diff --git a/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/requirements.txt b/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/requirements.txt
index 6b88a199d4..3c8494a316 100644
--- a/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/requirements.txt
+++ b/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/requirements.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-black~=21.12b0
+black~=22.1
 mypy==0.812
 pip~=21.3 ; python_version < '3.7'
 pip~=22.0 ; python_version >= '3.7'
diff --git a/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/tests/test_compliance.py b/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/tests/test_compliance.py
index 28f2ddf590..df52bfbe58 100644
--- a/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/tests/test_compliance.py
+++ b/packages/@jsii/python-runtime/tests/test_compliance.py
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ def test_getSetPrimitiveProperties():
     assert number.double_value == 40
     assert Negate(Add(Number(20), Number(10))).value == -30
     assert Multiply(Add(Number(5), Number(5)), Number(2)).value == 20
-    assert Power(Number(3), Number(4)).value == 3 ** 4
+    assert Power(Number(3), Number(4)).value == 3**4
     assert Power(Number(999), Number(1)).value == 999
     assert Power(Number(999), Number(0)).value == 1
 
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ def test_callMethods():
     assert calc.value == 20
 
     calc.pow(5)
-    assert calc.value == 20 ** 5
+    assert calc.value == 20**5
 
     calc.neg()
     assert calc.value == -3_200_000
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ def test_unionProperties():
     calc3.union_property = Power(Number(10), Number(3))
 
     assert isinstance(calc3.union_property, Power)
-    assert calc3.read_union_value() == 10 ** 3
+    assert calc3.read_union_value() == 10**3
 
 
 def test_subclassing():