diff --git a/src/_nebari/utils.py b/src/_nebari/utils.py
index 5f0877666..e6243fca2 100644
--- a/src/_nebari/utils.py
+++ b/src/_nebari/utils.py
@@ -55,8 +55,10 @@ def run_subprocess_cmd(processargs, prefix=b"", capture_output=False, **kwargs):
 
     if capture_output:
         stderr_stream = subprocess.PIPE
+        print_stream = process.stderr
     else:
         stderr_stream = subprocess.STDOUT
+        print_stream = process.stdout
 
     timeout = 0
     if "timeout" in kwargs:
@@ -84,7 +86,6 @@ def kill_process():
         timeout_timer = threading.Timer(timeout, kill_process)
         timeout_timer.start()
 
-    print_stream = process.stderr if capture_output else process.stdout
     for line in iter(lambda: print_stream.readline(), b""):
         full_line = line_prefix + line
         if strip_errors: