diff --git a/test/pummel/test-exec.js b/test/pummel/test-exec.js
index 7d631f87f2f74a..288039df18a763 100644
--- a/test/pummel/test-exec.js
+++ b/test/pummel/test-exec.js
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ exec('python -c "print 200000*\'C\'"', { maxBuffer: 1000 },
      function(err, stdout, stderr) {
        assert.ok(err);
        assert.ok(/maxBuffer/.test(err.message));
-       assert.strictEqual(stdout, '');
+       assert.strictEqual(stdout, 'C'.repeat(1000));
        assert.strictEqual(stderr, '');
      });