diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pty.py b/Lib/test/test_pty.py
index f31a68c5d84e03..e6bedabee5e4e2 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pty.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pty.py
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ def test_master_read(self):
         self.assertEqual(data, b"")
 
     def test_spawn_doesnt_hang(self):
-        pty.spawn([sys.executable, '-c', 'print("hi there")'])
+        pty.spawn([sys.executable, '-c', '1 + 1'])
 
 class SmallPtyTests(unittest.TestCase):
     """These tests don't spawn children or hang."""