diff --git a/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Utils.pm b/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Utils.pm
index f118357fc..9e96227d5 100644
--- a/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Utils.pm
+++ b/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Utils.pm
@@ -6233,7 +6233,6 @@ sub setAppStatus
 
     my %new_nodeappstat;
     foreach my $node (keys %$nodeappstat) {
-        if ( $node =~ /^\s*$/ ) { next; }  # Skip blank node names 
         my $new_appstat = "";
         my $changed = 0;
 
@@ -6409,6 +6408,188 @@ sub enablessh
     return $enablessh;
 
 }
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+=head3    runcmd_S
+   Note this routine is being used solely by genimage to steam output.  It
+   will be merged with runcmd in a later release.  Not all paths have been
+   tested.
+   Right now requires  $cmd and $::CALLBACK set
+   Run the given cmd and return the output in an array (already chopped).
+   This routine in addition streams the output to the $::CALLBACK which is
+   required input.
+   Alternately, if this function is used in a scalar context, the output
+   is joined into a single string with the newlines separating the lines.
+
+   Arguments:
+	   command, exitcode and reference to output
+   Returns:
+	   see below
+   Globals:
+	   $::RUNCMD_RC  , $::CALLBACK
+   Error:
+      Normally, if there is an error running the cmd,it will display the
+		error and exit with the cmds exit code, unless exitcode
+		is given one of the following values:
+            0:     display error msg, DO NOT exit on error, but set
+					$::RUNCMD_RC to the exit code.
+			-1:     DO NOT display error msg and DO NOT exit on error, but set
+				    $::RUNCMD_RC to the exit code.
+			-2:    DO the default behavior (display error msg and exit with cmds
+				exit code.
+             number > 0:    Display error msg and exit with the given code
+
+   Example:
+		my $outref = xCAT::Utils->runcmd($cmd, -2, 1);
+
+   Comments:
+		   If refoutput is true, then the output will be returned as a
+		   reference to an array for efficiency.
+
+
+=cut
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+sub runcmd_S
+
+{
+
+    my ($class, $cmd, $exitcode, $refoutput) = @_;
+    $::RUNCMD_RC = 0;
+    # redirect stderr to stdout
+    if (!($cmd =~ /2>&1$/)) { $cmd .= ' 2>&1'; }   
+
+	if ($::VERBOSE)
+	{
+		# get this systems name as known by xCAT management node
+		my $Sname = xCAT::InstUtils->myxCATname();
+		my $msg;
+		if ($Sname) {
+			$msg = "Running command on $Sname: $cmd";
+		} else {
+			$msg="Running command: $cmd";
+		}
+
+		if ($::CALLBACK){
+			my $rsp    = {};
+			$rsp->{data}->[0] = "$msg\n";
+			xCAT::MsgUtils->message("I", $rsp, $::CALLBACK);
+		} else {
+			xCAT::MsgUtils->message("I", "$msg\n");
+		}
+	}
+    # steam output to $::CALLBACK and return the buffer
+    my @cmd;
+    push @cmd,$cmd;
+    my $outref = [];
+    my $outreferr = [];
+    my $cmdin;
+    my $cmdout;
+    my $cmderr = gensym;
+    my $cmdpid = open3($cmdin,$cmdout,$cmderr,@cmd);
+    my $cmdsel = IO::Select->new($cmdout,$cmderr);
+    #foreach (@indata) {
+    #    print $cmdin $_;
+    #}
+    close($cmdin);
+    my @handles;
+    my $rsp    = {};
+    my $output;
+    my $errout;
+    while ($cmdsel->count()) {
+        @handles = $cmdsel->can_read();
+        foreach (@handles) {
+           my $line;
+           my $done = sysread $_,$line,180;
+            if ($done) {
+                if ($_ eq $cmdout) {
+                    $rsp->{data}->[0] = $line;
+                    xCAT::MsgUtils->message("I", $rsp, $::CALLBACK, 0);
+                    #push @$outref,$line;
+                    $output .= $line;
+                } else {
+                    $rsp->{data}->[0] = $line;
+                    xCAT::MsgUtils->message("I", $rsp, $::CALLBACK, 0);
+                    #push @$outreferr,$line;
+                    $errout .= $line;
+                }
+            } else {
+                $cmdsel->remove($_);
+                close($_);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    waitpid($cmdpid,0);
+    # store the return string
+    push  @$outref,$output; 
+    if ($?)
+    {
+        $::RUNCMD_RC = $? >> 8;
+        my $displayerror = 1;
+        my $rc;
+        if (defined($exitcode) && length($exitcode) && $exitcode != -2)
+        {
+            if ($exitcode > 0)
+            {
+                $rc = $exitcode;
+            }    # if not zero, exit with specified code
+            elsif ($exitcode <= 0)
+            {
+                $rc = '';    # if zero or negative, do not exit
+                if ($exitcode < 0) { $displayerror = 0; }
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            $rc = $::RUNCMD_RC;
+        }    # if exitcode not specified, use cmd exit code
+        if ($displayerror)
+        {
+            my $rsp    = {};
+            my $errmsg = '';
+            if (xCAT::Utils->isLinux() && $::RUNCMD_RC == 139)
+            {
+                $errmsg = "Segmentation fault  $errmsg";
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                $errmsg = join('', @$outref);
+                chomp $errmsg;
+
+            }
+            if ($::CALLBACK)
+            {
+                $rsp->{data}->[0] =
+                  "Command failed: $cmd. Error message: $errmsg.\n";
+                xCAT::MsgUtils->message("E", $rsp, $::CALLBACK);
+
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                xCAT::MsgUtils->message("E",
+                             "Command failed: $cmd. Error message: $errmsg.\n");
+            }
+            $xCAT::Utils::errno = 29;
+        }
+    }
+    if ($refoutput)
+    {
+        chomp(@$outref);
+        return $outref;
+    }
+    elsif (wantarray)
+    {
+        chomp(@$outref);
+        return @$outref;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        my $line = join('', @$outref);
+        chomp $line;
+        return $line;
+    }
+
+}
 
 
 1;