diff --git a/lib/readline.js b/lib/readline.js
index 546dfb173eb8fa..66ba46da354ff8 100644
--- a/lib/readline.js
+++ b/lib/readline.js
@@ -17,22 +17,13 @@ const EventEmitter = require('events');
 
 
 exports.createInterface = function(input, output, completer, terminal) {
-  var rl;
-  if (arguments.length === 1) {
-    rl = new Interface(input);
-  } else {
-    rl = new Interface(input, output, completer, terminal);
-  }
-  return rl;
+  return new Interface(input, output, completer, terminal);
 };
 
 
 function Interface(input, output, completer, terminal) {
   if (!(this instanceof Interface)) {
-    // call the constructor preserving original number of arguments
-    const self = Object.create(Interface.prototype);
-    Interface.apply(self, arguments);
-    return self;
+    return new Interface(input, output, completer, terminal);
   }
 
   this._sawReturn = false;
@@ -41,7 +32,7 @@ function Interface(input, output, completer, terminal) {
   EventEmitter.call(this);
   var historySize;
 
-  if (arguments.length === 1) {
+  if (input && input.input) {
     // an options object was given
     output = input.output;
     completer = input.completer;