diff --git a/magick/statistic.c b/magick/statistic.c
index ede704f2a..3f2560ad2 100644
--- a/magick/statistic.c
+++ b/magick/statistic.c
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ static MagickRealType ApplyEvaluateOperator(RandomInfo *random_info,
     }
     case PowEvaluateOperator:
     {
-      if (PerceptibleReciprocal(value) <= MagickEpsilon)
+      if (fabs(value) <= MagickEpsilon)
         break;
       if (((double) pixel < 0.0) && ((value-floor(value)) > MagickEpsilon))
         result=(double) -((MagickRealType) QuantumRange*pow(-(QuantumScale*