diff --git a/lib/test.js b/lib/test.js
index fd651966..bdcfb9f2 100644
--- a/lib/test.js
+++ b/lib/test.js
@@ -35,6 +35,20 @@ var nextTick = typeof setImmediate !== 'undefined'
 var safeSetTimeout = setTimeout;
 var safeClearTimeout = clearTimeout;
 
+var isErrorConstructor = isProto(Error, TypeError) // IE 8 is `false` here
+	? function isErrorConstructor(C) {
+		return isProto(Error, C);
+	}
+	: function isErrorConstructor(C) {
+		return isProto(Error, C)
+			|| isProto(TypeError, C)
+			|| isProto(RangeError, C)
+			|| isProto(SyntaxError, C)
+			|| isProto(ReferenceError, C)
+			|| isProto(EvalError, C)
+			|| isProto(URIError, C);
+	};
+
 // eslint-disable-next-line no-unused-vars
 function getTestArgs(name_, opts_, cb_) {
 	var name = '(anonymous)';
@@ -829,7 +843,7 @@ Test.prototype['throws'] = function (fn, expected, msg, extra) {
 		if (typeof expected === 'function') {
 			if (typeof expected.prototype !== 'undefined' && caught.error instanceof expected) {
 				passed = true;
-			} else if (isProto(Error, expected)) {
+			} else if (isErrorConstructor(expected)) {
 				passed = false;
 			} else {
 				passed = expected.call({}, caught.error) === true;