diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/mm/pkey_sighandler_tests.c b/tools/testing/selftests/mm/pkey_sighandler_tests.c
index 8b3400379423..188513e94fc5 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/mm/pkey_sighandler_tests.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/mm/pkey_sighandler_tests.c
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ static void test_sigsegv_handler_with_different_pkey_for_stack(void)
 
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		errno = -ret;
-		perror("clone");
+		pkey_assert(0);
 	} else if (ret == 0) {
 		thread_segv_maperr_ptr(&sigstack);
 		syscall_raw(SYS_exit, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0);
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ static void test_pkru_sigreturn(void)
 
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		errno = -ret;
-		perror("clone");
+		pkey_assert(0);
 	}  else if (ret == 0) {
 		thread_sigusr2_self(&sigstack);
 		syscall_raw(SYS_exit, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0);