diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kselftest.h b/tools/testing/selftests/kselftest.h
index 529d29a35900..68d5a93dff8d 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kselftest.h
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kselftest.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <sys/utsname.h>
 #endif
 
 #ifndef ARRAY_SIZE
@@ -327,4 +328,16 @@ static inline int ksft_exit_skip(const char *msg, ...)
 	exit(KSFT_SKIP);
 }
 
+static inline int ksft_min_kernel_version(unsigned int min_major,
+					  unsigned int min_minor)
+{
+	unsigned int major, minor;
+	struct utsname info;
+
+	if (uname(&info) || sscanf(info.release, "%u.%u.", &major, &minor) != 2)
+		ksft_exit_fail_msg("Can't parse kernel version\n");
+
+	return major > min_major || (major == min_major && minor >= min_minor);
+}
+
 #endif /* __KSELFTEST_H */
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/timers/posix_timers.c b/tools/testing/selftests/timers/posix_timers.c
index 9a42403eaff7..aaec7f9845c5 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/timers/posix_timers.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/timers/posix_timers.c
@@ -188,78 +188,71 @@ static int check_timer_create(int which)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int remain;
-__thread int got_signal;
+static pthread_t ctd_thread;
+static volatile int ctd_count, ctd_failed;
 
-static void *distribution_thread(void *arg)
+static void ctd_sighandler(int sig)
 {
-	while (__atomic_load_n(&remain, __ATOMIC_RELAXED));
-	return NULL;
+	if (pthread_self() != ctd_thread)
+		ctd_failed = 1;
+	ctd_count--;
 }
 
-static void distribution_handler(int nr)
+static void *ctd_thread_func(void *arg)
 {
-	if (!__atomic_exchange_n(&got_signal, 1, __ATOMIC_RELAXED))
-		__atomic_fetch_sub(&remain, 1, __ATOMIC_RELAXED);
-}
-
-/*
- * Test that all running threads _eventually_ receive CLOCK_PROCESS_CPUTIME_ID
- * timer signals. This primarily tests that the kernel does not favour any one.
- */
-static int check_timer_distribution(void)
-{
-	int err, i;
-	timer_t id;
-	const int nthreads = 10;
-	pthread_t threads[nthreads];
 	struct itimerspec val = {
 		.it_value.tv_sec = 0,
 		.it_value.tv_nsec = 1000 * 1000,
 		.it_interval.tv_sec = 0,
 		.it_interval.tv_nsec = 1000 * 1000,
 	};
+	timer_t id;
 
-	printf("Check timer_create() per process signal distribution... ");
-	fflush(stdout);
+	/* 1/10 seconds to ensure the leader sleeps */
+	usleep(10000);
 
-	remain = nthreads + 1;  /* worker threads + this thread */
-	signal(SIGALRM, distribution_handler);
-	err = timer_create(CLOCK_PROCESS_CPUTIME_ID, NULL, &id);
-	if (err < 0) {
-		perror("Can't create timer\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
-	err = timer_settime(id, 0, &val, NULL);
-	if (err < 0) {
-		perror("Can't set timer\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
+	ctd_count = 100;
+	if (timer_create(CLOCK_PROCESS_CPUTIME_ID, NULL, &id))
+		return "Can't create timer\n";
+	if (timer_settime(id, 0, &val, NULL))
+		return "Can't set timer\n";
 
-	for (i = 0; i < nthreads; i++) {
-		if (pthread_create(&threads[i], NULL, distribution_thread, NULL)) {
-			perror("Can't create thread\n");
-			return -1;
-		}
-	}
+	while (ctd_count > 0 && !ctd_failed)
+		;
 
-	/* Wait for all threads to receive the signal. */
-	while (__atomic_load_n(&remain, __ATOMIC_RELAXED));
+	if (timer_delete(id))
+		return "Can't delete timer\n";
 
-	for (i = 0; i < nthreads; i++) {
-		if (pthread_join(threads[i], NULL)) {
-			perror("Can't join thread\n");
-			return -1;
-		}
-	}
+	return NULL;
+}
 
-	if (timer_delete(id)) {
-		perror("Can't delete timer\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
+/*
+ * Test that only the running thread receives the timer signal.
+ */
+static int check_timer_distribution(void)
+{
+	const char *errmsg;
 
-	printf("[OK]\n");
+	signal(SIGALRM, ctd_sighandler);
+
+	errmsg = "Can't create thread\n";
+	if (pthread_create(&ctd_thread, NULL, ctd_thread_func, NULL))
+		goto err;
+
+	errmsg = "Can't join thread\n";
+	if (pthread_join(ctd_thread, (void **)&errmsg) || errmsg)
+		goto err;
+
+	if (!ctd_failed)
+		ksft_test_result_pass("check signal distribution\n");
+	else if (ksft_min_kernel_version(6, 3))
+		ksft_test_result_fail("check signal distribution\n");
+	else
+		ksft_test_result_skip("check signal distribution (old kernel)\n");
 	return 0;
+err:
+	ksft_print_msg(errmsg);
+	return -1;
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
