diff --git a/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/acceptance_helper.rb b/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/acceptance_helper.rb
index 8a695d4..5fb5c5b 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/acceptance_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/acceptance_helper.rb
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ def steak_dir
         Gemfile
       end
       Dir.chdir current_dir do
-        `rvm gemset create steak-rspec-1`
+        run "rvm gemset create steak-rspec-1"
         run "gem install bundler --pre"
         run "bundle install"
       end
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/acceptance_spec_generator_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/acceptance_spec_generator_spec.rb
index ce1526a..2589425 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/acceptance_spec_generator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/acceptance_spec_generator_spec.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
   scenario "Adding new acceptance spec" do
     Dir.chdir @rails_app do
-      `script/generate acceptance_spec document_creation`
+      run "script/generate acceptance_spec document_creation"
     end
 
     File.exist?(@rails_app + "/spec/acceptance/document_creation_spec.rb").should be_true
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
   scenario "Adding new acceptance spec (plural name)" do
     Dir.chdir @rails_app do
-      `script/generate acceptance_spec creating_documents`
+      run "script/generate acceptance_spec creating_documents"
     end
 
     File.exist?(@rails_app + "/spec/acceptance/creating_documents_spec.rb").should be_true
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
   scenario "Adding new acceptance spec (pascalized name)" do
     Dir.chdir @rails_app do
-      `script/generate acceptance_spec DocumentCreation`
+      run "script/generate acceptance_spec DocumentCreation"
     end
 
     File.exist?(@rails_app + "/spec/acceptance/document_creation_spec.rb").should be_true
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 
   scenario "Adding new acceptance spec (name ending with _spec)" do
     Dir.chdir @rails_app do
-      `script/generate acceptance_spec document_creation_spec`
+      run "script/generate acceptance_spec document_creation_spec"
     end
 
     File.exist?(@rails_app + "/spec/acceptance/document_creation_spec.rb").should be_true
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/steak_generator_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/steak_generator_spec.rb
index cb2dad2..edb1c07 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/steak_generator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/rspec-1/steak_generator_spec.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     rails_app = create_rails_app(:setup_steak => false)
 
     Dir.chdir rails_app do
-      `script/generate steak`
+      run "script/generate steak"
     end
 
     File.exist?(rails_app + "/spec/acceptance/acceptance_helper.rb").should be_true
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     rails_app = create_rails_app(:setup_steak => false)
 
     Dir.chdir rails_app do
-      `script/generate steak`
+      run "script/generate steak"
     end
 
     spec_file = create_spec :path    => rails_app + "/spec/acceptance",
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
     rails_app = create_rails_app(:setup_steak => false)
 
     Dir.chdir rails_app do
-      `script/generate steak --webrat`
+      run "script/generate steak --webrat"
     end
 
     spec_file = create_spec :path    => rails_app + "/spec/acceptance",
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
     rails_app = create_rails_app
 
     Dir.chdir rails_app do
-      `script/generate steak`
+      run "script/generate steak"
       run("rake stats").should =~ /Acceptance specs/
     end
   end
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
     SPEC
 
     Dir.chdir rails_app do
-      run "rake db:create db:migrate db:test:prepare"
+      run "rake db:migrate db:test:prepare"
 
       output = run "rake spec:acceptance"
       output.should =~ /1 example, 0 failures/
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/acceptance_helper.rb b/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/acceptance_helper.rb
index 3e1b4bf..c694d13 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/acceptance_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/acceptance_helper.rb
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ def create_spec(options)
     def create_rails_app(options = {})
       path = File.join(Dir.tmpdir, String.random, "rails_app")
       FileUtils.rm_rf path
-      `rails new #{path}`
+      run "rails new #{path}"
       FileUtils.rm_rf path + '/public/index.html'
       File.open(File.join(path, "Gemfile"), "a") do |file|
         file.write "\ngem 'rspec-rails', '>= 2.0.0.a9'\n" <<
@@ -29,19 +29,19 @@ def create_rails_app(options = {})
         file.write "\ngem 'steak', :path => '#{File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../..')}'\n"
       end
     
-      `bundle install`
+      run "bundle install"
 
       Dir.chdir path do
-        `rails generate rspec:install`
+        run "rails generate rspec:install"
         if options[:scaffold]
-          `rails generate scaffold #{options[:scaffold]}`
-          `rake db:create db:migrate db:test:prepare`
+          run "rails generate scaffold #{options[:scaffold]}"
+          run "rake db:migrate db:test:prepare"
         end
       end
 
       unless options[:setup_steak] == false
         Dir.chdir path do
-          `rails generate steak:install`
+          run "rails generate steak:install"
         end
       end
 
@@ -51,13 +51,19 @@ def create_rails_app(options = {})
   end
 
   module HelperMethods
+    def run(cmd)
+      `#{cmd} 2>&1`.tap do |o| 
+        puts o if ENV['TRACE']
+      end
+    end
+    
     def run_spec(file_path, app_base=nil)
       if app_base
         current_dir = Dir.pwd
         Dir.chdir app_base
       end
 
-      output = `rspec #{file_path} 2>&1`
+      output = run("rspec #{file_path}")
 
       Dir.chdir current_dir if app_base
       output
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/rails_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/rails_spec.rb
index c7daf5d..5eae690 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/rails_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/rails_spec.rb
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@
     rails_app = create_rails_app
 
     Dir.chdir rails_app do
-      `rails generate steak:install`
-      `rake stats`.should =~ /Acceptance specs/
+      run "rails generate steak:install"
+      run("rake stats").should =~ /Acceptance specs/
     end
   end
 
@@ -74,14 +74,14 @@
         end
       end
     SPEC
-
+    
     Dir.chdir rails_app do
-      `rake db:create db:migrate db:test:prepare`
-
-      output = `rake spec:acceptance`
+      run "rake db:migrate db:test:prepare"
+    
+      output = run("rake spec:acceptance")
       output.should =~ /1 example, 0 failures/
-
-      output = `rake`
+    
+      output = run("rake")
       output.should =~ /1 example, 0 failures/
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/steak_install_generator_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/steak_install_generator_spec.rb
index fef9f92..0d74b3d 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/steak_install_generator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/steak_install_generator_spec.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     rails_app = create_rails_app(:setup_steak => false)
 
     Dir.chdir rails_app do
-      `rails generate steak:install`
+      run "rails generate steak:install"
     end
 
     File.exist?(rails_app + "/spec/acceptance/acceptance_helper.rb").should be_true
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     rails_app = create_rails_app(:setup_steak => false, :scaffold => :users)
 
     Dir.chdir rails_app do
-      `rails generate steak:install`
+      run "rails generate steak:install"
     end
 
     spec_file = create_spec :path    => rails_app + "/spec/acceptance",
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     rails_app = create_rails_app(:setup_steak => false, :scaffold => :users)
 
     Dir.chdir rails_app do
-      `rails generate steak:install --webrat`
+      run "rails generate steak:install --webrat"
     end
 
     spec_file = create_spec :path    => rails_app + "/spec/acceptance",
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/steak_spec_generator_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/steak_spec_generator_spec.rb
index aab3fad..713c182 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/steak_spec_generator_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/rspec-2/steak_spec_generator_spec.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
   scenario "Adding new acceptance spec" do
     Dir.chdir @rails_app do
-      `rails generate steak:spec document_creation`
+      run "rails generate steak:spec document_creation"
     end
 
     File.exist?(
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
   scenario "Adding new acceptance spec (plural name)" do
     Dir.chdir @rails_app do
-      `rails generate steak:spec creating_documents`
+      run "rails generate steak:spec creating_documents"
     end
 
     File.exist?(
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
   scenario "Adding new acceptance spec (pascalized name)" do
     Dir.chdir @rails_app do
-      `rails generate steak:spec DocumentCreation`
+      run "rails generate steak:spec DocumentCreation"
     end
 
     File.exist?(
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 
   scenario "Adding new acceptance spec (name ending with _spec)" do
     Dir.chdir @rails_app do
-      `rails generate steak:spec document_creation_spec`
+      run "rails generate steak:spec document_creation_spec"
     end
 
     File.exist?(
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 
   scenario "Adding new acceptance spec (namespaced)" do
     Dir.chdir @rails_app do
-      `rails generate steak:spec document/creation_spec`
+      run "rails generate steak:spec document/creation_spec"
     end
 
     file_path = @rails_app + "/spec/acceptance/document/creation_spec.rb"