diff --git a/src/renderers/dom/client/syntheticEvents/SyntheticEvent.js b/src/renderers/dom/client/syntheticEvents/SyntheticEvent.js
index 1b01eebd91..6c7d4fe16b 100644
--- a/src/renderers/dom/client/syntheticEvents/SyntheticEvent.js
+++ b/src/renderers/dom/client/syntheticEvents/SyntheticEvent.js
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ Object.assign(SyntheticEvent.prototype, {
 
     if (event.preventDefault) {
       event.preventDefault();
-    } else {
+    } else if (typeof event.returnValue !== 'unknown') { // eslint-disable-line valid-typeof
       event.returnValue = false;
     }
     this.isDefaultPrevented = emptyFunction.thatReturnsTrue;