diff --git a/lib/internal/debugger/inspect_helpers.js b/lib/internal/debugger/inspect_helpers.js
index d0049acc06cd22..7905c058d73b5d 100644
--- a/lib/internal/debugger/inspect_helpers.js
+++ b/lib/internal/debugger/inspect_helpers.js
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ async function launchChildProcess(childArgs, inspectHost, inspectPort,
   const args = [`--inspect-brk=${inspectPort}`];
   ArrayPrototypePushApply(args, childArgs);
 
-  const child = spawn(process.execPath, args);
+  const child = spawn(process.execPath, args, { shell: false });
   child.stdout.setEncoding('utf8');
   child.stderr.setEncoding('utf8');
   child.stdout.on('data', (chunk) => childOutput(chunk, 'stdout'));