diff --git a/vlib/v/builder/compile.v b/vlib/v/builder/compile.v
index d3eb6b3f25..8ff7726e4a 100644
--- a/vlib/v/builder/compile.v
+++ b/vlib/v/builder/compile.v
@@ -118,26 +118,30 @@ fn (mut b Builder) run_compiled_executable_and_exit() {
 	if b.pref.is_verbose {
 		println('============ running $b.pref.out_name ============')
 	}
-	mut exefile := os.real_path(b.pref.out_name)
-	mut cmd := '"$exefile"'
-	if b.pref.backend.is_js() {
-		exefile = os.real_path('${b.pref.out_name}.js').replace('.js.js', '.js')
-		cmd = 'node "$exefile"'
-	}
-	for arg in b.pref.run_args {
-		// Determine if there are spaces in the parameters
-		if arg.index_byte(` `) > 0 {
-			cmd += ' "' + arg + '"'
-		} else {
-			cmd += ' ' + arg
-		}
-	}
-	if b.pref.is_verbose {
-		println('command to run executable: $cmd')
-	}
 	if b.pref.is_test || b.pref.is_run {
-		ret := os.system(cmd)
-		b.cleanup_run_executable_after_exit(exefile)
+		compiled_file := os.real_path(b.pref.out_name)
+		run_file := if b.pref.backend.is_js() {
+			node_basename := $if windows { 'node.exe' } $else { 'node' }
+			os.find_abs_path_of_executable(node_basename) or {
+				panic('Could not find `node` in system path. Do you have Node.js installed?')
+			}
+		} else {
+			compiled_file
+		}
+		mut run_args := []string{cap: b.pref.run_args.len + 1}
+		if b.pref.backend.is_js() {
+			run_args << compiled_file
+		}
+		run_args << b.pref.run_args
+		mut run_process := os.new_process(run_file)
+		run_process.set_args(run_args)
+		if b.pref.is_verbose {
+			println('running $run_process.filename with arguments $run_process.args')
+		}
+		run_process.wait()
+		ret := run_process.code
+		run_process.close()
+		b.cleanup_run_executable_after_exit(compiled_file)
 		exit(ret)
 	}
 	exit(0)