diff --git a/test/backend/test_dtype.py b/test/backend/test_dtype.py
index e3c9dbac8d..2c60675ac5 100644
--- a/test/backend/test_dtype.py
+++ b/test/backend/test_dtype.py
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ class TestEmulatedHalf(TestHalfDType):
   def setUpClass(cls):
     cls.stack = contextlib.ExitStack()
     cls.stack.enter_context(Context(EMULATED_DTYPES="half"))
-    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10)
+    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10, allow_subnormal=False)
 
   @classmethod
   def tearDownClass(cls): cls.stack.close()
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ class TestEmulatedInt64DType(TestInt64DType):
   def setUpClass(cls):
     cls.stack = contextlib.ExitStack()
     cls.stack.enter_context(Context(EMULATED_DTYPES="long"))
-    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10)
+    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10, allow_subnormal=False)
 
   @classmethod
   def tearDownClass(cls): cls.stack.close()
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ class TestEmulatedUInt64DType(TestUint64DType):
   def setUpClass(cls):
     cls.stack = contextlib.ExitStack()
     cls.stack.enter_context(Context(EMULATED_DTYPES="long"))
-    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10)
+    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10, allow_subnormal=False)
 
   @classmethod
   def tearDownClass(cls): cls.stack.close()
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ class TestEmulatedBFloat16Type(TestBFloat16Type):
   def setUpClass(cls):
     cls.stack = contextlib.ExitStack()
     cls.stack.enter_context(Context(EMULATED_DTYPES="bfloat16"))
-    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10)
+    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10, allow_subnormal=False)
 
   @classmethod
   def tearDownClass(cls): cls.stack.close()
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ class TestEmulatedFp8e4m3(TestFp8e4m3):
   def setUpClass(cls):
     cls.stack = contextlib.ExitStack()
     cls.stack.enter_context(Context(EMULATED_DTYPES="fp8e4m3"))
-    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10)
+    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10, allow_subnormal=False)
 
   @classmethod
   def tearDownClass(cls): cls.stack.close()
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ class TestEmulatedFp8e5m2(TestFp8e5m2):
   def setUpClass(cls):
     cls.stack = contextlib.ExitStack()
     cls.stack.enter_context(Context(EMULATED_DTYPES="fp8e5m2"))
-    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10)
+    cls.DATA = rand_for_dtype(cls.DTYPE, 10, allow_subnormal=False)
 
   @classmethod
   def tearDownClass(cls): cls.stack.close()
diff --git a/test/helpers.py b/test/helpers.py
index 8e198eab54..9ec5bbe008 100644
--- a/test/helpers.py
+++ b/test/helpers.py
@@ -41,14 +41,18 @@ def assert_jit_cache_len(fxn, expected_len):
     assert type(fxn.jit_cache[0].prg).__name__.endswith('Graph')
     assert len(fxn.jit_cache[0].prg.jit_cache) == expected_len
 
-def rand_for_dtype(dt:DType, size:int):
+def rand_for_dtype(dt:DType, size:int, allow_subnormal=True):
   if dtypes.is_unsigned(dt):
     return np.random.randint(0, 100, size=size, dtype=_to_np_dtype(dt))
   elif dtypes.is_int(dt):
     return np.random.randint(-100, 100, size=size, dtype=_to_np_dtype(dt))
   elif dt == dtypes.bool:
     return np.random.choice([True, False], size=size)
-  return np.random.uniform(-10, 10, size=size).astype(_to_np_dtype(dt))
+  ret = np.random.uniform(-10, 10, size=size).astype(_to_np_dtype(dt))
+  if not allow_subnormal:
+    min_normal = 2.0 ** (2 - (1 << (dtypes.finfo(dt)[0] - 1)))
+    ret = np.where(np.abs(ret) < min_normal, 0, ret)
+  return ret
 
 def timeit(fxn:Callable[..., T], *args, **kwargs) -> tuple[T, float]:
   st = time.perf_counter_ns()