diff --git a/lib/internal/bootstrap/browser.js b/lib/internal/bootstrap/browser.js
index 68dac3b1ca4b8c..798d21ea16f3dd 100644
--- a/lib/internal/bootstrap/browser.js
+++ b/lib/internal/bootstrap/browser.js
@@ -78,8 +78,6 @@ function createGlobalConsole(consoleFromVM) {
     const inspector = require('internal/util/inspector');
     // This will be exposed by `require('inspector').console` later.
     inspector.consoleFromVM = consoleFromVM;
-    // TODO(joyeecheung): postpone this until the first time inspector
-    // is activated.
     inspector.wrapConsole(consoleFromNode, consoleFromVM);
     const { setConsoleExtensionInstaller } = internalBinding('inspector');
     // Setup inspector command line API.
diff --git a/lib/internal/util/debuglog.js b/lib/internal/util/debuglog.js
index 4b5c7cab44ad77..d3a19b745ed048 100644
--- a/lib/internal/util/debuglog.js
+++ b/lib/internal/util/debuglog.js
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ const {
   StringPrototypeToUpperCase,
 } = primordials;
 
-const { inspect, format, formatWithOptions } = require('internal/util/inspect');
-
 // `debugImpls` and `testEnabled` are deliberately not initialized so any call
 // to `debuglog()` before `initializeDebugEnv()` is called will throw.
 let debugImpls;
@@ -51,11 +49,14 @@ function debuglogImpl(enabled, set) {
     if (enabled) {
       const pid = process.pid;
       emitWarningIfNeeded(set);
-      debugImpls[set] = function debug(...args) {
-        const colors = process.stderr.hasColors && process.stderr.hasColors();
-        const msg = formatWithOptions({ colors }, ...args);
-        const coloredPID = inspect(pid, { colors });
-        process.stderr.write(format('%s %s: %s\n', set, coloredPID, msg));
+      debugImpls[set] = function debug(maybeFmt, ...args) {
+        if (typeof maybeFmt === 'string') {
+          // eslint-disable-next-line
+          console.error(`%s %o: ${maybeFmt}`, set, pid, ...args);
+        } else {
+          // eslint-disable-next-line
+          console.error('%s %o:', set, pid, maybeFmt, ...args);
+        }
       };
     } else {
       debugImpls[set] = noop;
diff --git a/test/sequential/test-util-debug.js b/test/sequential/test-util-debug.js
index f8be25f6f880b8..e76a585d65c127 100644
--- a/test/sequential/test-util-debug.js
+++ b/test/sequential/test-util-debug.js
@@ -100,23 +100,46 @@ function test(environ, shouldWrite, section, forceColors = false) {
   });
 
   child.on('close', common.mustCall((c) => {
-    assert(!c);
-    assert.strictEqual(err, expectErr);
-    assert.strictEqual(out, expectOut);
-    // Run the test again, this time with colors enabled.
-    if (!forceColors) {
-      test(environ, shouldWrite, section, true);
+    try {
+      assert(!c);
+      assert.strictEqual(err, expectErr);
+      assert.strictEqual(out, expectOut);
+      // Run the test again, this time with colors enabled.
+      if (!forceColors) {
+        test(environ, shouldWrite, section, true);
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.error('FAILED PERMUTATION:', { environ, shouldWrite, section, forceColors });
+      console.error('COMMAND:', Object.entries({
+        NODE_DEBUG: environ,
+        FORCE_COLOR: forceColors ? 'true' : ''
+      }).reduce(
+        (acc, [k, v]) => { acc.push(`${k}=${JSON.stringify(v)}`); return acc; },
+        []
+      ).join(' '), 'node', [__filename, 'child', JSON.stringify(section)].join(' '));
+      throw e;
     }
   }));
 }
 
-
 function child(section) {
   const tty = require('tty');
   // Make sure we check for colors, no matter of the stream's default.
+
+  const forceColors = process.env.FORCE_COLOR === 'true';
   Object.defineProperty(process.stderr, 'hasColors', {
     value: tty.WriteStream.prototype.hasColors
   });
+  Object.defineProperty(process.stderr, 'isTTY', {
+    value: forceColors,
+  });
+  Object.defineProperty(process.stdout, 'hasColors', {
+    value: tty.WriteStream.prototype.hasColors
+  });
+  Object.defineProperty(process.stdout, 'isTTY', {
+    value: forceColors,
+  });
+
   // eslint-disable-next-line no-restricted-syntax
   const debug = util.debuglog(section, common.mustCall((cb) => {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof cb, 'function');