diff --git a/Lib/test/test_signal.py b/Lib/test/test_signal.py
index 72a01cd1e451f4..b7b2de0c556247 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_signal.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_signal.py
@@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ def test_itimer_virtual(self):
 
         for _ in support.busy_retry(support.LONG_TIMEOUT):
             # use up some virtual time by doing real work
-            _ = pow(12345, 67890, 10000019)
+            _ = sum(i * i for i in range(10**5))
             if signal.getitimer(self.itimer) == (0.0, 0.0):
                 # sig_vtalrm handler stopped this itimer
                 break
@@ -859,7 +859,7 @@ def test_itimer_prof(self):
 
         for _ in support.busy_retry(support.LONG_TIMEOUT):
             # do some work
-            _ = pow(12345, 67890, 10000019)
+            _ = sum(i * i for i in range(10**5))
             if signal.getitimer(self.itimer) == (0.0, 0.0):
                 # sig_prof handler stopped this itimer
                 break