diff --git a/py/bin/gendoc.py b/py/bin/gendoc.py
index 9de4c6a7b..5099454fa 100644
--- a/py/bin/gendoc.py
+++ b/py/bin/gendoc.py
@@ -15,11 +15,12 @@ import sys
 sys.path.insert(0, '.')
 
 import py
-import os
+import os, subprocess
 
 def sysexec(cmd):
     print "executing", cmd
-    os.system(cmd)
+    p = subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=True)
+    os.waitpid(p.pid, 0)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     pydir = py.path.local().join("py")
diff --git a/py/execnet/register.py b/py/execnet/register.py
index e8577d544..fbb8a0ca6 100644
--- a/py/execnet/register.py
+++ b/py/execnet/register.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 
 import os, inspect, socket
+from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
 import sys
 from py.magic import autopath ; mypath = autopath()
 from py.__.misc.warn import APIWARN
@@ -56,7 +57,8 @@ class InstallableGateway(gateway.Gateway):
 
 class PopenCmdGateway(InstallableGateway):
     def __init__(self, cmd):
-        infile, outfile = os.popen2(cmd)
+        p = Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdin=PIPE, stdout=PIPE, close_fds=True)
+        infile, outfile = p.stdin, p.stdout
         self._cmd = cmd
         io = inputoutput.Popen2IO(infile, outfile)
         super(PopenCmdGateway, self).__init__(io=io)
diff --git a/py/misc/_dist.py b/py/misc/_dist.py
index 2117515d7..e83be5a0e 100644
--- a/py/misc/_dist.py
+++ b/py/misc/_dist.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import py
 import sys, os, re
+import subprocess
 from distutils import sysconfig
 from distutils import core 
 
@@ -147,7 +148,8 @@ def addbindir2path():
         win32con.SMTO_ABORTIFHUNG, 5000)
 
     # Propagate changes to current command prompt
-    os.system("set PATH=%s" % path)
+    p = subprocess.Popen("set PATH=%s" % path, shell=True)
+    os.waitpid(p.pid, 0)
     
 def get_registry_value(reg, key, value_name):
     k = _winreg.OpenKey(reg, key)
diff --git a/py/process/cmdexec.py b/py/process/cmdexec.py
index 54094d9fc..45211b39f 100644
--- a/py/process/cmdexec.py
+++ b/py/process/cmdexec.py
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@ def posix_exec_cmd(cmd):
     the error-output from the command.
     """
     __tracebackhide__ = True
-    import popen2
+    from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
     import errno
 
     #print "execing", cmd
-    child = popen2.Popen3(cmd, 1)
-    stdin, stdout, stderr = child.tochild, child.fromchild, child.childerr
-    stdin.close()
+    child = Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdin=PIPE, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE,
+                                                                close_fds=True)
+    stdin, stdout, stderr = child.stdin, child.stdout, child.stderr
 
     # XXX sometimes we get a blocked r.read() call (see below)
     #     although select told us there is something to read.