diff --git a/cstatsd/stats-machine b/cstatsd/stats-machine
index d709602..ae64557 100755
--- a/cstatsd/stats-machine
+++ b/cstatsd/stats-machine
@@ -3,6 +3,23 @@
 import zmq, msgpack, time, psutil, yaml, os, subprocess
 from collections import namedtuple
 
+# Horrible hack to make check_output exist in 2.6
+# http://stackoverflow.com/a/13160748/1332715
+if "check_output" not in dir( subprocess ): # duck punch it in!
+	def f(*popenargs, **kwargs):
+		if 'stdout' in kwargs:
+			raise ValueError('stdout argument not allowed, it will be overridden.')
+		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]
+			raise subprocess.CalledProcessError(retcode, cmd)
+		return output
+	subprocess.check_output = f
+
 ctx = zmq.Context()
 
 sock = ctx.socket(zmq.PUSH)