diff --git a/ubuntutools/builder.py b/ubuntutools/builder.py
index fe6c686..22d5ff6 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/builder.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/builder.py
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ class Builder(object):
     def __init__(self, name):
         self.name = name
         cmd = ["dpkg-architecture", "-qDEB_BUILD_ARCH_CPU"]
-        process = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, encoding='utf-8')
-        self.architecture = process.communicate()[0].strip()
+        self.architecture = subprocess.check_output(
+            cmd, encoding='utf-8').strip()
 
     def _build_failure(self, returncode, dsc_file):
         if returncode != 0:
diff --git a/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/patch.py b/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/patch.py
index 1a696ef..e24fbb7 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/patch.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/patch.py
@@ -71,8 +71,7 @@ class Patch(object):
         patch_f.close()
 
         cmd = ["diffstat", "-l", "-p0", self._full_path]
-        process = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, encoding='utf-8')
-        changed_files = process.communicate()[0]
+        changed_files = subprocess.check_output(cmd, encoding='utf-8')
         self._changed_files = [f for f in changed_files.split("\n") if f != ""]
 
     def get_strip_level(self):
diff --git a/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/source_package.py b/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/source_package.py
index 1b915cc..be225b1 100644
--- a/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/source_package.py
+++ b/ubuntutools/sponsor_patch/source_package.py
@@ -327,8 +327,7 @@ class SourcePackage(object):
         if not Logger.verbose:
             cmd.insert(1, "-q")
         Logger.command(cmd + [">", self._debdiff_filename])
-        process = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, encoding='utf-8')
-        debdiff = process.communicate()[0]
+        debdiff = subprocess.check_output(cmd, encoding='utf-8')
 
         # write debdiff file
         debdiff_file = open(self._debdiff_filename, "w")
@@ -421,8 +420,7 @@ class SourcePackage(object):
                                         self._package + "_" +
                                         strip_epoch(self._version) + ".lintian")
         Logger.command(cmd + [">", lintian_filename])
-        process = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, encoding='utf-8')
-        report = process.communicate()[0]
+        report = subprocess.check_output(cmd, encoding='utf-8')
 
         # write lintian report file
         lintian_file = open(lintian_filename, "w")