diff --git a/lib/internal/test_runner/runner.js b/lib/internal/test_runner/runner.js
index 2e9395ea61c12c..ad9d3a0dda26e8 100644
--- a/lib/internal/test_runner/runner.js
+++ b/lib/internal/test_runner/runner.js
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ function run(options) {
     if (!ArrayIsArray(testNamePatterns)) {
       testNamePatterns = [testNamePatterns];
     }
-    validateArray(testNamePatterns, 'options.testNamePatterns');
+
     testNamePatterns = ArrayPrototypeMap(testNamePatterns, (value, i) => {
       if (isRegExp(value)) {
         return value;