diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/commands.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/commands.py
index 6c1535ddfb..a71c16ab14 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/commands.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/commands.py
@@ -188,7 +188,10 @@ def runCmd(command, ignore_status=False, timeout=None, assert_error=True, sync=T
     # call sync around the tests to ensure the IO queue doesn't get too large, taking any IO
     # hit here rather than in bitbake shutdown.
     if sync:
+        p = os.environ['PATH']
+        os.environ['PATH'] = "/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:" + p
         os.system("sync")
+        os.environ['PATH'] = p
 
     result.command = command
     result.status = cmd.status