diff --git a/Lib/test/test_signal.py b/Lib/test/test_signal.py
index 4368375..df0828d 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_signal.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_signal.py
@@ -361,6 +361,8 @@
         signal.setitimer(self.itimer, 0.3, 0.2)
 
         for i in xrange(100000000):
+            # use up some virtual time by doing real work
+            _ = pow(12345, 67890, 10000019)
             if signal.getitimer(self.itimer) == (0.0, 0.0):
                 break # sig_vtalrm handler stopped this itimer
 
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index bafb0ab..2e052fa 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -1436,6 +1436,8 @@
 Tests
 -----
 
+- Issue #7042: Fix test_signal (test_itimer_virtual) failure on OS X 10.6.
+
 - Issue #6806: test_platform failed under OS X 10.6.0 because ``sw_ver`` leaves
   off the trailing 0 in the version number.