diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/formula.rb b/Library/Homebrew/formula.rb
index 10f1429be3..5d3564476c 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/formula.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/formula.rb
@@ -226,7 +226,8 @@ protected
         rd.close
         $stdout.reopen wr
         $stderr.reopen wr
-        exec cmd, *args
+        exec(cmd, *args) rescue nil
+        exit! 1 # never gets here unless exec threw or failed
       end
       wr.close
       out = ''
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb b/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb
index a96d0e2ae7..8ec87b5087 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/utils.rb
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ end
 def safe_system cmd, *args
   puts "#{cmd} #{args*' '}" if ARGV.verbose?
   fork do
-    trap("EXIT") {} # no bt on exit from this short-lived fork
-    exit! 1 unless exec(cmd, *args)
+    exec(cmd, *args) rescue nil
+    exit! 1 # never gets here unless exec failed
   end
   Process.wait
   raise ExecutionError.new(cmd, args, $?) unless $?.success?