diff --git a/src/cli/assert_node_engine_version.ts b/src/cli/assert_node_engine_version.ts
index e2a72f4ab..664d8b524 100644
--- a/src/cli/assert_node_engine_version.ts
+++ b/src/cli/assert_node_engine_version.ts
@@ -13,13 +13,15 @@ const readActualPackageJSON: () => PackageJSON = () =>
       .toString()
   )
 
-export function assertNodeEngineVersion(
+export function validateNodeEngineVersion(
   currentVersion: string,
+  onError: (message: string) => void,
   readPackageJSON: () => PackageJSON = readActualPackageJSON
 ): void {
   const requiredVersion = readPackageJSON().engines.node
   if (!semver.satisfies(currentVersion, requiredVersion)) {
-    const message = `Cucumber can only run on Node.js versions ${requiredVersion}. This Node.js version is ${currentVersion}`
-    throw new Error(message)
+    onError(
+      `Cucumber can only run on Node.js versions ${requiredVersion}. This Node.js version is ${currentVersion}`
+    )
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/cli/assert_node_engine_version_spec.ts b/src/cli/assert_node_engine_version_spec.ts
index 01133411a..8b727bdcb 100644
--- a/src/cli/assert_node_engine_version_spec.ts
+++ b/src/cli/assert_node_engine_version_spec.ts
@@ -1,18 +1,37 @@
-import assert from 'assert'
-import { assertNodeEngineVersion } from './assert_node_engine_version'
+import { expect } from 'chai'
+import * as sinon from 'sinon'
+import { validateNodeEngineVersion } from './assert_node_engine_version'
 
-describe(assertNodeEngineVersion.name, () => {
-  it('fails when the version is lower than specified in package.json', () => {
-    assert.throws(() =>
-      assertNodeEngineVersion('v11.0.0', () => ({
-        engines: {
-          node: '>=12',
-        },
-      }))
+describe(validateNodeEngineVersion.name, () => {
+  it('returns an error message when the version is lower than specified in package.json', () => {
+    // Arrange
+    const errorSpy = sinon.spy()
+
+    // Act
+    validateNodeEngineVersion('v11.0.0', errorSpy, () => ({
+      engines: {
+        node: '>=12',
+      },
+    }))
+
+    // Assert
+    expect(errorSpy).to.have.been.calledOnceWith(
+      'Cucumber can only run on Node.js versions >=12. This Node.js version is v11.0.0'
     )
   })
 
-  it('passes when the version is greater than specified in package.json', () => {
-    assertNodeEngineVersion('v17.0.0')
+  it('returns null when the version is greater than specified in package.json', () => {
+    // Arrange
+    const errorSpy = sinon.spy()
+
+    // Act
+    validateNodeEngineVersion('v17.0.0', errorSpy, () => ({
+      engines: {
+        node: '>=12',
+      },
+    }))
+
+    // Assert
+    expect(errorSpy).not.to.have.been.called()
   })
 })
diff --git a/src/cli/run.ts b/src/cli/run.ts
index f7dec91e1..a4e8801f7 100644
--- a/src/cli/run.ts
+++ b/src/cli/run.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import Cli, { ICliRunResult } from './'
 import VError from 'verror'
 import publishBanner from './publish_banner'
-import { assertNodeEngineVersion } from './assert_node_engine_version'
+import { validateNodeEngineVersion } from './assert_node_engine_version'
 
 function exitWithError(error: Error): void {
   console.error(VError.fullStack(error)) // eslint-disable-line no-console
@@ -13,12 +13,10 @@ function displayPublishAdvertisementBanner(): void {
 }
 
 export default async function run(): Promise<void> {
-  try {
-    assertNodeEngineVersion(process.version)
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error(error.message) // eslint-disable-line no-console
+  validateNodeEngineVersion(process.version, (error) => {
+    console.error(error) // eslint-disable-line no-console
     process.exit(1)
-  }
+  })
 
   const cli = new Cli({
     argv: process.argv,