diff --git a/doc/api/util.md b/doc/api/util.md
index 00604813c3a9ed..6dfbec8ac320c7 100644
--- a/doc/api/util.md
+++ b/doc/api/util.md
@@ -183,6 +183,10 @@ property take precedence over `--trace-deprecation` and
 <!-- YAML
 added: v0.5.3
 changes:
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/17907
+    description: The `%o` specifier's `depth` option will now fall back to the
+                 default depth.
   - version: v8.4.0
     pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/14558
     description: The `%o` and `%O` specifiers are supported now.
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index 8eaf62f0abbdd5..f2eeefde25b1f7 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -113,8 +113,7 @@ function formatWithOptions(inspectOptions, f) {
           {
             const opts = Object.assign({}, inspectOptions, {
               showHidden: true,
-              showProxy: true,
-              depth: 4
+              showProxy: true
             });
             tempStr = inspect(arguments[a++], opts);
             break;