diff --git a/gramps/gui/display.py b/gramps/gui/display.py
index ebe6fdd11..c23d965f0 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/display.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/display.py
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ from gramps.gen.const import URL_MANUAL_PAGE, URL_WIKISTRING
 from gramps.gen.constfunc import is_quartz
 from gramps.gen.config import config
 from gramps.gen.const import GRAMPS_LOCALE as glocale
+from gramps.gui.utils import open_file_with_default_application as run_file
 import os
+import subprocess
 
 #list of manuals on wiki, map locale code to wiki extension, add language codes
 #completely, or first part, so pt_BR if Brazilian portugeze wiki manual, and 
@@ -57,7 +59,24 @@ def display_help(webpage='', section=''):
         if section:
             link = link + '#' + section
     display_url(link)
-        
+
+def run_file(file_name):
+    """
+    Open a file or url with the default application. This should work
+    on GNOME, KDE, XFCE, ... as we use a freedesktop application
+    """
+    if is_quartz():
+        prog = find_binary('open')
+    else:
+        prog = find_binary('xdg-open')
+    if prog:
+        try:
+            subprocess.check_call([prog, file_name])
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            return False
+        return True
+    return False
+
 def display_url(link, uistate=None):
     """
     Open the specified URL in a browser. 
@@ -71,20 +90,6 @@ def display_url(link, uistate=None):
     if not run_file(link):
         run_browser(link)
 
-def run_file(file):
-    """
-    Open a file or url with the default application. This should work
-    on GNOME, KDE, XFCE, ... as we use a freedesktop application
-    """
-    if is_quartz():
-        prog = find_binary('open')
-    else:
-        prog = find_binary('xdg-open')
-    if prog:
-        os.spawnvpe(os.P_NOWAIT, prog, [prog, file], os.environ)
-        return True
-    return False
-
 def run_browser(url):
     """
     Attempt of find a browswer, and launch with the browser with the
diff --git a/gramps/gui/utils.py b/gramps/gui/utils.py
index 2368bbbba..94676fb57 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/utils.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/utils.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from __future__ import print_function, division
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 import os
 import sys
+import subprocess
 from gramps.gen.const import GRAMPS_LOCALE as glocale
 _ = glocale.translation.gettext
 # gtk is not included here, because this file is currently imported
@@ -367,7 +368,6 @@ def open_file_with_default_application( file_path ):
     """
     from .dialog import ErrorDialog
     norm_path = os.path.normpath( file_path )
-
     if not os.path.exists(norm_path):
         ErrorDialog(_("Error Opening File"), _("File does not exist"))
         return
@@ -377,17 +377,17 @@ def open_file_with_default_application( file_path ):
             os.startfile(norm_path)
         except WindowsError as msg:
             ErrorDialog(_("Error Opening File"), str(msg))
+        return
+
+    if mac():
+        utility = '/usr/bin/open'
     else:
-        if mac():
-            utility = '/usr/bin/open'
-        else:
-            utility = 'xdg-open'
-        search = os.environ['PATH'].split(':')
-        for lpath in search:
-            prog = os.path.join(lpath, utility)
-            if os.path.isfile(prog):
-                os.spawnvpe(os.P_NOWAIT, prog, [prog, norm_path], os.environ)
-                return
+        utility = 'xdg-open'
+    try:
+        subprocess.check_output([utility, norm_path], stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as err:
+        ErrorDialog(_("Error Opening File"), err.output)
+    return
 
 def process_pending_events(max_count=10):
     """