diff --git a/Lib/test/test_math.py b/Lib/test/test_math.py
index f832246dda3227..5c35c8cff129b4 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_math.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_math.py
@@ -676,7 +676,6 @@ def msum(iterable):
              float.fromhex('0x1.df11f45f4e61ap+2')),
             ([(-1.)**n/n for n in range(1, 1001)],
              float.fromhex('-0x1.62a2af1bd3624p-1')),
-            ([1.7**(i+1)-1.7**i for i in range(1000)] + [-1.7**1000], -1.0),
             ([1e16, 1., 1e-16], 10000000000000002.0),
             ([1e16-2., 1.-2.**-53, -(1e16-2.), -(1.-2.**-53)], 0.0),
             # exercise code for resizing partials array
@@ -685,6 +684,13 @@ def msum(iterable):
              float.fromhex('0x1.5555555555555p+970')),
             ]
 
+        # Telescoping sum, with exact differences (due to Sterbenz)
+        terms = [1.7**i for i in range(1001)]
+        test_values.append((
+            [terms[i+1] - terms[i] for i in range(1000)] + [-terms[1000]],
+            -terms[0]
+        ))
+
         for i, (vals, expected) in enumerate(test_values):
             try:
                 actual = math.fsum(vals)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2019-12-08-15-11-06.bpo-38992.cVoHOZ.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2019-12-08-15-11-06.bpo-38992.cVoHOZ.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..815ae0f65c8732
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2019-12-08-15-11-06.bpo-38992.cVoHOZ.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a test for :func:`math.fsum` that was failing due to constant folding.