diff --git a/src/shell.js b/src/shell.js
index a3d964a8c..db27f0621 100644
--- a/src/shell.js
+++ b/src/shell.js
@@ -61,61 +61,45 @@ async function exec(tag, cmd, options) {
     return await execArgs(tag, file, args, options);
 }
 
-// use this when you are afraid of how arguments will split up
-function spawn(tag, file, args, options, callback) {
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof tag, 'string');
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof file, 'string');
-    assert(Array.isArray(args));
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof options, 'object');
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
-
-    callback = once(callback); // exit may or may not be called after an 'error'
-
-    if (options.ipc) options.stdio = ['pipe', 'pipe', 'pipe', 'ipc'];
-
-    debug(tag + ' spawn: %s %s', file, args.join(' ').replace(/\n/g, '\\n'));
-    const cp = child_process.spawn(file, args, options);
-    let stdoutResult = '';
-
-    cp.stdout.on('data', function (data) {
-        debug(tag + ' (stdout): %s', data.toString('utf8'));
-        stdoutResult += data.toString('utf8');
-    });
-
-    cp.stderr.on('data', function (data) {
-        debug(tag + ' (stderr): %s', data.toString('utf8'));
-    });
-
-    cp.on('exit', function (code, signal) {
-        if (code || signal) debug(tag + ' code: %s, signal: %s', code, signal);
-        if (code === 0) return callback(null, stdoutResult);
-
-        let e = new BoxError(BoxError.SHELL_ERROR, `${tag} exited with code ${code} signal ${signal}`);
-        e.code = code;
-        e.signal = signal;
-        callback(e);
-    });
-
-    cp.on('error', function (error) {
-        debug(tag + ' code: %s, signal: %s', error.code, error.signal);
-        let e = new BoxError(BoxError.SHELL_ERROR, `${tag} errored with code ${error.code} message ${error.message}`);
-        callback(e);
-    });
-
-    return cp;
-}
-
 function sudo(tag, args, options, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof tag, 'string');
     assert(Array.isArray(args));
     assert.strictEqual(typeof options, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    let sudoArgs = [ '-S' ]; // -S makes sudo read stdin for password
+    const sudoArgs = [ '-S' ]; // -S makes sudo read stdin for password
     if (options.preserveEnv) sudoArgs.push('-E'); // -E preserves environment
     if (options.ipc) sudoArgs.push('--close-from=4'); // keep the ipc open. requires closefrom_override in sudoers file
 
-    const cp = spawn(tag, SUDO, sudoArgs.concat(args), options, callback);
+    callback = once(callback); // exit may or may not be called after an 'error'
+
+    if (options.ipc) options.stdio = ['pipe', 'pipe', 'pipe', 'ipc'];
+
+    const spawnArgs = sudoArgs.concat(args);
+
+    debug(`${tag} ${SUDO} ${spawnArgs.join(' ').replace(/\n/g, '\\n')}`);
+    const cp = child_process.spawn(SUDO, spawnArgs, options);
+    let stdoutResult = '';
+
+    cp.stdout.on('data', (data) => stdoutResult += data.toString('utf8'));
+
+    cp.on('exit', function (code, signal) {
+        if (code === 0) return callback(null, stdoutResult);
+        const e = new BoxError(BoxError.SHELL_ERROR, `${tag} exited with code ${code} signal ${signal}`);
+        e.code = code;
+        e.signal = signal;
+
+        debug(`${tag}: ${SUDO} ${spawnArgs.join(' ').replace(/\n/g, '\\n')} errored`, e);
+
+        callback(e);
+    });
+
+    cp.on('error', function (error) {
+        debug(`${tag}: ${SUDO} ${spawnArgs.join(' ').replace(/\n/g, '\\n')} errored`, error);
+        const e = new BoxError(BoxError.SHELL_ERROR, `${tag} errored with code ${error.code} message ${error.message}`);
+        callback(e);
+    });
+
     cp.stdin.end();
     if (options.onMessage) cp.on('message', options.onMessage);
     return cp;