diff --git a/lib/internal/test_runner/utils.js b/lib/internal/test_runner/utils.js
index 5a29673279311b..463ea81c44d5f8 100644
--- a/lib/internal/test_runner/utils.js
+++ b/lib/internal/test_runner/utils.js
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ if (getOptionValue('--strip-types')) {
   ArrayPrototypePush(kFileExtensions, 'ts', 'mts', 'cts');
 }
 const kDefaultPattern = `**/{${ArrayPrototypeJoin(kPatterns, ',')}}.{${ArrayPrototypeJoin(kFileExtensions, ',')}}`;
+const kDefaultCoverageDotfilePattern =
+  `test/{.*,**/.*}.{${ArrayPrototypeJoin(kFileExtensions, ',')}}`;
 
 function createDeferredCallback() {
   let calledCount = 0;
@@ -403,7 +405,7 @@ function parseCommandLine() {
     if (!coverageExcludeGlobs || coverageExcludeGlobs.length === 0) {
       // TODO(pmarchini): this default should follow something similar to c8 defaults
       // Default exclusions should be also exported to be used by other tools / users
-      coverageExcludeGlobs = [kDefaultPattern];
+      coverageExcludeGlobs = [kDefaultPattern, kDefaultCoverageDotfilePattern];
     }
     coverageIncludeGlobs = getOptionValue('--test-coverage-include');
 
diff --git a/test/fixtures/test-runner/coverage-default-exclusion/test/.dotfile.cjs b/test/fixtures/test-runner/coverage-default-exclusion/test/.dotfile.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..ec0a4c24fffb3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/test-runner/coverage-default-exclusion/test/.dotfile.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+const test = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert');
+const { foo } = require('../logic-file.js');
+
+test('foo returns 1 from a dotfile test', () => {
+  assert.strictEqual(foo(), 1);
+});
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-runner-coverage-default-exclusion.mjs b/test/parallel/test-runner-coverage-default-exclusion.mjs
index 44e5f7600d3270..2ef6d81bf1dd9b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-runner-coverage-default-exclusion.mjs
+++ b/test/parallel/test-runner-coverage-default-exclusion.mjs
@@ -114,4 +114,34 @@ describe('test runner coverage default exclusion', skipIfNoInspector, () => {
     assert(result.stdout.toString().includes(report));
     assert.strictEqual(result.status, 0);
   });
+
+  it('should exclude dotfile test files from coverage by default', async () => {
+    const report = [
+      '# start of coverage report',
+      '# --------------------------------------------------------------',
+      '# file          | line % | branch % | funcs % | uncovered lines',
+      '# --------------------------------------------------------------',
+      '# logic-file.js |  66.67 |   100.00 |   50.00 | 5-7',
+      '# --------------------------------------------------------------',
+      '# all files     |  66.67 |   100.00 |   50.00 | ',
+      '# --------------------------------------------------------------',
+      '# end of coverage report',
+    ].join('\n');
+
+    const args = [
+      '--no-experimental-strip-types',
+      '--test',
+      '--experimental-test-coverage',
+      '--test-reporter=tap',
+      'test/.dotfile.cjs',
+    ];
+    const result = spawnSync(process.execPath, args, {
+      env: { ...process.env, NODE_TEST_TMPDIR: tmpdir.path },
+      cwd: tmpdir.path
+    });
+
+    assert.strictEqual(result.stderr.toString(), '');
+    assert(result.stdout.toString().includes(report));
+    assert.strictEqual(result.status, 0);
+  });
 });