diff --git a/modules/core/src/mathfuncs.cpp b/modules/core/src/mathfuncs.cpp
index 79959435d..0b596071a 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/mathfuncs.cpp
+++ b/modules/core/src/mathfuncs.cpp
@@ -2041,9 +2041,12 @@ static bool ocl_pow(InputArray _src, double power, OutputArray _dst)
          (depth == CV_64F && !doubleSupport) )
         return false;
 
+    bool issqrt = std::abs(power - 0.5) < DBL_EPSILON;
+    const char * const op = issqrt ? "OP_SQRT" : "OP_POW";
+
     ocl::Kernel k("KF", ocl::core::arithm_oclsrc,
-                  format("-D dstT=%s -D OP_POW -D UNARY_OP%s", ocl::typeToStr(CV_MAKE_TYPE(depth, 1)),
-                         doubleSupport ? " -D DOUBLE_SUPPORT" : ""));
+                  format("-D dstT=%s -D %s -D UNARY_OP%s", ocl::typeToStr(CV_MAKE_TYPE(depth, 1)),
+                         op, doubleSupport ? " -D DOUBLE_SUPPORT" : ""));
     if (k.empty())
         return false;
 
diff --git a/modules/core/test/ocl/test_arithm.cpp b/modules/core/test/ocl/test_arithm.cpp
index e14fd67f5..42fc34749 100644
--- a/modules/core/test/ocl/test_arithm.cpp
+++ b/modules/core/test/ocl/test_arithm.cpp
@@ -1102,6 +1102,23 @@ OCL_TEST_P(Norm, NORM_L2_2args)
         }
 }
 
+//////////////////////////////// Sqrt ////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+typedef ArithmTestBase Sqrt;
+
+OCL_TEST_P(Sqrt, Mat)
+{
+    for (int j = 0; j < test_loop_times; j++)
+    {
+        generateTestData();
+
+        OCL_OFF(cv::sqrt(src1_roi, dst1_roi));
+        OCL_ON(cv::sqrt(usrc1_roi, udst1_roi));
+
+        Near(1);
+    }
+}
+
 //////////////////////////////////////// Instantiation /////////////////////////////////////////
 
 OCL_INSTANTIATE_TEST_CASE_P(Arithm, Lut, Combine(::testing::Values(CV_8U, CV_8S), OCL_ALL_DEPTHS, OCL_ALL_CHANNELS, Bool(), Bool()));
@@ -1133,6 +1150,7 @@ OCL_INSTANTIATE_TEST_CASE_P(Arithm, Phase, Combine(::testing::Values(CV_32F, CV_
 OCL_INSTANTIATE_TEST_CASE_P(Arithm, Magnitude, Combine(::testing::Values(CV_32F, CV_64F), OCL_ALL_CHANNELS, Bool()));
 OCL_INSTANTIATE_TEST_CASE_P(Arithm, Flip, Combine(OCL_ALL_DEPTHS, OCL_ALL_CHANNELS, Bool()));
 OCL_INSTANTIATE_TEST_CASE_P(Arithm, Norm, Combine(OCL_ALL_DEPTHS, OCL_ALL_CHANNELS, Bool()));
+OCL_INSTANTIATE_TEST_CASE_P(Arithm, Sqrt, Combine(::testing::Values(CV_32F, CV_64F), OCL_ALL_CHANNELS, Bool()));
 
 } } // namespace cvtest::ocl