diff --git a/packages/ses/scripts/hermesTransforms.js b/packages/ses/scripts/hermesTransforms.js
index 842e238940..0ad0acfb6b 100644
--- a/packages/ses/scripts/hermesTransforms.js
+++ b/packages/ses/scripts/hermesTransforms.js
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ import babelGenerate from '@agoric/babel-generator';
 import babelTraverse from '@babel/traverse';
 import * as t from '@babel/types';
 
-// @ts-expect-error TS2339 Property 'default' does not exist
+// TODO The following is sufficient on Node.js, but for compatibility with
+// `node -r esm`, we must use the pattern below.
+// Remove after https://github.com/Agoric/agoric-sdk/issues/8671.
+// OR, upgrading to Babel 8 probably addresses this defect.
+// @ts-expect-error TS2339 Property 'default' does not exist.
 const traverse = babelTraverse.default || babelTraverse;
 const generate = babelGenerate.default || babelGenerate;