diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index 599c97af665..fc255ae9536 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
-// Support for very old versions of node.  At some point, we should abandon this.
-var minor = process.versions.node.split('.')[1];
-if (minor > 2) {
-    module.exports = require("util");
-} else {
-    module.exports = require("sys");
+// Support for very old versions of node where the module was called "sys".  At some point, we should abandon this.
+
+var util;
+
+try {
+    util = require("util");
+} catch (err) {
+    util = require("sys");
 }
+
+module.exports = util;