diff --git a/tools/get-endianness.js b/tools/get-endianness.js
index a1f985e18a0..a910e664b05 100644
--- a/tools/get-endianness.js
+++ b/tools/get-endianness.js
@@ -1 +1,6 @@
-console.log(require('os').endianness() === 'BE' ? 'big' : 'little')
+var os = require('os')
+if (os.endianness) {
+  console.log(require('os').endianness() === 'BE' ? 'big' : 'little')
+} else {  // Your Node is rather old, but I don't care.
+  console.log('little')
+}