diff --git a/subiquity/server/controllers/shutdown.py b/subiquity/server/controllers/shutdown.py
index da4466f89..7cf053041 100644
--- a/subiquity/server/controllers/shutdown.py
+++ b/subiquity/server/controllers/shutdown.py
@@ -120,7 +120,10 @@ async def copy_logs_to_target(self, context):
         try:
             with open_perms(journal_txt) as output:
                 await self.app.command_runner.run(
-                    ["journalctl", "-b"], stdout=output, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT
+                    ["journalctl", "-b"],
+                    capture=True,
+                    stdout=output,
+                    stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
                 )
         except Exception:
             log.exception("saving journal failed")
diff --git a/subiquity/server/runner.py b/subiquity/server/runner.py
index 8a4a95d57..a0cbb78f3 100644
--- a/subiquity/server/runner.py
+++ b/subiquity/server/runner.py
@@ -70,12 +70,17 @@ def _forge_systemd_cmd(
         return prefix + cmd
 
     async def start(
-        self, cmd: List[str], *, private_mounts: bool = False, capture: bool = False
+        self,
+        cmd: List[str],
+        *,
+        private_mounts: bool = False,
+        capture: bool = False,
+        **astart_kwargs,
     ) -> asyncio.subprocess.Process:
         forged: List[str] = self._forge_systemd_cmd(
             cmd, private_mounts=private_mounts, capture=capture
         )
-        proc = await astart_command(forged)
+        proc = await astart_command(forged, **astart_kwargs)
         proc.args = forged
         return proc
 
@@ -128,10 +133,17 @@ def _get_delay_for_cmd(self, cmd: List[str]) -> float:
             return self.delay
 
     async def start(
-        self, cmd: List[str], *, private_mounts: bool = False, capture: bool = False
+        self,
+        cmd: List[str],
+        *,
+        private_mounts: bool = False,
+        capture: bool = False,
+        **astart_kwargs,
     ) -> asyncio.subprocess.Process:
         delay = self._get_delay_for_cmd(cmd)
-        proc = await super().start(cmd, private_mounts=private_mounts, capture=capture)
+        proc = await super().start(
+            cmd, private_mounts=private_mounts, capture=capture, **astart_kwargs
+        )
         await asyncio.sleep(delay)
         return proc
 
diff --git a/subiquity/server/tests/test_runner.py b/subiquity/server/tests/test_runner.py
index c975b082e..270bf87cd 100644
--- a/subiquity/server/tests/test_runner.py
+++ b/subiquity/server/tests/test_runner.py
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 import os
-from unittest.mock import patch
+import subprocess
+from unittest.mock import ANY, patch
 
 from subiquity.server.runner import DryRunCommandRunner, LoggedCommandRunner
 from subiquitycore.tests import SubiTestCase
@@ -103,6 +104,15 @@ def test_forge_systemd_cmd(self):
         ]
         self.assertEqual(cmd, expected)
 
+    async def test_start(self):
+        runner = LoggedCommandRunner(ident="my-id", use_systemd_user=False)
+
+        with patch("subiquity.server.runner.astart_command") as astart_mock:
+            await runner.start(["/bin/ls"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+
+        expected_cmd = ANY
+        astart_mock.assert_called_once_with(expected_cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+
 
 class TestDryRunCommandRunner(SubiTestCase):
     def setUp(self):