diff --git a/meta/classes/base.bbclass b/meta/classes/base.bbclass
index 3704cce01a..4f1e2dd788 100644
--- a/meta/classes/base.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/base.bbclass
@@ -627,8 +627,16 @@ base_do_buildall() {
 }
 
 
+ 
+def subprocess_setup():
+       import signal
+       # Python installs a SIGPIPE handler by default. This is usually not what
+       # non-Python subprocesses expect.
+       # SIGPIPE errors are known issues with gzip/bash
+       signal.signal(signal.SIGPIPE, signal.SIG_DFL)
+
 def oe_unpack_file(file, data, url = None):
-	import bb, os
+	import bb, os, subprocess
 	if not url:
 		url = "file://%s" % file
 	dots = file.split(".")
@@ -694,7 +702,7 @@ def oe_unpack_file(file, data, url = None):
 
 	cmd = "PATH=\"%s\" %s" % (bb.data.getVar('PATH', data, 1), cmd)
 	bb.note("Unpacking %s to %s/" % (file, os.getcwd()))
-	ret = os.system(cmd)
+	ret = subprocess.call(cmd, preexec_fn=subprocess_setup, shell=True)
 
 	os.chdir(save_cwd)