diff --git a/scripts/lib/wic/utils/misc.py b/scripts/lib/wic/utils/misc.py
index c941112c63..307779aad5 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/wic/utils/misc.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/wic/utils/misc.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ NATIVE_RECIPES = {"bmaptool": "bmap-tools",
                   "syslinux": "syslinux"
                  }
 
-def _exec_cmd(cmd_and_args, as_shell=False, catch=3):
+def _exec_cmd(cmd_and_args, as_shell=False):
     """
     Execute command, catching stderr, stdout
 
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ def _exec_cmd(cmd_and_args, as_shell=False, catch=3):
     logger.debug(args)
 
     if as_shell:
-        ret, out = runner.runtool(cmd_and_args, catch)
+        ret, out = runner.runtool(cmd_and_args)
     else:
-        ret, out = runner.runtool(args, catch)
+        ret, out = runner.runtool(args)
     out = out.strip()
     if ret != 0:
         raise WicError("_exec_cmd: %s returned '%s' instead of 0\noutput: %s" % \
@@ -84,14 +84,14 @@ def _exec_cmd(cmd_and_args, as_shell=False, catch=3):
     return ret, out
 
 
-def exec_cmd(cmd_and_args, as_shell=False, catch=3):
+def exec_cmd(cmd_and_args, as_shell=False):
     """
     Execute command, return output
     """
-    return _exec_cmd(cmd_and_args, as_shell, catch)[1]
+    return _exec_cmd(cmd_and_args, as_shell)[1]
 
 
-def exec_native_cmd(cmd_and_args, native_sysroot, catch=3, pseudo=""):
+def exec_native_cmd(cmd_and_args, native_sysroot, pseudo=""):
     """
     Execute native command, catching stderr, stdout
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ def exec_native_cmd(cmd_and_args, native_sysroot, catch=3, pseudo=""):
 
     # If the command isn't in the native sysroot say we failed.
     if spawn.find_executable(args[0], native_paths):
-        ret, out = _exec_cmd(native_cmd_and_args, True, catch)
+        ret, out = _exec_cmd(native_cmd_and_args, True)
     else:
         ret = 127
         out = "can't find native executable %s in %s" % (args[0], native_paths)
diff --git a/scripts/lib/wic/utils/runner.py b/scripts/lib/wic/utils/runner.py
index 348557aee8..4aa00fbe20 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/wic/utils/runner.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/wic/utils/runner.py
@@ -14,32 +14,17 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
 # with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59
 # Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
-
-import logging
-import os
 import subprocess
 
 from wic import WicError
 
-logger = logging.getLogger('wic')
-
-def runtool(cmdln_or_args, catch=1):
+def runtool(cmdln_or_args):
     """ wrapper for most of the subprocess calls
     input:
         cmdln_or_args: can be both args and cmdln str (shell=True)
-        catch: 0, quitely run
-               1, only STDOUT
-               2, only STDERR
-               3, both STDOUT and STDERR
     return:
-        (rc, output)
-        if catch==0: the output will always None
+        rc, output
     """
-
-    if catch not in (0, 1, 2, 3):
-        # invalid catch selection, will cause exception, that's good
-        return None
-
     if isinstance(cmdln_or_args, list):
         cmd = cmdln_or_args[0]
         shell = False
@@ -48,26 +33,13 @@ def runtool(cmdln_or_args, catch=1):
         cmd = shlex.split(cmdln_or_args)[0]
         shell = True
 
-    if catch != 3:
-        dev_null = os.open("/dev/null", os.O_WRONLY)
-
-    if catch == 0:
-        sout = dev_null
-        serr = dev_null
-    elif catch == 1:
-        sout = subprocess.PIPE
-        serr = dev_null
-    elif catch == 2:
-        sout = dev_null
-        serr = subprocess.PIPE
-    elif catch == 3:
-        sout = subprocess.PIPE
-        serr = subprocess.STDOUT
+    sout = subprocess.PIPE
+    serr = subprocess.STDOUT
 
     try:
         process = subprocess.Popen(cmdln_or_args, stdout=sout,
                                    stderr=serr, shell=shell)
-        (sout, serr) = process.communicate()
+        sout, serr = process.communicate()
         # combine stdout and stderr, filter None out and decode
         out = ''.join([out.decode('utf-8') for out in [sout, serr] if out])
     except OSError as err:
@@ -76,15 +48,5 @@ def runtool(cmdln_or_args, catch=1):
             raise WicError('Cannot run command: %s, lost dependency?' % cmd)
         else:
             raise # relay
-    finally:
-        if catch != 3:
-            os.close(dev_null)
 
-    return (process.returncode, out)
-
-def outs(cmdln_or_args, catch=1):
-    # get the outputs of tools
-    return runtool(cmdln_or_args, catch)[1].strip()
-
-def quiet(cmdln_or_args):
-    return runtool(cmdln_or_args, catch=0)[0]
+    return process.returncode, out