diff --git a/tests/data/python_never_responds.sh b/tests/data/python_never_responds.py
similarity index 51%
rename from tests/data/python_never_responds.sh
rename to tests/data/python_never_responds.py
index f1ad5787..449d8565 100755
--- a/tests/data/python_never_responds.sh
+++ b/tests/data/python_never_responds.py
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
-#!/bin/bash
+#!/usr/bin/python
 # I am a Python interpreter that sits idle until the connection times out.
-exec -a mitogen-tests-python-never-responds.sh sleep 86400
+
+import time
+
+while True:
+    time.sleep(86400)
diff --git a/tests/parent_test.py b/tests/parent_test.py
index c0c542f4..24327024 100644
--- a/tests/parent_test.py
+++ b/tests/parent_test.py
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class ReapChildTest(testlib.RouterMixin, testlib.TestCase):
             remote_id=1234,
             old_router=self.router,
             max_message_size=self.router.max_message_size,
-            python_path=testlib.data_path('python_never_responds.sh'),
+            python_path=testlib.data_path('python_never_responds.py'),
             connect_timeout=0.5,
         )
         self.assertRaises(mitogen.core.TimeoutError,