def cmd_block(self, is_retry=False):
        '''
        Prepare the pre-check command to send to the subsystem

        1. execute SHIM + command
        2. check if SHIM returns a master request or if it completed
        3. handle any master request
        4. re-execute SHIM + command
        5. split SHIM results from command results
        6. return command results
        '''
        self.argv = _convert_args(self.argv)
        log.debug(
            'Performing shimmed, blocking command as follows:\n%s',
            ' '.join([six.text_type(arg) for arg in self.argv])
        )
        cmd_str = self._cmd_str()
        stdout, stderr, retcode = self.shim_cmd(cmd_str)

        log.trace('STDOUT %s\n%s', self.target['host'], stdout)
        log.trace('STDERR %s\n%s', self.target['host'], stderr)
        log.debug('RETCODE %s: %s', self.target['host'], retcode)

        error = self.categorize_shim_errors(stdout, stderr, retcode)
        if error:
            if error == 'Python environment not found on Windows system':
                saltwinshell.deploy_python(self)
                stdout, stderr, retcode = self.shim_cmd(cmd_str)
                while re.search(RSTR_RE, stdout):
                    stdout = re.split(RSTR_RE, stdout, 1)[1].strip()
                while re.search(RSTR_RE, stderr):
                    stderr = re.split(RSTR_RE, stderr, 1)[1].strip()
            elif error == 'Undefined SHIM state':
                self.deploy()
                stdout, stderr, retcode = self.shim_cmd(cmd_str)
                if not re.search(RSTR_RE, stdout) or not re.search(RSTR_RE, stderr):
                    # If RSTR is not seen in both stdout and stderr then there
                    # was a thin deployment problem.
                    return 'ERROR: Failure deploying thin, undefined state: {0}'.format(stdout), stderr, retcode
                while re.search(RSTR_RE, stdout):
                    stdout = re.split(RSTR_RE, stdout, 1)[1].strip()
                while re.search(RSTR_RE, stderr):
                    stderr = re.split(RSTR_RE, stderr, 1)[1].strip()
            else:
                return 'ERROR: {0}'.format(error), stderr, retcode

        # FIXME: this discards output from ssh_shim if the shim succeeds.  It should
        # always save the shim output regardless of shim success or failure.
        while re.search(RSTR_RE, stdout):
            stdout = re.split(RSTR_RE, stdout, 1)[1].strip()

        if re.search(RSTR_RE, stderr):
            # Found RSTR in stderr which means SHIM completed and only
            # and remaining output is only from salt.
            while re.search(RSTR_RE, stderr):
                stderr = re.split(RSTR_RE, stderr, 1)[1].strip()

        else:
            # RSTR was found in stdout but not stderr - which means there
            # is a SHIM command for the master.
            shim_command = re.split(r'\r?\n', stdout, 1)[0].strip()
            log.debug('SHIM retcode(%s) and command: %s', retcode, shim_command)
            if 'deploy' == shim_command and retcode == salt.defaults.exitcodes.EX_THIN_DEPLOY:
                self.deploy()
                stdout, stderr, retcode = self.shim_cmd(cmd_str)
                if not re.search(RSTR_RE, stdout) or not re.search(RSTR_RE, stderr):
                    if not self.tty:
                        # If RSTR is not seen in both stdout and stderr then there
                        # was a thin deployment problem.
                        log.error(
                            'ERROR: Failure deploying thin, retrying:\n'
                            'STDOUT:\n%s\nSTDERR:\n%s\nRETCODE: %s',
                            stdout, stderr, retcode
                        )
                        return self.cmd_block()
                    elif not re.search(RSTR_RE, stdout):
                        # If RSTR is not seen in stdout with tty, then there
                        # was a thin deployment problem.
                        log.error(
                            'ERROR: Failure deploying thin, retrying:\n'
                            'STDOUT:\n%s\nSTDERR:\n%s\nRETCODE: %s',
                            stdout, stderr, retcode
                        )
                while re.search(RSTR_RE, stdout):
                    stdout = re.split(RSTR_RE, stdout, 1)[1].strip()
                if self.tty:
                    stderr = ''
                else:
                    while re.search(RSTR_RE, stderr):
                        stderr = re.split(RSTR_RE, stderr, 1)[1].strip()
            elif 'ext_mods' == shim_command:
                self.deploy_ext()
                stdout, stderr, retcode = self.shim_cmd(cmd_str)
                if not re.search(RSTR_RE, stdout) or not re.search(RSTR_RE, stderr):
                    # If RSTR is not seen in both stdout and stderr then there
                    # was a thin deployment problem.
                    return 'ERROR: Failure deploying ext_mods: {0}'.format(stdout), stderr, retcode
                while re.search(RSTR_RE, stdout):
                    stdout = re.split(RSTR_RE, stdout, 1)[1].strip()
                while re.search(RSTR_RE, stderr):
                    stderr = re.split(RSTR_RE, stderr, 1)[1].strip()

        return stdout, stderr, retcode