diff --git a/conf.lua b/conf.lua
index 0496407..f0c2307 100644
--- a/conf.lua
+++ b/conf.lua
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ function generate_settingtypes(default_conf, constraints)
         local range = constraints.range
         if range then
             -- TODO consider better max
-            type_args = (constraints.int and "%d %d" or "%f %f"):format(range[1], range[2] or math.pow(2, 30))
+            type_args = (constraints.int and "%d %d" or "%f %f"):format(range[1], range[2] or 2 ^ 30)
         end
         -- HACK
         if not default_conf then default_conf = range[1] end
diff --git a/math.lua b/math.lua
index 0f6716d..70f396c 100644
--- a/math.lua
+++ b/math.lua
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ function tostring(number, base, digit_function, precision)
 	number = number % 1
 	if number ~= 0 and number >= base ^ -precision then
 		table.insert(out, ".")
-		while precision >= 0 and number >= math.pow(base, precision) do
+		while precision >= 0 and number >= base ^ precision do
 			number = number * base
 			digit = math.floor(number % base)
 			table.insert(out, digit_function(digit))
diff --git a/minetest.lua b/minetest.lua
index b2da5d8..93d878f 100644
--- a/minetest.lua
+++ b/minetest.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-max_wear = math.pow(2, 16) - 1
+max_wear = 2 ^ 16 - 1
 function override(function_name, function_builder)
     local func = minetest[function_name]
     minetest["original_" .. function_name] = func
diff --git a/text.lua b/text.lua
index 49dd517..ea98f61 100644
--- a/text.lua
+++ b/text.lua
@@ -120,9 +120,9 @@ function utf8(number)
 		result = string.char(128 + remainder) .. result
 		number = (number - remainder) / 64
 		i = i + 1
-		if number <= math.pow(2, 8 - i - 2) then break end
+		if number <= 2 ^ (8 - i - 2) then break end
 	end
-	return string.char(256 - math.pow(2, 8 - i - 1) + number) .. result
+	return string.char(256 - 2 ^ (8 - i - 1) + number) .. result
 end
 
 --+ deprecated