diff --git a/spring-data-riak/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/riak/core/RiakKeyValueTemplateSpec.groovy b/spring-data-riak/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/riak/core/RiakKeyValueTemplateSpec.groovy
index 6fb6f658c..135167bf6 100644
--- a/spring-data-riak/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/riak/core/RiakKeyValueTemplateSpec.groovy
+++ b/spring-data-riak/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/riak/core/RiakKeyValueTemplateSpec.groovy
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class RiakKeyValueTemplateSpec extends Specification {
   }
 
   def cleanupSpec() {
-    "/usr/sbin/riak stop".execute()
+    p = "/usr/sbin/riak stop".execute()
     p.waitFor()
   }
 
diff --git a/spring-data-riak/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/riak/core/RiakTemplateSpec.groovy b/spring-data-riak/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/riak/core/RiakTemplateSpec.groovy
index 79742a58b..e648d869a 100644
--- a/spring-data-riak/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/riak/core/RiakTemplateSpec.groovy
+++ b/spring-data-riak/src/test/groovy/org/springframework/data/keyvalue/riak/core/RiakTemplateSpec.groovy
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@ class RiakTemplateSpec extends Specification {
   @Shared def p
 
   def setupSpec() {
-    p = "$riakBin start".execute()
+    p = "/usr/sbin/riak start".execute()
     p.waitFor()
     Thread.sleep(2000)
   }
 
   def cleanupSpec() {
-    "$riakBin stop".execute()
+    p = "/usr/sbin/riak stop".execute()
     p.waitFor()
   }