diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pydoc.py b/Lib/test/test_pydoc.py
index c139fa40fd0..65b0ab540ee 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pydoc.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pydoc.py
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ class PydocImportTest(unittest.TestCase):
         badsyntax = os.path.join(pkgdir, "__init__") + os.extsep + "py"
         with open(badsyntax, 'w') as f:
             f.write("invalid python syntax = $1\n")
-        result = run_pydoc('nothing', '-k', PYTHONPATH=TESTFN)
+        result = run_pydoc('zqwykjv', '-k', PYTHONPATH=TESTFN)
         self.assertEqual(b'', result)
 
     def test_apropos_with_unreadable_dir(self):
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ class PydocImportTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.addCleanup(os.rmdir, self.unreadable_dir)
         # Note, on Windows the directory appears to be still
         #   readable so this is not really testing the issue there
-        result = run_pydoc('nothing', '-k', PYTHONPATH=TESTFN)
+        result = run_pydoc('zqwykjv', '-k', PYTHONPATH=TESTFN)
         self.assertEqual(b'', result)