diff --git a/tests/all.T b/tests/all.T
index be7f16d2..4397eb6a 100644
--- a/tests/all.T
+++ b/tests/all.T
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # some platforms use spawnp instead of exec in some cases, resulting
 # in spurious error output changes.
-normalise_exec = normalise_fun(lambda s: s.replace('spawnp', 'exec'))
+normalise_exec = normalise_fun(lambda s: s.replace('posix_spawnp', 'exec'))
 
 test('process001', extra_clean(['process001.out']), compile_and_run, [''])
 test('process002', [fragile_for(16547, concurrent_ways), extra_clean(['process002.out'])], compile_and_run, [''])
diff --git a/tests/process009.hs b/tests/process009.hs
index 7cd4c394..7cffd335 100644
--- a/tests/process009.hs
+++ b/tests/process009.hs
@@ -2,16 +2,22 @@ import Control.Monad
 import System.Exit
 import System.Process
 import Data.Maybe
+import Data.List (intercalate)
 
 -- Test that we get the right exit code for processes that terminate
 -- with a signal (#7229)
 
 main = do
-  (_,_,_,p) <- createProcess (shell "kill -HUP $$")
+  let script = intercalate " "
+               [ "exec python3 2>/dev/null"
+               , "-c"
+               , "'import os; os.kill(os.getpid(), 1)'"
+               ]
+  (_,_,_,p) <- createProcess (shell script)
   waitForProcess p >>= print
   getProcessExitCode p >>= print
 
-  (_,_,_,p) <- createProcess (shell "kill -HUP $$")
+  (_,_,_,p) <- createProcess (shell script)
   forever $ do
     r <- getProcessExitCode p
     if (isJust r) then do print r; exitWith ExitSuccess else return ()
diff --git a/tests/process011.hs b/tests/process011.hs
index eb68612f..8e1b43ee 100644
--- a/tests/process011.hs
+++ b/tests/process011.hs
@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@ main = do
 
   -- shell kills itself with SIGINT,
   -- delegation off, exit code (death by signal) reported as normal
-  do let script = intercalate "; "
-                    [ "kill -INT $$"
-                    , "exit 42" ]
+  do let script = intercalate " "
+                    [ "exec python3 2>/dev/null"
+                    , "-c"
+                    , "'import os; os.kill(os.getpid(), 2)'"
+                    ]
      (_,_,_,p) <- createProcess (shell script) { delegate_ctlc = False }
      waitForProcess p >>= print
 
@@ -24,9 +26,11 @@ main = do
 
   -- shell kills itself with SIGINT,
   -- delegation on, so expect to throw UserInterrupt
-  do let script = intercalate "; "
-                    [ "kill -INT $$"
-                    , "exit 42" ]
+  do let script = intercalate " "
+                    [ "exec python3 2>/dev/null"
+                    , "-c"
+                    , "'import os; os.kill(os.getpid(), 2)'"
+                    ]
      (_,_,_,p) <- createProcess (shell script) { delegate_ctlc = True }
      (waitForProcess p >>= print)
        `catchUserInterrupt` \e -> putStrLn $ "caught: " ++ show e