diff --git a/test/zdtm/transition/epoll.c b/test/zdtm/transition/epoll.c
index f89d96d41..4eac5214c 100644
--- a/test/zdtm/transition/epoll.c
+++ b/test/zdtm/transition/epoll.c
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	test_waitsig();
 
-	killall();
 	for (i = 0; i < scale; i++) {
+		kill(pids[i], SIGUSR2);
 		if (waitpid(pids[i], &rv, 0) < 0) {
 			fail("waitpid error: %m\n");
 			counter++;