diff --git a/pmb/build/menuconfig.py b/pmb/build/menuconfig.py
index b5e63d29..49221975 100644
--- a/pmb/build/menuconfig.py
+++ b/pmb/build/menuconfig.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def menuconfig(args, pkgname, arch):
         cmd += [key + "=" + value]
     cmd += ["abuild", "-d", "menuconfig"]
     logging.info("(native) run menuconfig")
-    pmb.chroot.user(args, cmd, "native", "/home/user/build", log=False)
+    pmb.chroot.user(args, cmd, "native", "/home/user/build", log=False, passthrough=True)
 
     # Update config + checksums
     logging.info("copy kernel config back to aport-folder")
diff --git a/pmb/chroot/root.py b/pmb/chroot/root.py
index dbf8b9c6..12e6900b 100644
--- a/pmb/chroot/root.py
+++ b/pmb/chroot/root.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def executables_absolute_path():
 
 
 def root(args, cmd, suffix="native", working_dir="/", log=True,
-         auto_init=True, return_stdout=False, check=True):
+         auto_init=True, return_stdout=False, check=True, passthrough=False):
     """
     Run a command inside a chroot as root.
 
@@ -82,4 +82,4 @@ def root(args, cmd, suffix="native", working_dir="/", log=True,
 
     # Run the command
     return pmb.helpers.run.core(args, cmd_full, log_message, log,
-                                return_stdout, check)
+                                return_stdout, check, passthrough)
diff --git a/pmb/chroot/user.py b/pmb/chroot/user.py
index edf8d907..7b03ad7b 100644
--- a/pmb/chroot/user.py
+++ b/pmb/chroot/user.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import pmb.chroot.root
 
 
 def user(args, cmd, suffix="native", working_dir="/", log=True,
-         auto_init=True, return_stdout=False, check=True):
+         auto_init=True, return_stdout=False, check=True, passthrough=False):
     """
     Run a command inside a chroot as "user"
 
@@ -29,4 +29,4 @@ def user(args, cmd, suffix="native", working_dir="/", log=True,
     """
     cmd = ["su", "user", "-c", " ".join(cmd)]
     return pmb.chroot.root(args, cmd, suffix, working_dir, log,
-                           auto_init, return_stdout, check)
+                           auto_init, return_stdout, check, passthrough)
diff --git a/pmb/helpers/run.py b/pmb/helpers/run.py
index 5f18aa23..cd2b8a79 100644
--- a/pmb/helpers/run.py
+++ b/pmb/helpers/run.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ along with pmbootstrap.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 import logging
 import asyncio
 import locale
+import subprocess
 
 
 @asyncio.coroutine
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ def _execute(loop, args, cmd, log_message, log, return_stdout, check=True):
         return return_code
 
 
-def core(args, cmd, log_message, log, return_stdout, check=True):
+def core(args, cmd, log_message, log, return_stdout, check=True, passthrough=False):
     logging.debug(log_message)
     """
     Run the command and write the output to the log.
@@ -86,15 +87,18 @@ def core(args, cmd, log_message, log, return_stdout, check=True):
     :param log: send output to log instead of stdout
     :param return_stdout: return the stdout from the called process
     """
-    loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
-    loop.set_debug(False)
-    task = _execute(loop, args, cmd, log_message, log, return_stdout, check)
-    result = loop.run_until_complete(task)
+    if passthrough:
+        result = subprocess.check_call(cmd)
+    else:
+        loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+        loop.set_debug(False)
+        task = _execute(loop, args, cmd, log_message, log, return_stdout, check)
+        result = loop.run_until_complete(task)
     return result
 
 
 def user(args, cmd, log=True, working_dir=None, return_stdout=False,
-         check=True):
+         check=True, passthrough=False):
     """
     :param working_dir: defaults to args.work
     """
@@ -102,13 +106,13 @@ def user(args, cmd, log=True, working_dir=None, return_stdout=False,
         working_dir = args.work
 
     # TODO: maintain and check against a whitelist
-    return core(args, cmd, "% " + " ".join(cmd), log, return_stdout, check)
+    return core(args, cmd, "% " + " ".join(cmd), log, return_stdout, check, passthrough)
 
 
 def root(args, cmd, log=True, working_dir=None, return_stdout=False,
-         check=True):
+         check=True, passthrough=False):
     """
     :param working_dir: defaults to args.work
     """
     cmd = ["sudo"] + cmd
-    return user(args, cmd, log, working_dir, return_stdout, check)
+    return user(args, cmd, log, working_dir, return_stdout, check, passthrough)