diff --git a/include/nodejs/node_osrm_support.hpp b/include/nodejs/node_osrm_support.hpp
index 45757ad73..3968dc326 100644
--- a/include/nodejs/node_osrm_support.hpp
+++ b/include/nodejs/node_osrm_support.hpp
@@ -964,10 +964,17 @@ inline PluginParameters argumentsToPluginParameters(
             }
             return {false};
         }
-        else if (format_str == "buffer" || format_str == "json_buffer")
+        else if (format_str == "buffer")
         {
             return {true};
         }
+        else if (format_str == "json_buffer")
+        {
+            if (output_format && output_format != osrm::engine::api::BaseParameters::OutputFormatType::JSON) {
+                Nan::ThrowError("Deprecated `json_buffer` can only be used with JSON format");
+            }
+            return {true};
+        }
         else
         {
             Nan::ThrowError("format must be a string: \"object\" or \"buffer\"");
diff --git a/test/nodejs/route.js b/test/nodejs/route.js
index 34c1310c0..0e4033843 100644
--- a/test/nodejs/route.js
+++ b/test/nodejs/route.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ test('route: routes Monaco and can return result in flatbuffers if output format
     });
 });
 
-test('route: throws error if required output in object in flatbuffers format', function(assert) {
+test('route: throws error if required output is object in flatbuffers format', function(assert) {
     assert.plan(1);
     var osrm = new OSRM(monaco_path);
     assert.throws(function() {
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@ test('route: throws error if required output in object in flatbuffers format', f
     });
 });
 
+test('route: throws error if required output is json_buffer in flatbuffers format', function(assert) {
+    assert.plan(1);
+    var osrm = new OSRM(monaco_path);
+    assert.throws(function() {
+        osrm.route({coordinates: two_test_coordinates, format: 'flatbuffers'}, {format: 'json_buffer'}, function(err, result) {});
+    });
+});
+
 
 test('route: routes Monaco', function(assert) {
     assert.plan(5);