diff --git a/doc/api/wasi.md b/doc/api/wasi.md
index 622de02ff85c23..e66039f1b1ae02 100644
--- a/doc/api/wasi.md
+++ b/doc/api/wasi.md
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ added: v12.16.0
 
 Attempt to begin execution of `instance` by invoking its `_start()` export.
 If `instance` does not contain a `_start()` export, then `start()` attempts to
-invoke the `__wasi_unstable_reactor_start()` export. If neither of those exports
-is present on `instance`, then `start()` does nothing.
+invoke the `_initialize()` export. If neither of those exports is present on
+`instance`, then `start()` does nothing.
 
 `start()` requires that `instance` exports a [`WebAssembly.Memory`][] named
 `memory`. If `instance` does not have a `memory` export an exception is thrown.
diff --git a/lib/wasi.js b/lib/wasi.js
index 7ea2d1bbe0f7c0..a382388197cc03 100644
--- a/lib/wasi.js
+++ b/lib/wasi.js
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ class WASI {
     try {
       if (exports._start)
         exports._start();
-      else if (exports.__wasi_unstable_reactor_start)
-        exports.__wasi_unstable_reactor_start();
+      else if (exports._initialize)
+        exports._initialize();
     } catch (err) {
       if (err !== kExitCode) {
         throw err;
diff --git a/test/wasi/test-wasi-start-validation.js b/test/wasi/test-wasi-start-validation.js
index a31c5847968491..94d31f2e1257c3 100644
--- a/test/wasi/test-wasi-start-validation.js
+++ b/test/wasi/test-wasi-start-validation.js
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ const bufferSource = fixtures.readSync('simple.wasm');
     get() {
       return {
         memory: new WebAssembly.Memory({ initial: 1 }),
-        __wasi_unstable_reactor_start: common.mustCall()
+        _initialize: common.mustCall()
       };
     }
   });