diff --git a/lib/backup/cli/helpers.rb b/lib/backup/cli/helpers.rb
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/backup/cli/helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/backup/cli/helpers.rb
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ module Backup
 
         begin
           out, err = '', ''
+          # popen4 doesn't work in 1.8.7 with stock versions of ruby shipped
+          # with major OSs. Hack to make it stop segfaulting.
+          # See: https://github.com/engineyard/engineyard/issues/115
+          GC.disable if RUBY_VERSION < '1.9'
           ps = Open4.popen4(command) do |pid, stdin, stdout, stderr|
             stdin.close
             out, err = stdout.read.strip, stderr.read.strip
@@ -32,6 +36,8 @@ module Backup
             Failed to execute system command on #{ RUBY_PLATFORM }
             Command was: #{ command }
           EOS
+        ensure
+          GC.enable if RUBY_VERSION < '1.9'
         end
 
         if ps.success?
Fix segfaults with Popen4 and Ruby <I>