diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py b/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
index ea5c3c5162..2e89c0ab1a 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
@@ -188,14 +188,7 @@ def img_info_log(filename, filter_path=None, imgopts=False, extra_args=()):
 def qemu_io(*args):
     '''Run qemu-io and return the stdout data'''
     args = qemu_io_args + list(args)
-    subp = subprocess.Popen(args, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-                            stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
-                            universal_newlines=True)
-    output = subp.communicate()[0]
-    if subp.returncode < 0:
-        sys.stderr.write('qemu-io received signal %i: %s\n'
-                         % (-subp.returncode, ' '.join(args)))
-    return output
+    return qemu_tool_pipe_and_status('qemu-io', args)[0]
 
 def qemu_io_log(*args):
     result = qemu_io(*args)