diff --git a/pylot/core/loc/nll.py b/pylot/core/loc/nll.py
index 956e8e50..b5a5522a 100644
--- a/pylot/core/loc/nll.py
+++ b/pylot/core/loc/nll.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import subprocess
 import os
 from pylot.core.io.phases import writephases
-from pylot.core.util.utils import getPatternLine
+from pylot.core.util.utils import getPatternLine, runProgram
 from pylot.core.util.version import get_git_version as _getVersionString
 
 __version__ = _getVersionString()
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def locate(call, fnin):
     '''
 
     # locate the event
-    subprocess.call([call, fnin])
+    runProgram(call, fnin)
 
 
 def readLocation(fn):
diff --git a/pylot/core/util/utils.py b/pylot/core/util/utils.py
index 21976607..521c548b 100644
--- a/pylot/core/util/utils.py
+++ b/pylot/core/util/utils.py
@@ -234,10 +234,10 @@ def prepTimeAxis(stime, trace):
     etime = stime + nsamp / srate
     time_ax = np.arange(stime, etime, tincr)
     if len(time_ax) < nsamp:
-        print 'elongate time axes by one datum'
+        print('elongate time axes by one datum')
         time_ax = np.arange(stime, etime + tincr, tincr)
     elif len(time_ax) > nsamp:
-        print 'shorten time axes by one datum'
+        print('shorten time axes by one datum')
         time_ax = np.arange(stime, etime - tincr, tincr)
     if len(time_ax) != nsamp:
         raise ValueError('{0} samples of data \n '