diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0778c87d..521b218e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@
     "safe-json-stringify": "^1.1.0",
     "shutdown": "^0.3.0",
     "stream-http": "^2.8.0",
-    "subcomandante": "^1.0.5",
     "superagent": "^3.8.2",
     "truthy": "0.0.1"
   },
diff --git a/src/utils/exec.js b/src/utils/exec.js
index 233b99cc..0ded8054 100644
--- a/src/utils/exec.js
+++ b/src/utils/exec.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict'
 
-const run = require('subcomandante')
+const run = require('./subcomandante-lite')
 const once = require('once')
 const debug = require('debug')
 const log = debug('ipfsd-ctl:exec')
diff --git a/src/utils/subcomandante-lite.js b/src/utils/subcomandante-lite.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..85da609f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/subcomandante-lite.js
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const runner = require('child_process')
+const debug = require('debug')
+const log = debug('ipfsd-ctl:sclite')
+
+const children = []
+
+function removeChild (child) {
+  const i = children.indexOf(child)
+  if (i !== -1) {
+    children.slice(i, 1)
+  }
+}
+
+function killAll () {
+  log('killing all children')
+  let child
+  while ((child = children.shift()) !== undefined) {
+    log(child.pid, 'killing')
+    child.kill()
+  }
+}
+
+process.once('exit', killAll)
+process.once('SIGTERM', killAll)
+process.once('SIGINT', killAll)
+
+function run (cmd, args, opts) {
+  const child = runner.execFile(cmd, args, opts)
+  log(child.pid, 'new')
+
+  children.push(child)
+  child.once('error', () => {
+    log(child.pid, 'error')
+    removeChild(child)
+  })
+  child.once('exit', () => {
+    log(child.pid, 'exit')
+    removeChild(child)
+  })
+  return child
+}
+
+module.exports = run