diff --git a/lib/response.js b/lib/response.js
index 7a2f0ecce56..873cd7af178 100644
--- a/lib/response.js
+++ b/lib/response.js
@@ -326,6 +326,9 @@ res.jsonp = function jsonp(obj) {
  */
 
 res.sendStatus = function sendStatus(statusCode) {
+  if (typeof statusCode !== 'number') {
+    throw new TypeError('Invalid status code: ' + statusCode);
+  }
   var body = statuses.message[statusCode] || String(statusCode)
 
   this.status(statusCode);
diff --git a/test/res.sendStatus.js b/test/res.sendStatus.js
index b244cf9d173..10ee0c77c80 100644
--- a/test/res.sendStatus.js
+++ b/test/res.sendStatus.js
@@ -40,5 +40,17 @@ describe('res', function () {
         .get('/')
         .expect(500, /TypeError: Invalid status code/, done)
     })
+
+    it('should raise error for BigInt status code', function (done) {
+      var app = express()
+
+      app.use(function (req, res) {
+        res.sendStatus(200n)
+      })
+
+      request(app)
+        .get('/')
+        .expect(500, /TypeError.*Invalid status code/, done)
+    })
   })
 })