diff --git a/test/red/runtime/nodes/registry/installer_spec.js b/test/red/runtime/nodes/registry/installer_spec.js
index de401316c..9b8990057 100644
--- a/test/red/runtime/nodes/registry/installer_spec.js
+++ b/test/red/runtime/nodes/registry/installer_spec.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ var sinon = require("sinon");
 var when = require("when");
 var path = require("path");
 var fs = require('fs');
+var EventEmitter = require('events');
 
 var child_process = require('child_process');
 var installer = require("../../../../../red/runtime/nodes/registry/installer");
@@ -31,6 +32,9 @@ describe('nodes/registry/installer', function() {
         installer.init({});
     });
     afterEach(function() {
+        if (child_process.spawn.restore) {
+            child_process.spawn.restore();
+        }
         if (child_process.execFile.restore) {
             child_process.execFile.restore();
         }
@@ -58,8 +62,15 @@ describe('nodes/registry/installer', function() {
 
     describe("installs module", function() {
         it("rejects when npm returns a 404", function(done) {
-            sinon.stub(child_process,"execFile",function(cmd,args,opt,cb) {
-                cb(new Error(),""," 404  this_wont_exist");
+            sinon.stub(child_process,"spawn",function(cmd,args,opt) {
+                var ee = new EventEmitter();
+                ee.stdout = new EventEmitter();
+                ee.stderr = new EventEmitter();
+                setTimeout(function() {
+                    ee.stderr.emit('data'," 404  this_wont_exist");
+                    ee.emit('close',1);
+                },10)
+                return ee;
             });
 
             installer.installModule("this_wont_exist").otherwise(function(err) {
@@ -68,8 +79,15 @@ describe('nodes/registry/installer', function() {
             });
         });
         it("rejects when npm does not find specified version", function(done) {
-            sinon.stub(child_process,"execFile",function(cmd,args,opt,cb) {
-                cb(new Error(),""," version not found: this_wont_exist@0.1.2");
+            sinon.stub(child_process,"spawn",function(cmd,args,opt) {
+                var ee = new EventEmitter();
+                ee.stdout = new EventEmitter();
+                ee.stderr = new EventEmitter();
+                setTimeout(function() {
+                    ee.stderr.emit('data'," version not found: this_wont_exist@0.1.2");
+                    ee.emit('close',1);
+                },10)
+                return ee;
             });
             sinon.stub(typeRegistry,"getModuleInfo", function() {
                 return {
@@ -94,8 +112,15 @@ describe('nodes/registry/installer', function() {
             });
         });
         it("rejects with generic error", function(done) {
-            sinon.stub(child_process,"execFile",function(cmd,args,opt,cb) {
-                cb(new Error("test_error"),"","");
+            sinon.stub(child_process,"spawn",function(cmd,args,opt,cb) {
+                var ee = new EventEmitter();
+                ee.stdout = new EventEmitter();
+                ee.stderr = new EventEmitter();
+                setTimeout(function() {
+                    ee.stderr.emit('data'," kaboom!");
+                    ee.emit('close',1);
+                },10)
+                return ee;
             });
 
             installer.installModule("this_wont_exist").then(function() {
@@ -106,8 +131,14 @@ describe('nodes/registry/installer', function() {
         });
         it("succeeds when module is found", function(done) {
             var nodeInfo = {nodes:{module:"foo",types:["a"]}};
-            sinon.stub(child_process,"execFile",function(cmd,args,opt,cb) {
-                cb(null,"","");
+            sinon.stub(child_process,"spawn",function(cmd,args,opt) {
+                var ee = new EventEmitter();
+                ee.stdout = new EventEmitter();
+                ee.stderr = new EventEmitter();
+                setTimeout(function() {
+                    ee.emit('close',0);
+                },10)
+                return ee;
             });
             var addModule = sinon.stub(registry,"addModule",function(md) {
                 return when.resolve(nodeInfo);
@@ -146,8 +177,14 @@ describe('nodes/registry/installer', function() {
                 return when.resolve(nodeInfo);
             });
             var resourcesDir = path.resolve(path.join(__dirname,"..","resources","local","TestNodeModule","node_modules","TestNodeModule"));
-            sinon.stub(child_process,"execFile",function(cmd,args,opt,cb) {
-                cb(null,"","");
+            sinon.stub(child_process,"spawn",function(cmd,args,opt) {
+                var ee = new EventEmitter();
+                ee.stdout = new EventEmitter();
+                ee.stderr = new EventEmitter();
+                setTimeout(function() {
+                    ee.emit('close',0);
+                },10)
+                return ee;
             });
             installer.installModule(resourcesDir).then(function(info) {
                 info.should.eql(nodeInfo);