diff --git a/lib/assert.js b/lib/assert.js
index ea142ed01f8f6e..6b99098c5fda35 100644
--- a/lib/assert.js
+++ b/lib/assert.js
@@ -268,13 +268,17 @@ function expectedException(actual, expected) {
 
   if (Object.prototype.toString.call(expected) == '[object RegExp]') {
     return expected.test(actual);
-  } else if (actual instanceof expected) {
-    return true;
-  } else if (expected.call({}, actual) === true) {
-    return true;
   }
 
-  return false;
+  try {
+    if (actual instanceof expected) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  } catch (e) {
+    // Ignore.  The instanceof check doesn't work for arrow functions.
+  }
+
+  return expected.call({}, actual) === true;
 }
 
 function _throws(shouldThrow, block, expected, message) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-assert.js b/test/parallel/test-assert.js
index ce84eabc34e1d4..ce19462a62387c 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-assert.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-assert.js
@@ -465,4 +465,8 @@ testBlockTypeError(assert.doesNotThrow, null);
 testBlockTypeError(assert.throws, undefined);
 testBlockTypeError(assert.doesNotThrow, undefined);
 
+// https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/3275
+assert.throws(() => { throw 'error'; }, err => err === 'error');
+assert.throws(() => { throw Error(); }, err => err instanceof Error);
+
 console.log('All OK');