diff --git a/pmb/helpers/logging.py b/pmb/helpers/logging.py
index f7b40d81..bf7de538 100644
--- a/pmb/helpers/logging.py
+++ b/pmb/helpers/logging.py
@@ -74,5 +74,3 @@ def init(args):
     log_handler._args = args
     handler.setFormatter(formatter)
     root_logger.addHandler(handler)
-
-    logging.debug('*' * 40)
diff --git a/pmb/helpers/run.py b/pmb/helpers/run.py
index ca7037e9..e9b419a9 100644
--- a/pmb/helpers/run.py
+++ b/pmb/helpers/run.py
@@ -16,64 +16,8 @@ GNU General Public License for more details.
 You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 along with pmbootstrap.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 """
+import subprocess
 import logging
-import asyncio
-import locale
-
-
-@asyncio.coroutine
-def _execute(loop, args, cmd, log_message, log, return_stdout, check=True):
-    logging.debug(log_message)
-
-    class SubprocessProtocol(asyncio.SubprocessProtocol):
-        def __init__(self, future):
-            self.output = ""
-            self.error = ""
-            self.return_code = None
-            self._future = future
-
-        def pipe_data_received(self, fd, data):
-            nonlocal args
-            text = data.decode(locale.getpreferredencoding(False))
-
-            if fd == 1:
-                # stdout
-                if log:
-                    args.logfd.write(text)
-                else:
-                    print(text, end='')
-                self.output += text
-
-            elif fd == 2:
-                # stderr, possibly do something with color here
-                if log:
-                    args.logfd.write(text)
-                else:
-                    print(text, end='')
-                self.error += text
-
-            args.logfd.flush()
-
-        def process_exited(self):
-            self.return_code = 0
-            self._future.set_result(True)
-
-    exit_future = asyncio.Future(loop=loop)
-    create = loop.subprocess_exec(lambda: SubprocessProtocol(exit_future), *cmd)
-    transport, protocol = yield from create
-    yield from exit_future
-    transport.close()
-
-    return_code = transport.get_returncode()
-    if return_code != 0 and False:
-        if check:
-            raise RuntimeError("Command failed: \n" + protocol.error)
-    print('Program exited with: {}'.format(transport.get_returncode()))
-
-    if return_stdout:
-        return protocol.output
-    else:
-        return return_code
 
 
 def core(args, cmd, log_message, log, return_stdout, check=True):
@@ -82,14 +26,33 @@ def core(args, cmd, log_message, log, return_stdout, check=True):
     Run the command and write the output to the log.
 
     :param check: raise an exception, when the command fails
-    :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)
-    return result
+
+    try:
+        ret = None
+        if log:
+            if return_stdout:
+                ret = subprocess.check_output(cmd).decode("utf-8")
+                args.logfd.write(ret)
+            else:
+                subprocess.check_call(cmd, stdout=args.logfd,
+                                      stderr=args.logfd)
+            args.logfd.flush()
+        else:
+            logging.debug("*** output passed to pmbootstrap stdout, not" +
+                          " to this log ***")
+            subprocess.check_call(cmd)
+
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as exc:
+        if check:
+            if log:
+                logging.debug("^" * 70)
+                logging.info("NOTE: The failed command's output is above"
+                             " the ^^^ line in the logfile: " + args.log)
+            raise RuntimeError("Command failed: " + log_message) from exc
+        else:
+            pass
+    return ret
 
 
 def user(args, cmd, log=True, working_dir=None, return_stdout=False,