diff --git a/src/confd/src/Makefile.am b/src/confd/src/Makefile.am
index 9a2178df..fca460b9 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/confd/src/Makefile.am
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ plugin_LTLIBRARIES      = confd-plugin.la
 confd_plugin_la_CFLAGS  = $(augeas_CFLAGS) $(libite_CFLAGS) $(sysrepo_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS)
 confd_plugin_la_LIBADD  = $(augeas_LIBS)   $(libite_LIBS)   $(sysrepo_LIBS)
 confd_plugin_la_LDFLAGS = -module -avoid-version -shared
-confd_plugin_la_SOURCES = core.c core.h run.c sr_ext.c sr_ext.h srx_val.c srx_val.h \
+confd_plugin_la_SOURCES = core.c core.h sr_ext.c sr_ext.h srx_val.c srx_val.h \
 			  ietf-system.c ietf-interfaces.c
diff --git a/src/confd/src/core.c b/src/confd/src/core.c
index b3a0a952..042bd943 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/core.c
+++ b/src/confd/src/core.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ static struct confd confd;
 static int startup_save_hook(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t sub_id, const char *module,
 	const char *xpath, sr_event_t event, unsigned request_id, void *priv)
 {
-	if (run("sysrepocfg -X/cfg/startup-config.cfg -d startup -f json"))
+	if (systemf("sysrepocfg -X/cfg/startup-config.cfg -d startup -f json"))
 		return SR_ERR_SYS;
 
 	return SR_ERR_OK;
diff --git a/src/confd/src/core.h b/src/confd/src/core.h
index 3872a99f..45726150 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/core.h
+++ b/src/confd/src/core.h
@@ -75,10 +75,6 @@ static inline int register_rpc(sr_session_ctx_t *session, const char *xpath,
 	return rc;
 }
 
-
-/* core.c */
-int run(const char *fmt, ...);
-
 /* ietf-interfaces.c */
 int ietf_interfaces_init(struct confd *confd);
 
diff --git a/src/confd/src/ietf-system.c b/src/confd/src/ietf-system.c
index 45733b86..2630f5f2 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/ietf-system.c
+++ b/src/confd/src/ietf-system.c
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ static int rpc_exec(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t sub_id, const char *path
 {
 	DEBUG("path: %s", path);
 
-	if (run(priv))
+	if (systemf(priv))
 		return SR_ERR_INTERNAL;
 
 	return SR_ERR_OK;
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ done:
 
 static int sys_reload_services(void)
 {
-	return run("initctl -nbq touch sysklogd lldpd");
+	return systemf("initctl -nbq touch sysklogd lldpd");
 }
 
 int sr_get_int(sr_session_ctx_t *session, const char *fmt, ...)
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ static int change_clock(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t sub_id, const char *
 	}
 
 	remove("/etc/localtime+");
-	if (run("ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/%s /etc/localtime+", timezone)) {
+	if (systemf("ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/%s /etc/localtime+", timezone)) {
 		ERROR("No such timezone %s", timezone);
 		return SR_ERR_VALIDATION_FAILED;
 	}
@@ -437,15 +437,15 @@ static int change_ntp(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t sub_id, const char *mo
 		rename(CHRONY_CONF, CHRONY_PREV);
 		rename(CHRONY_NEXT, CHRONY_CONF);
 		if (!sr_get_bool(session, "/ietf-system:system/ntp/enabled")) {
-			run("initctl -nbq disable chronyd");
+			systemf("initctl -nbq disable chronyd");
 			return SR_ERR_OK;
 		}
 		/*
 		 * If chrony is alrady enabled we tell Finit it's been
 		 * modified , so Finit restarts it, otherwise enable it.
 		 */
-		run("initctl -nbq touch chronyd");
-		run("initctl -nbq enable chronyd");
+		systemf("initctl -nbq touch chronyd");
+		systemf("initctl -nbq enable chronyd");
 		return SR_ERR_OK;
 
 	default:
@@ -555,10 +555,10 @@ static int change_dns(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t sub_id, const char *mo
 		rename(RESOLV_NEXT, RESOLV_CONF);
 
 		/* in bootstrap, another resolvconf will soon take your call */
-		if (run("initctl cond get hook/sys/up"))
+		if (systemf("initctl cond get hook/sys/up"))
 			return 0;
 
-		run("resolvconf -u");
+		systemf("resolvconf -u");
 		return SR_ERR_OK;
 
 	default:
diff --git a/src/confd/src/run.c b/src/confd/src/run.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 1a809c68..00000000
--- a/src/confd/src/run.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-/* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause */
-
-#include "core.h"
-
-/**
- * Like system(), but takes a formatted string as argument.
- * @param fmt  printf style format list to command to run
- *
- * This system() wrapper greatly simplifies operations that usually
- * consist of composing a command from parts into a dynamic buffer
- * before calling it.  The return value from system() is also parsed,
- * checking for proper exit and signals.
- *
- * @returns If the command exits normally, the return code of the command
- * is returned.  Otherwise, if the command is signalled, the return code
- * is -1 and @a errno is set to @c EINTR.
- */
-int run(const char *fmt, ...)
-{
-	va_list ap;
-	char *cmd;
-	int len;
-	int rc;
-
-	va_start(ap, fmt);
-	len = vsnprintf(NULL, 0, fmt, ap);
-	va_end(ap);
-
-	cmd = alloca(++len);
-	if (!cmd) {
-		errno = ENOMEM;
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	va_start(ap, fmt);
-	vsnprintf(cmd, len, fmt, ap);
-	va_end(ap);
-
-	rc = system(cmd);
-	if (rc == -1)
-		return -1;
-
-	if (WIFEXITED(rc)) {
-		errno = 0;
-		rc = WEXITSTATUS(rc);
-	} else if (WIFSIGNALED(rc)) {
-		errno = EINTR;
-		rc = -1;
-	}
-
-	return rc;
-}