diff --git a/bezier3.cpp b/bezier3.cpp
index 0721b924..d9262b82 100644
--- a/bezier3.cpp
+++ b/bezier3.cpp
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ namespace util {
         CHECK_GE (t, 0);
         CHECK_LE (t, 1);
 
-        auto v0 =     pow  (1 - t, 3)  * m_points[0];
+        auto v0 =     pow  (1 - t, 3u) * m_points[0];
         auto v1 = 3 * pow2 (1 - t) * t * m_points[1];
         auto v2 = 3 * pow2 (1 - t) * t * m_points[2];
-        auto v3 =     pow  (t, 3)      * m_points[3];
+        auto v3 =     pow  (t,     3u) * m_points[3];
 
         return {
             v0.x + v1.x + v2.x + v3.x,
diff --git a/cmdopt.cpp b/cmdopt.cpp
index 875d9d27..402d8baf 100644
--- a/cmdopt.cpp
+++ b/cmdopt.cpp
@@ -192,27 +192,27 @@ suffix_to_multiplier (char c)
     switch (c) {
     case 'e':
     case 'E':
-        return util::pow (1024UL, 6);
+        return util::pow (1024UL, 6u);
 
     case 'p':
     case 'P':
-        return util::pow (1024UL, 5);
+        return util::pow (1024UL, 5u);
 
     case 't':
     case 'T':
-        return util::pow (1024UL, 4);
+        return util::pow (1024UL, 4u);
 
     case 'g':
     case 'G':
-        return util::pow (1024UL, 3);
+        return util::pow (1024UL, 3u);
 
     case 'm':
     case 'M':
-        return util::pow (1024UL, 2);
+        return util::pow (1024UL, 2u);
 
     case 'k':
     case 'K':
-        return util::pow (1024UL, 1);
+        return util::pow (1024UL, 1u);
 
     default:
         const char str[2] = { c, '\0' };
diff --git a/maths.hpp b/maths.hpp
index 24ad136b..8088a3ff 100644
--- a/maths.hpp
+++ b/maths.hpp
@@ -221,11 +221,19 @@ namespace util {
 
 
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-    template <typename T>
-    constexpr T
-    pow [[gnu::const]] (T x, unsigned y)
+    template <
+        typename BaseT,
+        typename ExponentT,
+        typename = std::enable_if_t<
+            std::is_unsigned_v<ExponentT>,
+            void
+        >
+    >
+    constexpr BaseT
+    pow [[gnu::const]] (BaseT base, ExponentT exponent)
     {
-        return y == 0 ? T{1} : x * pow (x, y - 1);
+        assert (exponent >= 0);
+        return exponent == 0 ? BaseT{1} : base * pow (base, exponent - 1);
     }
 
 
diff --git a/test/roots/bisection.cpp b/test/roots/bisection.cpp
index f0e763b7..81402655 100644
--- a/test/roots/bisection.cpp
+++ b/test/roots/bisection.cpp
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ using util::pow;
 
 
 constexpr float order2 (float x) { return x * x + 3 * x - 7.f; }
-constexpr float order4 (float x) { return   10 * pow (x, 4u)
-                                          -270 * pow (x, 2u)
-                                          -140 * pow (x, 1u)
+constexpr float order4 (float x) { return   10 * util::pow (x, 4u)
+                                          -270 * util::pow (x, 2u)
+                                          -140 * util::pow (x, 1u)
                                           +1200; }
 
 struct {