diff --git a/lib/trace_events.js b/lib/trace_events.js
index 5211f8b0b1f..672095cec41 100644
--- a/lib/trace_events.js
+++ b/lib/trace_events.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const {
-  ArrayIsArray,
   ArrayPrototypeJoin,
   SafeSet,
   Symbol,
@@ -17,7 +16,6 @@ const kMaxTracingCount = 10;
 const {
   ERR_TRACE_EVENTS_CATEGORY_REQUIRED,
   ERR_TRACE_EVENTS_UNAVAILABLE,
-  ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE
 } = require('internal/errors').codes;
 
 const { ownsProcessState } = require('internal/worker');
@@ -29,6 +27,7 @@ const { customInspectSymbol } = require('internal/util');
 const { format } = require('internal/util/inspect');
 const {
   validateObject,
+  validateStringArray,
 } = require('internal/validators');
 
 const enabledTracingObjects = new SafeSet();
@@ -84,11 +83,7 @@ class Tracing {
 
 function createTracing(options) {
   validateObject(options, 'options');
-
-  if (!ArrayIsArray(options.categories)) {
-    throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE('options.categories', 'string[]',
-                                   options.categories);
-  }
+  validateStringArray(options.categories, 'options.categories');
 
   if (options.categories.length <= 0)
     throw new ERR_TRACE_EVENTS_CATEGORY_REQUIRED();