diff --git a/lib/buffer.js b/lib/buffer.js
index 2349474952c462..fa8d1c61d4a309 100644
--- a/lib/buffer.js
+++ b/lib/buffer.js
@@ -588,9 +588,10 @@ function bidirectionalIndexOf(buffer, val, byteOffset, encoding, dir) {
   } else if (byteOffset < -0x80000000) {
     byteOffset = -0x80000000;
   }
-  byteOffset = +byteOffset;  // Coerce to Number.
-  if (isNaN(byteOffset)) {
-    // If the offset is undefined, null, NaN, "foo", etc, search whole buffer.
+  // Coerce to Number. Values like null and [] become 0.
+  byteOffset = +byteOffset;
+  // If the offset is undefined, "foo", {}, coerces to NaN, search whole buffer.
+  if (Number.isNaN(byteOffset)) {
     byteOffset = dir ? 0 : (buffer.length - 1);
   }
   dir = !!dir;  // Cast to bool.