diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/language/node.rb b/Library/Homebrew/language/node.rb
index 0d02a2ad01..eaadc54fc7 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/language/node.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/language/node.rb
@@ -10,9 +10,8 @@ module Language
       # fed to `npm install` only symlinks are created linking back to that
       # directory, consequently breaking that assumption. We require a tarball
       # because npm install creates a "real" installation when fed a tarball.
-      pack_cmd = "npm pack -ddd --ignore-scripts"
-      ohai pack_cmd
-      output = `#{pack_cmd}`
+      pack_cmd = "npm pack --ignore-scripts"
+      output = Utils.popen_read(pack_cmd)
       if !$CHILD_STATUS.exitstatus.zero? || output.lines.empty?
         raise "npm failed to pack #{Dir.pwd}"
       end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/language/node_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/language/node_spec.rb
index a8f95fe9a0..5ddbde9446 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/language/node_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/language/node_spec.rb
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ describe Language::Node do
 
   describe "#std_npm_install_args" do
     npm_install_arg = "libexec"
-    npm_pack_cmd = "npm pack -ddd --ignore-scripts"
+    npm_pack_cmd = "npm pack --ignore-scripts"
 
     it "raises error with non zero exitstatus" do
-      allow(Language::Node).to receive(:`).with(npm_pack_cmd).and_return("error msg")
+      allow(Utils).to receive(:popen_read).with(npm_pack_cmd).and_return("error msg")
       allow_any_instance_of(Process::Status).to receive(:exitstatus).and_return(42)
       allow_any_instance_of(nil::NilClass).to receive(:exitstatus).and_return(42)
       expect { subject.std_npm_install_args(npm_install_arg) }.to \
@@ -34,13 +34,15 @@ describe Language::Node do
     end
 
     it "raises error with empty npm pack output" do
-      allow(Language::Node).to receive(:`).with(npm_pack_cmd).and_return("")
+      allow(Utils).to receive(:popen_read).with(npm_pack_cmd).and_return("")
+      allow_any_instance_of(Process::Status).to receive(:exitstatus).and_return(0)
+      allow_any_instance_of(nil::NilClass).to receive(:exitstatus).and_return(0)
       expect { subject.std_npm_install_args(npm_install_arg) }.to \
         raise_error("npm failed to pack #{Dir.pwd}")
     end
 
     it "does not raise error with a zero exitstatus" do
-      allow(Language::Node).to receive(:`).with(npm_pack_cmd).and_return("pack.tgz")
+      allow(Utils).to receive(:popen_read).with(npm_pack_cmd).and_return("pack.tgz")
       allow_any_instance_of(Process::Status).to receive(:exitstatus).and_return(0)
       allow_any_instance_of(nil::NilClass).to receive(:exitstatus).and_return(0)
       resp = subject.std_npm_install_args(npm_install_arg)