_WORKER) {
+  process.env.HAS_STARTED_WORKER = 1;
   const opts = {
     resourceLimits: {
       maxYoungGenerationSizeMb: 0,