diff --git a/lib/buffer.js b/lib/buffer.js
index dc7f5c7cdb829b..5ecf88d55b848e 100644
--- a/lib/buffer.js
+++ b/lib/buffer.js
@@ -55,9 +55,7 @@ const {
   isArrayBufferView,
   isUint8Array
 } = require('internal/util/types');
-const {
-  pendingDeprecation
-} = internalBinding('config');
+
 const {
   formatProperty,
   kObjectType
@@ -150,7 +148,7 @@ const bufferWarning = 'Buffer() is deprecated due to security and usability ' +
 function showFlaggedDeprecation() {
   if (bufferWarningAlreadyEmitted ||
       ++nodeModulesCheckCounter > 10000 ||
-      (!pendingDeprecation &&
+      (!require('internal/options').getOptionValue('--pending-deprecation') &&
        isInsideNodeModules())) {
     // We don't emit a warning, because we either:
     // - Already did so, or
diff --git a/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js b/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js
index 51e27afecaea3c..7ebfe0b0f073b7 100644
--- a/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js
+++ b/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ function startup() {
   {
     // Install legacy getters on the `util` binding for typechecking.
     // TODO(addaleax): Turn into a full runtime deprecation.
-    const { pendingDeprecation } = internalBinding('config');
+    const pendingDeprecation = getOptionValue('--pending-deprecation');
     const utilBinding = internalBinding('util');
     const types = internalBinding('types');
     for (const name of [
diff --git a/src/node_config.cc b/src/node_config.cc
index a8ffac2cc158a4..1ba1fe9d277af5 100644
--- a/src/node_config.cc
+++ b/src/node_config.cc
@@ -77,9 +77,6 @@ static void Initialize(Local<Object> target,
   if (env->options()->experimental_repl_await)
     READONLY_TRUE_PROPERTY(target, "experimentalREPLAwait");
 
-  if (env->options()->pending_deprecation)
-    READONLY_TRUE_PROPERTY(target, "pendingDeprecation");
-
   if (env->options()->expose_internals)
     READONLY_TRUE_PROPERTY(target, "exposeInternals");
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-pending-deprecation.js b/test/parallel/test-pending-deprecation.js
index bb11d84bcc0aec..6cabf9ddc693f7 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-pending-deprecation.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-pending-deprecation.js
@@ -1,36 +1,45 @@
 'use strict';
 
-// Tests that --pending-deprecation and NODE_PENDING_DEPRECATION both
-// set the process.binding('config').pendingDeprecation flag that is
-// used to determine if pending deprecation messages should be shown.
-// The test is performed by launching two child processes that run
+// Flags: --expose-internals
+// Tests that --pending-deprecation and NODE_PENDING_DEPRECATION both set the
+// `require('internal/options').getOptionValue('--pending-deprecation')`
+// flag that is used to determine if pending deprecation messages should be
+// shown. The test is performed by launching two child processes that run
 // this same test script with different arguments. If those exit with
 // code 0, then the test passes. If they don't, it fails.
 
+// TODO(joyeecheung): instead of testing internals, test the actual features
+// pending deprecations.
+
 const common = require('../common');
 
 const assert = require('assert');
-const config = process.binding('config');
 const fork = require('child_process').fork;
+const { getOptionValue } = require('internal/options');
 
 function message(name) {
-  return `${name} did not set the process.binding('config').` +
-         'pendingDeprecation flag.';
+  return `${name} did not affect getOptionValue('--pending-deprecation')`;
 }
 
 switch (process.argv[2]) {
   case 'env':
   case 'switch':
-    assert.strictEqual(config.pendingDeprecation, true);
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      getOptionValue('--pending-deprecation'),
+      true
+    );
     break;
   default:
     // Verify that the flag is off by default.
     const envvar = process.env.NODE_PENDING_DEPRECATION;
-    assert.strictEqual(config.pendingDeprecation, envvar && envvar[0] === '1');
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      getOptionValue('--pending-deprecation'),
+      !!(envvar && envvar[0] === '1')
+    );
 
     // Test the --pending-deprecation command line switch.
     fork(__filename, ['switch'], {
-      execArgv: ['--pending-deprecation'],
+      execArgv: ['--pending-deprecation', '--expose-internals'],
       silent: true
     }).on('exit', common.mustCall((code) => {
       assert.strictEqual(code, 0, message('--pending-deprecation'));
@@ -38,7 +47,7 @@ switch (process.argv[2]) {
 
     // Test the --pending_deprecation command line switch.
     fork(__filename, ['switch'], {
-      execArgv: ['--pending_deprecation'],
+      execArgv: ['--pending_deprecation', '--expose-internals'],
       silent: true
     }).on('exit', common.mustCall((code) => {
       assert.strictEqual(code, 0, message('--pending_deprecation'));
@@ -47,6 +56,7 @@ switch (process.argv[2]) {
     // Test the NODE_PENDING_DEPRECATION environment var.
     fork(__filename, ['env'], {
       env: Object.assign({}, process.env, { NODE_PENDING_DEPRECATION: 1 }),
+      execArgv: ['--expose-internals'],
       silent: true
     }).on('exit', common.mustCall((code) => {
       assert.strictEqual(code, 0, message('NODE_PENDING_DEPRECATION'));