diff --git a/fireworks/user_objects/queue_adapters/common_adapter.py b/fireworks/user_objects/queue_adapters/common_adapter.py
index 868ff621b..13946c04d 100644
--- a/fireworks/user_objects/queue_adapters/common_adapter.py
+++ b/fireworks/user_objects/queue_adapters/common_adapter.py
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ def get_njobs_in_queue(self, username=None):
 
         # run qstat
         qstat = Command(self._get_status_cmd(username))
-        p = qstat.run(timeout=self.timeout)
+        p = qstat.run(timeout=self.timeout, shell=True)
 
         # parse the result
         if p[0] == 0: