diff --git a/lib/assert.js b/lib/assert.js
index 8955aa8761d7c2..ba316d38ff665f 100644
--- a/lib/assert.js
+++ b/lib/assert.js
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 const compare = process.binding('buffer').compare;
 const util = require('util');
 const Buffer = require('buffer').Buffer;
-const pSlice = Array.prototype.slice;
 const pToString = (obj) => Object.prototype.toString.call(obj);
 
 // 1. The assert module provides functions that throw
@@ -223,11 +222,6 @@ function objEquiv(a, b, strict, actualVisitedObjects) {
   const bIsArgs = isArguments(b);
   if ((aIsArgs && !bIsArgs) || (!aIsArgs && bIsArgs))
     return false;
-  if (aIsArgs) {
-    a = pSlice.call(a);
-    b = pSlice.call(b);
-    return _deepEqual(a, b, strict);
-  }
   const ka = Object.keys(a);
   const kb = Object.keys(b);
   var key, i;
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-assert.js b/test/parallel/test-assert.js
index b2e2ea4debfbc5..34e7b643442138 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-assert.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-assert.js
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ assert.throws(makeBlock(a.strictEqual, null, undefined),
 assert.doesNotThrow(makeBlock(a.notStrictEqual, 2, '2'),
                     'notStrictEqual(2, \'2\')');
 
-// deepEquals joy!
+// deepEqual joy!
 // 7.2
 assert.doesNotThrow(makeBlock(a.deepEqual, new Date(2000, 3, 14),
                     new Date(2000, 3, 14)),
@@ -409,6 +409,20 @@ var args = (function() { return arguments; })();
 a.throws(makeBlock(a.deepEqual, [], args));
 a.throws(makeBlock(a.deepEqual, args, []));
 
+// more checking that arguments objects are handled correctly
+{
+  const returnArguments = function() { return arguments; };
+
+  const someArgs = returnArguments('a');
+  const sameArgs = returnArguments('a');
+  const diffArgs = returnArguments('b');
+
+  a.throws(makeBlock(a.deepEqual, someArgs, ['a']));
+  a.throws(makeBlock(a.deepEqual, ['a'], someArgs));
+  a.throws(makeBlock(a.deepEqual, someArgs, {'0': 'a'}));
+  a.throws(makeBlock(a.deepEqual, someArgs, diffArgs));
+  a.doesNotThrow(makeBlock(a.deepEqual, someArgs, sameArgs));
+}
 
 var circular = {y: 1};
 circular.x = circular;