diff --git a/lib/galaxy/web/base/interactive_environments.py b/lib/galaxy/web/base/interactive_environments.py
index baffdf539b9..27f42f2a0cd 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/web/base/interactive_environments.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/web/base/interactive_environments.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import json
 import stat
 import random
 import tempfile
-import subprocess
 from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
 
 from galaxy.util.bunch import Bunch
@@ -17,32 +16,6 @@ import logging
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-# Python 2.6 does not support the check_output command.
-# As a workaround we use a backport from https://gist.github.com/edufelipe/1027906
-# until we do not support Python 2.6 anymore.
-
-if "check_output" not in dir( subprocess ):
-    def check_output(*popenargs, **kwargs):
-        r"""Run command with arguments and return its output as a byte string.
-        Backported from Python 2.7 as it's implemented as pure python on stdlib.
-        >>> check_output(['/usr/bin/python', '--version'])
-        Python 2.6.2
-        """
-        process = subprocess.Popen(stdout=subprocess.PIPE, *popenargs, **kwargs)
-        output, unused_err = process.communicate()
-        retcode = process.poll()
-        if retcode:
-            cmd = kwargs.get("args")
-            if cmd is None:
-                cmd = popenargs[0]
-            error = subprocess.CalledProcessError(retcode, cmd)
-            error.output = output
-            raise error
-        return output
-else:
-    from subprocess import check_output
-
-
 class InteractiveEnviornmentRequest(object):
 
     def __init__(self, trans, plugin):
@@ -287,8 +260,14 @@ class InteractiveEnviornmentRequest(object):
             container_id,
             command
         ))
-        output = check_output(command, shell=True)
-        inspect_data = json.loads(output)
+
+        p = Popen(command, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE, close_fds=True, shell=True)
+        stdout, stderr = p.communicate()
+        if p.returncode != 0 or len(stderr):
+            log.error( "%s\n%s" % (stdout, stderr) )
+            return None
+
+        inspect_data = json.loads(stdout)
         # [{
         #     "NetworkSettings" : {
         #         "Ports" : {