diff --git a/cdist/exec/local.py b/cdist/exec/local.py
index bde2ceba..e2d07e8d 100644
--- a/cdist/exec/local.py
+++ b/cdist/exec/local.py
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@ class Local(object):
         self.log.debug("Local mkdir: %s", path)
         os.makedirs(path, exist_ok=True)
 
-    def run(self, command, env=None, return_output=False, message_prefix=None):
+    def run(self, command, env=None, return_output=False, message_prefix=None,
+            save_output=True):
         """Run the given command with the given environment.
         Return the output as a string.
 
@@ -216,11 +217,17 @@ class Local(object):
             env.update(message.env)
 
         try:
-            output, errout = exec_util.call_get_output(command, env=env)
-            self.log.debug("Local stdout: {}".format(output))
-            self.log.debug("Local stderr: {}".format(errout))
-            if return_output:
-                return output.decode()
+            if save_output:
+                output, errout = exec_util.call_get_output(command, env=env)
+                self.log.debug("Local stdout: {}".format(output))
+                self.log.debug("Local stderr: {}".format(errout))
+                if return_output:
+                    return output.decode()
+            else:
+                # In some cases no output is saved.
+                # This is used for shell command, stdout and stderr
+                # must not be catched.
+                subprocess.check_call(command, env=env)
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
             exec_util.handle_called_process_error(e, command)
         except OSError as error:
diff --git a/cdist/shell.py b/cdist/shell.py
index 60faa2f8..dacff674 100644
--- a/cdist/shell.py
+++ b/cdist/shell.py
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ class Shell(object):
         self._init_environment()
 
         log.info("Starting shell...")
-        self.local.run([self.shell], self.env)
+        # save_output=False -> do not catch stdout and stderr
+        self.local.run([self.shell], self.env, save_output=False)
         log.info("Finished shell.")
 
     @classmethod