diff --git a/datmo/cli/command/task.py b/datmo/cli/command/task.py
index 4eaae189..94dbfb1b 100644
--- a/datmo/cli/command/task.py
+++ b/datmo/cli/command/task.py
@@ -75,10 +75,11 @@ def run(self, **kwargs):
         if kwargs['environment_definition_filepath']:
             snapshot_dict["environment_definition_filepath"] =\
                 kwargs['environment_definition_filepath']
+
         if not isinstance(kwargs['cmd'], list):
             if platform.system() == "Windows":
                 kwargs['cmd'] = kwargs['cmd']
-            elif isinstance(kwargs['cmd'], str):
+            elif isinstance(kwargs['cmd'], basestring):
                 kwargs['cmd'] = shlex.split(kwargs['cmd'])
 
         task_dict = {
diff --git a/datmo/core/controller/task.py b/datmo/core/controller/task.py
index e7b71c97..02735065 100644
--- a/datmo/core/controller/task.py
+++ b/datmo/core/controller/task.py
@@ -135,7 +135,6 @@ def _run_helper(self, environment_id, options, log_filepath):
 
         # Build image for environment
         self.environment.build(environment_id)
-
         # Run container with environment
         return_code, run_id, logs = \
             self.environment.run(environment_id, run_options, log_filepath)