diff --git a/cccli/handler.py b/cccli/handler.py
index f31b696fe9abe1987f4fe9e702ee72dc59e8a14c..022deeaf13bcd7c21927d32a2f0bad7c4754842c 100644
--- a/cccli/handler.py
+++ b/cccli/handler.py
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@ class CliHandler(RpcHandler):
     def get_tag_uptime(self):
         '''Return uptime output'''
         try:
-            p = subprocess.Popen(["uptime"], close_fds=True, shell=False, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
-            return  p.stdout.read().rstrip("\n")
+            return int(float(open("/proc/uptime", "r").readline().split()[0]))
         except Exception:
             return ""
     get_tag_uptime.ttl = 3