diff --git a/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Utils.pm b/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Utils.pm
index 34135b062..e15e1c8fa 100644
--- a/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Utils.pm
+++ b/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Utils.pm
@@ -879,11 +879,9 @@ sub runcmd
 
     my ($class, $cmd, $exitcode, $refoutput) = @_;
     $::RUNCMD_RC = 0;
-    if (defined($xCAT::Utils::NO_STDERR_REDIRECT) && !$xCAT::Utils::NO_STDERR_REDIRECT)
-    {
-        if (!($cmd =~ /2>&1$/)) { $cmd .= ' 2>&1'; }
+    # redirect stderr to stdout
+    if (!($cmd =~ /2>&1$/)) { $cmd .= ' 2>&1'; }   
 
-    }
 
 	if ($::VERBOSE)
 	{