diff --git a/lib/_http_outgoing.js b/lib/_http_outgoing.js
index 67a8d6f8bb8233..bf018d988d7abb 100644
--- a/lib/_http_outgoing.js
+++ b/lib/_http_outgoing.js
@@ -382,8 +382,8 @@ OutgoingMessage.prototype.setHeader = function setHeader(name, value) {
 
 
 OutgoingMessage.prototype.getHeader = function getHeader(name) {
-  if (arguments.length < 1) {
-    throw new Error('"name" argument is required for getHeader(name)');
+  if (typeof name !== 'string') {
+    throw new TypeError('"name" argument must be a string');
   }
 
   if (!this._headers) return;
@@ -393,8 +393,8 @@ OutgoingMessage.prototype.getHeader = function getHeader(name) {
 
 
 OutgoingMessage.prototype.removeHeader = function removeHeader(name) {
-  if (arguments.length < 1) {
-    throw new Error('"name" argument is required for removeHeader(name)');
+  if (typeof name !== 'string') {
+    throw new TypeError('"name" argument must be a string');
   }
 
   if (this._header) {