diff --git a/test/systemvm/__init__.py b/test/systemvm/__init__.py
index fa79acfda24..b47c4766bf0 100644
--- a/test/systemvm/__init__.py
+++ b/test/systemvm/__init__.py
@@ -16,6 +16,34 @@
 # under the License.
 
 from __future__ import with_statement
+
+# install subprocess.check_output for 2.4 =< python < 2.7
+try:
+    from subprocess import check_output
+except (NameError, ImportError):
+    import subprocess
+    def check_output(*popenargs, **kwargs):
+        r"""Run command with arguments and return its output as a byte string.
+
+        Backported from Python 2.7 as it's implemented as pure python on stdlib.
+
+        >>> check_output(['/usr/bin/python', '--version'])
+        Python 2.6.2
+        """
+        process = subprocess.Popen(stdout=subprocess.PIPE, *popenargs, **kwargs)
+        output, unused_err = process.communicate()
+        retcode = process.poll()
+        if retcode:
+            cmd = kwargs.get("args")
+            if cmd is None:
+                cmd = popenargs[0]
+            error = subprocess.CalledProcessError(retcode, cmd)
+            error.output = output
+            raise error
+        return output
+    subprocess.check_output
+
+
 from vagrant import Vagrant
 from unittest import TestCase
 from paramiko.config import SSHConfig