diff --git a/lib/internal/crypto/scrypt.js b/lib/internal/crypto/scrypt.js
index 0ed4140c9c5df5..50a2bbc1536026 100644
--- a/lib/internal/crypto/scrypt.js
+++ b/lib/internal/crypto/scrypt.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ function scrypt(password, salt, keylen, options, callback = defaults) {
     callback.call(wrap, null, keybuf.toString(encoding));
   };
 
-  handleError(keybuf, password, salt, N, r, p, maxmem, wrap);
+  handleError(_scrypt(keybuf, password, salt, N, r, p, maxmem, wrap));
 }
 
 function scryptSync(password, salt, keylen, options = defaults) {
@@ -52,15 +52,13 @@ function scryptSync(password, salt, keylen, options = defaults) {
   const { N, r, p, maxmem } = options;
   ({ password, salt, keylen } = options);
   const keybuf = Buffer.alloc(keylen);
-  handleError(keybuf, password, salt, N, r, p, maxmem);
+  handleError(_scrypt(keybuf, password, salt, N, r, p, maxmem));
   const encoding = getDefaultEncoding();
   if (encoding === 'buffer') return keybuf;
   return keybuf.toString(encoding);
 }
 
-function handleError(keybuf, password, salt, N, r, p, maxmem, wrap) {
-  const ex = _scrypt(keybuf, password, salt, N, r, p, maxmem, wrap);
-
+function handleError(ex) {
   if (ex === undefined)
     return;