diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/send_signal.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/send_signal.c
index 1702aa592c2c..7ac4d5a488aa 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/send_signal.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/send_signal.c
@@ -206,6 +206,11 @@ static void test_send_signal_common(struct perf_event_attr *attr,
 skel_open_load_failure:
 	close(pipe_c2p[0]);
 	close(pipe_p2c[1]);
+	/*
+	 * Child is either about to exit cleanly or stuck in case of errors.
+	 * Nudge it to exit.
+	 */
+	kill(pid, SIGKILL);
 	wait(NULL);
 }