diff --git a/lib/assert.js b/lib/assert.js
index 0b256e604eeb0e..94104ee881c2d2 100644
--- a/lib/assert.js
+++ b/lib/assert.js
@@ -620,10 +620,14 @@ function expectedException(actual, expected, message, fn) {
       generatedMessage = true;
       message = 'The error is expected to be an instance of ' +
         `"${expected.name}". Received `;
-      // TODO: Special handle identical names.
       if (isError(actual)) {
-        const name = actual.constructor && actual.constructor.name;
-        message += `"${name || actual.name}"`;
+        const name = actual.constructor && actual.constructor.name ||
+                     actual.name;
+        if (expected.name === name) {
+          message += 'an error with identical name but a different prototype.';
+        } else {
+          message += `"${name}"`;
+        }
         if (actual.message) {
           message += `\n\nError message:\n\n${actual.message}`;
         }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-assert.js b/test/parallel/test-assert.js
index 07cf3746965870..48b44ce29b4979 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-assert.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-assert.js
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 const common = require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const { inspect } = require('util');
+const vm = require('vm');
 const { internalBinding } = require('internal/test/binding');
 const a = assert;
 
@@ -1344,3 +1345,17 @@ assert.throws(
     }
   );
 }
+
+assert.throws(
+  () => {
+    const script = new vm.Script('new RangeError("foobar");');
+    const context = vm.createContext();
+    const err = script.runInContext(context);
+    assert.throws(() => { throw err; }, RangeError);
+  },
+  {
+    message: 'The error is expected to be an instance of "RangeError". ' +
+             'Received an error with identical name but a different ' +
+             'prototype.\n\nError message:\n\nfoobar'
+  }
+);