diff --git a/test/e2e/common/expansion.go b/test/e2e/common/expansion.go
index 4170313abd..f2994b9119 100644
--- a/test/e2e/common/expansion.go
+++ b/test/e2e/common/expansion.go
@@ -478,14 +478,14 @@ var _ = framework.KubeDescribe("Variable Expansion", func() {
 
 		By("creating a file in subpath")
 		cmd := "touch /volume_mount/mypath/foo/test.log"
-		_, err = framework.RunHostCmd(pod.Namespace, pod.Name, cmd)
+		_, _, err = f.ExecShellInPodWithFullOutput(pod.Name, cmd)
 		if err != nil {
 			framework.Failf("expected to be able to write to subpath")
 		}
 
 		By("test for file in mounted path")
 		cmd = "test -f /subpath_mount/test.log"
-		_, err = framework.RunHostCmd(pod.Namespace, pod.Name, cmd)
+		_, _, err = f.ExecShellInPodWithFullOutput(pod.Name, cmd)
 		if err != nil {
 			framework.Failf("expected to be able to verify file")
 		}
@@ -625,13 +625,13 @@ var _ = framework.KubeDescribe("Variable Expansion", func() {
 
 		By("test for subpath mounted with old value")
 		cmd := "test -f /volume_mount/foo/test.log"
-		_, err = framework.RunHostCmd(pod.Namespace, pod.Name, cmd)
+		_, _, err = f.ExecShellInPodWithFullOutput(pod.Name, cmd)
 		if err != nil {
 			framework.Failf("expected to be able to verify old file exists")
 		}
 
 		cmd = "test ! -f /volume_mount/newsubpath/test.log"
-		_, err = framework.RunHostCmd(pod.Namespace, pod.Name, cmd)
+		_, _, err = f.ExecShellInPodWithFullOutput(pod.Name, cmd)
 		if err != nil {
 			framework.Failf("expected to be able to verify new file does not exist")
 		}
@@ -656,9 +656,9 @@ func testPodFailSubpath(f *framework.Framework, pod *v1.Pod) {
 func waitForPodContainerRestart(f *framework.Framework, pod *v1.Pod, volumeMount string) {
 
 	By("Failing liveness probe")
-	out, err := framework.RunKubectl("exec", fmt.Sprintf("--namespace=%s", pod.Namespace), pod.Name, "--container", pod.Spec.Containers[0].Name, "--", "/bin/sh", "-c", fmt.Sprintf("rm %v", volumeMount))
+	stdout, stderr, err := f.ExecShellInPodWithFullOutput(pod.Name, fmt.Sprintf("rm %v", volumeMount))
 
-	framework.Logf("Pod exec output: %v", out)
+	framework.Logf("Pod exec output: %v / %v", stdout, stderr)
 	Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred(), "while failing liveness probe")
 
 	// Check that container has restarted
@@ -685,8 +685,8 @@ func waitForPodContainerRestart(f *framework.Framework, pod *v1.Pod, volumeMount
 
 	// Fix liveness probe
 	By("Rewriting the file")
-	out, err = framework.RunKubectl("exec", fmt.Sprintf("--namespace=%s", pod.Namespace), pod.Name, "--container", pod.Spec.Containers[0].Name, "--", "/bin/sh", "-c", fmt.Sprintf("echo test-after > %v", volumeMount))
-	framework.Logf("Pod exec output: %v", out)
+	stdout, _, err = f.ExecShellInPodWithFullOutput(pod.Name, fmt.Sprintf("echo test-after > %v", volumeMount))
+	framework.Logf("Pod exec output: %v", stdout)
 	Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred(), "while rewriting the probe file")
 
 	// Wait for container restarts to stabilize