diff --git a/salt/modules/cron.py b/salt/modules/cron.py
index aa93f5378b..aaff7aa614 100644
--- a/salt/modules/cron.py
+++ b/salt/modules/cron.py
@@ -157,7 +157,8 @@ def write_cron_file(user, path):
 
         salt '*' cron.write_cron_file root /tmp/new_cron
     '''
-    return __salt__['cmd.retcode'](_get_cron_cmdstr(user, path)) == 0
+    return __salt__['cmd.retcode'](_get_cron_cmdstr(user, path),
+                                   python_shell=False) == 0
 
 
 def write_cron_file_verbose(user, path):
@@ -170,7 +171,8 @@ def write_cron_file_verbose(user, path):
 
         salt '*' cron.write_cron_file_verbose root /tmp/new_cron
     '''
-    return __salt__['cmd.run_all'](_get_cron_cmdstr(user, path))
+    return __salt__['cmd.run_all'](_get_cron_cmdstr(user, path),
+                                   python_shell=False)
 
 
 def _write_cron_lines(user, lines):
@@ -181,8 +183,10 @@ def _write_cron_lines(user, lines):
     with salt.utils.fopen(path, 'w+') as fp_:
         fp_.writelines(lines)
     if __grains__.get('os_family') in ('Solaris', 'AIX') and user != "root":
-        __salt__['cmd.run']('chown {0} {1}'.format(user, path))
-    ret = __salt__['cmd.run_all'](_get_cron_cmdstr(user, path))
+        __salt__['cmd.run']('chown {0} {1}'.format(user, path),
+                            python_shell=False)
+    ret = __salt__['cmd.run_all'](_get_cron_cmdstr(user, path),
+                                  python_shell=False)
     os.remove(path)
     return ret
 
@@ -211,7 +215,9 @@ def raw_cron(user):
         cmd = 'crontab -l {0}'.format(user)
     else:
         cmd = 'crontab -l -u {0}'.format(user)
-    lines = __salt__['cmd.run_stdout'](cmd, rstrip=False).splitlines()
+    lines = __salt__['cmd.run_stdout'](cmd,
+                                       rstrip=False,
+                                       python_shell=False).splitlines()
     if len(lines) != 0 and lines[0].startswith('# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE - edit the master and reinstall.'):
         del lines[0:3]
     return '\n'.join(lines)