diff --git a/doc/api/util.md b/doc/api/util.md
index 95c66f85cb62c9..83fff459336e1e 100644
--- a/doc/api/util.md
+++ b/doc/api/util.md
@@ -183,6 +183,9 @@ property take precedence over `--trace-deprecation` and
 <!-- YAML
 added: v0.5.3
 changes:
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/REPLACEME
+    description: The `%o` specifier's `depth` has default depth of 4 again.
   - version: v11.0.0
     pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/17907
     description: The `%o` specifier's `depth` option will now fall back to the
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index 2e42beb58b2398..07bde61a118067 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -117,7 +117,8 @@ function formatWithOptions(inspectOptions, f) {
           {
             const opts = Object.assign({}, inspectOptions, {
               showHidden: true,
-              showProxy: true
+              showProxy: true,
+              depth: 4
             });
             tempStr = inspect(arguments[a++], opts);
             break;