diff --git a/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-kill-throws.js b/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-kill-throws.js
index 35e5ff8b7bce0f..d6a0d4da19eae7 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-kill-throws.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-kill-throws.js
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ if (process.argv[2] === 'child') {
   };
 
   const cmd = `"${process.execPath}" "${__filename}" child`;
-  const options = { maxBuffer: 0 };
+  const options = { maxBuffer: 0, killSignal: 'SIGKILL' };
+
   const child = cp.exec(cmd, options, common.mustCall((err, stdout, stderr) => {
     // Verify that if ChildProcess#kill() throws, the error is reported.
     assert.strictEqual(err.message, 'mock error', err);