diff --git a/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js b/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js
index 61146a32aad010..ab1695125df6bc 100644
--- a/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js
+++ b/lib/internal/bootstrap/node.js
@@ -44,33 +44,57 @@
 
     setupGlobalVariables();
 
-    const _process = NativeModule.require('internal/process');
-    _process.setupConfig(NativeModule._source);
-    _process.setupSignalHandlers();
-    _process.setupUncaughtExceptionCapture(exceptionHandlerState,
-                                           _shouldAbortOnUncaughtToggle);
+    // Bootstrappers for all threads, including worker threads and main thread
+    const perThreadSetup = NativeModule.require('internal/process/per_thread');
+    // Bootstrappers for the main thread only
+    let mainThreadSetup;
+    // Bootstrappers for the worker threads only
+    let workerThreadSetup;
+    if (isMainThread) {
+      mainThreadSetup = NativeModule.require(
+        'internal/process/main_thread_only'
+      );
+    } else {
+      workerThreadSetup = NativeModule.require(
+        'internal/process/worker_thread_only'
+      );
+    }
+
+    perThreadSetup.setupAssert();
+    perThreadSetup.setupConfig(NativeModule._source);
+
+    if (isMainThread) {
+      mainThreadSetup.setupSignalHandlers();
+    }
+
+    perThreadSetup.setupUncaughtExceptionCapture(exceptionHandlerState,
+                                                 _shouldAbortOnUncaughtToggle);
+
     NativeModule.require('internal/process/warning').setup();
     NativeModule.require('internal/process/next_tick').setup(_setupNextTick,
                                                              _setupPromises);
-    NativeModule.require('internal/process/stdio').setup();
-    NativeModule.require('internal/process/methods').setup(_chdir,
-                                                           _umask,
-                                                           _initgroups,
-                                                           _setegid,
-                                                           _seteuid,
-                                                           _setgid,
-                                                           _setuid,
-                                                           _setgroups);
+
+    if (isMainThread) {
+      mainThreadSetup.setupStdio();
+      mainThreadSetup.setupProcessMethods(
+        _chdir, _umask, _initgroups, _setegid, _seteuid,
+        _setgid, _setuid, _setgroups
+      );
+    } else {
+      workerThreadSetup.setupStdio();
+    }
 
     const perf = process.binding('performance');
     const {
       NODE_PERFORMANCE_MILESTONE_BOOTSTRAP_COMPLETE,
     } = perf.constants;
 
-    _process.setup_hrtime(_hrtime, _hrtimeBigInt);
-    _process.setup_cpuUsage(_cpuUsage);
-    _process.setupMemoryUsage(_memoryUsage);
-    _process.setupKillAndExit();
+    perThreadSetup.setupRawDebug(_rawDebug);
+    perThreadSetup.setupHrtime(_hrtime, _hrtimeBigInt);
+    perThreadSetup.setupCpuUsage(_cpuUsage);
+    perThreadSetup.setupMemoryUsage(_memoryUsage);
+    perThreadSetup.setupKillAndExit();
+
     if (global.__coverage__)
       NativeModule.require('internal/process/write-coverage').setup();
 
@@ -90,10 +114,9 @@
       NativeModule.require('internal/inspector_async_hook').setup();
     }
 
-    if (isMainThread)
-      _process.setupChannel();
-
-    _process.setupRawDebug(_rawDebug);
+    if (isMainThread) {
+      mainThreadSetup.setupChildProcessIpcChannel();
+    }
 
     const browserGlobals = !process._noBrowserGlobals;
     if (browserGlobals) {
diff --git a/lib/internal/process/main_thread_only.js b/lib/internal/process/main_thread_only.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..814cca266d6675
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/internal/process/main_thread_only.js
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+'use strict';
+
+// This file contains process bootstrappers that can only be
+// run in the main thread
+
+const {
+  errnoException
+} = require('internal/errors');
+
+const {
+  setupProcessStdio,
+  getMainThreadStdio
+} = require('internal/process/stdio');
+
+const assert = require('assert').strict;
+
+function setupStdio() {
+  setupProcessStdio(getMainThreadStdio());
+}
+
+// Non-POSIX platforms like Windows don't have certain methods.
+// Workers also lack these methods since they change process-global state.
+function setupProcessMethods(_chdir, _umask, _initgroups, _setegid,
+                             _seteuid, _setgid, _setuid, _setgroups) {
+  if (_setgid !== undefined) {
+    setupPosixMethods(_initgroups, _setegid, _seteuid,
+                      _setgid, _setuid, _setgroups);
+  }
+
+  process.chdir = function chdir(...args) {
+    return _chdir(...args);
+  };
+
+  process.umask = function umask(...args) {
+    return _umask(...args);
+  };
+}
+
+function setupPosixMethods(_initgroups, _setegid, _seteuid,
+                           _setgid, _setuid, _setgroups) {
+
+  process.initgroups = function initgroups(...args) {
+    return _initgroups(...args);
+  };
+
+  process.setegid = function setegid(...args) {
+    return _setegid(...args);
+  };
+
+  process.seteuid = function seteuid(...args) {
+    return _seteuid(...args);
+  };
+
+  process.setgid = function setgid(...args) {
+    return _setgid(...args);
+  };
+
+  process.setuid = function setuid(...args) {
+    return _setuid(...args);
+  };
+
+  process.setgroups = function setgroups(...args) {
+    return _setgroups(...args);
+  };
+}
+
+// Worker threads don't receive signals.
+function setupSignalHandlers() {
+  const constants = process.binding('constants').os.signals;
+  const signalWraps = Object.create(null);
+  let Signal;
+
+  function isSignal(event) {
+    return typeof event === 'string' && constants[event] !== undefined;
+  }
+
+  // Detect presence of a listener for the special signal types
+  process.on('newListener', function(type) {
+    if (isSignal(type) && signalWraps[type] === undefined) {
+      if (Signal === undefined)
+        Signal = process.binding('signal_wrap').Signal;
+      const wrap = new Signal();
+
+      wrap.unref();
+
+      wrap.onsignal = process.emit.bind(process, type, type);
+
+      const signum = constants[type];
+      const err = wrap.start(signum);
+      if (err) {
+        wrap.close();
+        throw errnoException(err, 'uv_signal_start');
+      }
+
+      signalWraps[type] = wrap;
+    }
+  });
+
+  process.on('removeListener', function(type) {
+    if (signalWraps[type] !== undefined && this.listenerCount(type) === 0) {
+      signalWraps[type].close();
+      delete signalWraps[type];
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+function setupChildProcessIpcChannel() {
+  // If we were spawned with env NODE_CHANNEL_FD then load that up and
+  // start parsing data from that stream.
+  if (process.env.NODE_CHANNEL_FD) {
+    const fd = parseInt(process.env.NODE_CHANNEL_FD, 10);
+    assert(fd >= 0);
+
+    // Make sure it's not accidentally inherited by child processes.
+    delete process.env.NODE_CHANNEL_FD;
+
+    require('child_process')._forkChild(fd);
+    assert(process.send);
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  setupStdio,
+  setupProcessMethods,
+  setupSignalHandlers,
+  setupChildProcessIpcChannel
+};
diff --git a/lib/internal/process/methods.js b/lib/internal/process/methods.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 38ba5f84b5a30a..00000000000000
--- a/lib/internal/process/methods.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,56 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-
-const {
-  isMainThread
-} = require('internal/worker');
-
-function setupProcessMethods(_chdir, _umask, _initgroups, _setegid,
-                             _seteuid, _setgid, _setuid, _setgroups) {
-  // Non-POSIX platforms like Windows don't have certain methods.
-  // Workers also lack these methods since they change process-global state.
-  if (!isMainThread)
-    return;
-
-  if (_setgid !== undefined) {
-    setupPosixMethods(_initgroups, _setegid, _seteuid,
-                      _setgid, _setuid, _setgroups);
-  }
-
-  process.chdir = function chdir(...args) {
-    return _chdir(...args);
-  };
-
-  process.umask = function umask(...args) {
-    return _umask(...args);
-  };
-}
-
-function setupPosixMethods(_initgroups, _setegid, _seteuid,
-                           _setgid, _setuid, _setgroups) {
-
-  process.initgroups = function initgroups(...args) {
-    return _initgroups(...args);
-  };
-
-  process.setegid = function setegid(...args) {
-    return _setegid(...args);
-  };
-
-  process.seteuid = function seteuid(...args) {
-    return _seteuid(...args);
-  };
-
-  process.setgid = function setgid(...args) {
-    return _setgid(...args);
-  };
-
-  process.setuid = function setuid(...args) {
-    return _setuid(...args);
-  };
-
-  process.setgroups = function setgroups(...args) {
-    return _setgroups(...args);
-  };
-}
-
-exports.setup = setupProcessMethods;
diff --git a/lib/internal/process.js b/lib/internal/process/per_thread.js
similarity index 75%
rename from lib/internal/process.js
rename to lib/internal/process/per_thread.js
index 098edaeaaff183..fbf60bac6e9fff 100644
--- a/lib/internal/process.js
+++ b/lib/internal/process/per_thread.js
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 'use strict';
 
+// This files contains process bootstrappers that can be
+// run when setting up each thread, including the main
+// thread and the worker threads.
+
 const {
   errnoException,
   codes: {
@@ -14,19 +18,19 @@ const {
 } = require('internal/errors');
 const util = require('util');
 const constants = process.binding('constants').os.signals;
-const assert = require('assert').strict;
 const { deprecate } = require('internal/util');
-const { isMainThread } = require('internal/worker');
 
-process.assert = deprecate(
-  function(x, msg) {
-    if (!x) throw new ERR_ASSERTION(msg || 'assertion error');
-  },
-  'process.assert() is deprecated. Please use the `assert` module instead.',
-  'DEP0100');
+function setupAssert() {
+  process.assert = deprecate(
+    function(x, msg) {
+      if (!x) throw new ERR_ASSERTION(msg || 'assertion error');
+    },
+    'process.assert() is deprecated. Please use the `assert` module instead.',
+    'DEP0100');
+}
 
 // Set up the process.cpuUsage() function.
-function setup_cpuUsage(_cpuUsage) {
+function setupCpuUsage(_cpuUsage) {
   // Create the argument array that will be passed to the native function.
   const cpuValues = new Float64Array(2);
 
@@ -90,7 +94,7 @@ function setup_cpuUsage(_cpuUsage) {
 // The 3 entries filled in by the original process.hrtime contains
 // the upper/lower 32 bits of the second part of the value,
 // and the remaining nanoseconds of the value.
-function setup_hrtime(_hrtime, _hrtimeBigInt) {
+function setupHrtime(_hrtime, _hrtimeBigInt) {
   const hrValues = new Uint32Array(3);
 
   process.hrtime = function hrtime(time) {
@@ -193,67 +197,6 @@ function setupKillAndExit() {
   };
 }
 
-
-function setupSignalHandlers() {
-  if (!isMainThread) {
-    // Worker threads don't receive signals.
-    return;
-  }
-
-  const signalWraps = Object.create(null);
-  let Signal;
-
-  function isSignal(event) {
-    return typeof event === 'string' && constants[event] !== undefined;
-  }
-
-  // Detect presence of a listener for the special signal types
-  process.on('newListener', function(type) {
-    if (isSignal(type) && signalWraps[type] === undefined) {
-      if (Signal === undefined)
-        Signal = process.binding('signal_wrap').Signal;
-      const wrap = new Signal();
-
-      wrap.unref();
-
-      wrap.onsignal = process.emit.bind(process, type, type);
-
-      const signum = constants[type];
-      const err = wrap.start(signum);
-      if (err) {
-        wrap.close();
-        throw errnoException(err, 'uv_signal_start');
-      }
-
-      signalWraps[type] = wrap;
-    }
-  });
-
-  process.on('removeListener', function(type) {
-    if (signalWraps[type] !== undefined && this.listenerCount(type) === 0) {
-      signalWraps[type].close();
-      delete signalWraps[type];
-    }
-  });
-}
-
-
-function setupChannel() {
-  // If we were spawned with env NODE_CHANNEL_FD then load that up and
-  // start parsing data from that stream.
-  if (process.env.NODE_CHANNEL_FD) {
-    const fd = parseInt(process.env.NODE_CHANNEL_FD, 10);
-    assert(fd >= 0);
-
-    // Make sure it's not accidentally inherited by child processes.
-    delete process.env.NODE_CHANNEL_FD;
-
-    require('child_process')._forkChild(fd);
-    assert(process.send);
-  }
-}
-
-
 function setupRawDebug(_rawDebug) {
   process._rawDebug = function() {
     _rawDebug(util.format.apply(null, arguments));
@@ -288,13 +231,12 @@ function setupUncaughtExceptionCapture(exceptionHandlerState,
 }
 
 module.exports = {
-  setup_cpuUsage,
-  setup_hrtime,
+  setupAssert,
+  setupCpuUsage,
+  setupHrtime,
   setupMemoryUsage,
   setupConfig,
   setupKillAndExit,
-  setupSignalHandlers,
-  setupChannel,
   setupRawDebug,
   setupUncaughtExceptionCapture
 };
diff --git a/lib/internal/process/stdio.js b/lib/internal/process/stdio.js
index f4a07cd06d09d9..e4207a1aa768bd 100644
--- a/lib/internal/process/stdio.js
+++ b/lib/internal/process/stdio.js
@@ -6,21 +6,17 @@ const {
   ERR_UNKNOWN_STDIN_TYPE,
   ERR_UNKNOWN_STREAM_TYPE
 } = require('internal/errors').codes;
-const {
-  isMainThread,
-  workerStdio
-} = require('internal/worker');
 
-exports.setup = setupStdio;
+exports.setupProcessStdio = setupProcessStdio;
+exports.getMainThreadStdio = getMainThreadStdio;
 
-function setupStdio() {
+function getMainThreadStdio() {
   var stdin;
   var stdout;
   var stderr;
 
   function getStdout() {
     if (stdout) return stdout;
-    if (!isMainThread) return workerStdio.stdout;
     stdout = createWritableStdioStream(1);
     stdout.destroySoon = stdout.destroy;
     stdout._destroy = function(er, cb) {
@@ -36,7 +32,6 @@ function setupStdio() {
 
   function getStderr() {
     if (stderr) return stderr;
-    if (!isMainThread) return workerStdio.stderr;
     stderr = createWritableStdioStream(2);
     stderr.destroySoon = stderr.destroy;
     stderr._destroy = function(er, cb) {
@@ -52,8 +47,6 @@ function setupStdio() {
 
   function getStdin() {
     if (stdin) return stdin;
-    if (!isMainThread) return workerStdio.stdin;
-
     const tty_wrap = process.binding('tty_wrap');
     const fd = 0;
 
@@ -136,6 +129,14 @@ function setupStdio() {
     return stdin;
   }
 
+  return {
+    getStdout,
+    getStderr,
+    getStdin
+  };
+}
+
+function setupProcessStdio({ getStdout, getStdin, getStderr }) {
   Object.defineProperty(process, 'stdout', {
     configurable: true,
     enumerable: true,
diff --git a/lib/internal/process/worker_thread_only.js b/lib/internal/process/worker_thread_only.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..834ba6078fca44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/internal/process/worker_thread_only.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+'use strict';
+
+// This file contains process bootstrappers that can only be
+// run in the worker thread.
+
+const {
+  setupProcessStdio
+} = require('internal/process/stdio');
+
+const {
+  workerStdio
+} = require('internal/worker');
+
+function setupStdio() {
+  setupProcessStdio({
+    getStdout: () => workerStdio.stdout,
+    getStderr: () => workerStdio.stderr,
+    getStdin: () => workerStdio.stdin
+  });
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  setupStdio
+};
diff --git a/node.gyp b/node.gyp
index 04784715c34f86..56315baf7006b3 100644
--- a/node.gyp
+++ b/node.gyp
@@ -133,12 +133,13 @@
       'lib/internal/net.js',
       'lib/internal/os.js',
       'lib/internal/process/esm_loader.js',
-      'lib/internal/process/methods.js',
+      'lib/internal/process/main_thread_only.js',
       'lib/internal/process/next_tick.js',
+      'lib/internal/process/per_thread.js',
       'lib/internal/process/promises.js',
       'lib/internal/process/stdio.js',
       'lib/internal/process/warning.js',
-      'lib/internal/process.js',
+      'lib/internal/process/worker_thread_only.js',
       'lib/internal/querystring.js',
       'lib/internal/process/write-coverage.js',
       'lib/internal/readline.js',