diff --git a/lib/_http_client.js b/lib/_http_client.js
index a238a4f14c35e6..3e1ed888279df3 100644
--- a/lib/_http_client.js
+++ b/lib/_http_client.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ const debug = common.debug;
 const OutgoingMessage = require('_http_outgoing').OutgoingMessage;
 const Agent = require('_http_agent');
 const Buffer = require('buffer').Buffer;
-const urlToOptions = require('internal/url').urlToOptions;
+const { urlToOptions, searchParamsSymbol } = require('internal/url');
 const outHeadersKey = require('internal/http').outHeadersKey;
 const nextTick = require('internal/process/next_tick').nextTick;
 
@@ -82,7 +82,9 @@ function ClientRequest(options, cb) {
     if (!options.hostname) {
       throw new Error('Unable to determine the domain name');
     }
-  } else if (options instanceof url.URL) {
+  } else if (options && options[searchParamsSymbol] &&
+             options[searchParamsSymbol][searchParamsSymbol]) {
+    // url.URL instance
     options = urlToOptions(options);
   } else {
     options = util._extend({}, options);
diff --git a/lib/https.js b/lib/https.js
index 1ca546ac106248..f0ecbd90a6700f 100644
--- a/lib/https.js
+++ b/lib/https.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ const http = require('http');
 const util = require('util');
 const inherits = util.inherits;
 const debug = util.debuglog('https');
-const urlToOptions = require('internal/url').urlToOptions;
+const { urlToOptions, searchParamsSymbol } = require('internal/url');
 
 function Server(opts, requestListener) {
   if (!(this instanceof Server)) return new Server(opts, requestListener);
@@ -221,7 +221,9 @@ exports.request = function request(options, cb) {
     if (!options.hostname) {
       throw new Error('Unable to determine the domain name');
     }
-  } else if (options instanceof url.URL) {
+  } else if (options && options[searchParamsSymbol] &&
+             options[searchParamsSymbol][searchParamsSymbol]) {
+    // url.URL instance
     options = urlToOptions(options);
   } else {
     options = util._extend({}, options);