diff --git a/tests/hwsim/remotehost.py b/tests/hwsim/remotehost.py
index cab204541..213c2fc40 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/remotehost.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/remotehost.py
@@ -38,14 +38,10 @@ class Host():
             self.name = host
 
     def local_execute(self, command):
-        logger.debug("execute: " + command)
-        words = command.split()
-        cmd = []
-        for word in words:
-            cmd.append(word)
+        logger.debug("execute: " + str(command))
         try:
             status = 0;
-            buf = subprocess.check_output(cmd, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+            buf = subprocess.check_output(command, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
             status = e.returncode
             buf = e.output
@@ -58,7 +54,7 @@ class Host():
         if self.host is None:
             return self.local_execute(command)
 
-        cmd = ["ssh", self.user + "@" + self.host, command]
+        cmd = ["ssh", self.user + "@" + self.host, ' '.join(command)]
         _cmd = self.name + " execute: "
         for c in cmd:
             _cmd = _cmd + " " + c
@@ -77,9 +73,9 @@ class Host():
     # async execute
     def execute_run(self, command, res):
         if self.host is None:
-            cmd = [command]
+            cmd = command
         else:
-            cmd = ["ssh",  self.user + "@" + self.host, command]
+            cmd = ["ssh",  self.user + "@" + self.host, ' '.join(command)]
         _cmd = self.name + " execute_run: "
         for c in cmd:
             _cmd = _cmd + " " + c
diff --git a/tests/hwsim/utils.py b/tests/hwsim/utils.py
index 5fb824e49..479923cea 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/utils.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/utils.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def get_phy(ap, ifname=None):
 
     if ifname == None:
         ifname = ap['ifname']
-    status, buf = host.execute("iw dev " + ifname + " info")
+    status, buf = host.execute(["iw", "dev", ifname, "info"])
     if status != 0:
         raise Exception("iw " + ifname + " info failed")
     lines = buf.split("\n")
diff --git a/tests/hwsim/wpasupplicant.py b/tests/hwsim/wpasupplicant.py
index bc865b8e0..b164fe00b 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/wpasupplicant.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/wpasupplicant.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ class WpaSupplicant:
     def interface_add(self, ifname, config="", driver="nl80211",
                       drv_params=None, br_ifname=None, create=False,
                       set_ifname=True, all_params=False, if_type=None):
-        status, groups = self.host.execute("id")
+        status, groups = self.host.execute(["id"])
         if status != 0:
             group = "admin"
         group = "admin" if "(admin)" in groups else "adm"
@@ -191,11 +191,11 @@ class WpaSupplicant:
         if iter == 60:
             logger.error(self.ifname + ": Driver scan state did not clear")
             print "Trying to clear cfg80211/mac80211 scan state"
-            status, buf = self.host.execute("ifconfig " + self.ifname + " down")
+            status, buf = self.host.execute(["ifconfig", self.ifname, "down"])
             if status != 0:
                 logger.info("ifconfig failed: " + buf)
                 logger.info(status)
-            status, buf = self.host.execute("ifconfig " + self.ifname + " up")
+            status, buf = self.host.execute(["ifconfig", self.ifname, "up"])
             if status != 0:
                 logger.info("ifconfig failed: " + buf)
                 logger.info(status)