diff --git a/lang/python/examples/howto/export-secret-keys.py b/lang/python/examples/howto/export-secret-keys.py
index f0a791ef..7203ded9 100755
--- a/lang/python/examples/howto/export-secret-keys.py
+++ b/lang/python/examples/howto/export-secret-keys.py
@@ -84,7 +84,13 @@ else:
     if os.path.exists(os.environ["GNUPGHOME"]) is True:
         hd = os.environ["GNUPGHOME"]
     else:
-        hd = subprocess.getoutput(gpgconfcmd)
+        try:
+            hd = subprocess.getoutput(gpgconfcmd)
+        except:
+            process = subprocess.Popen(gpgconfcmd.split(),
+                                       stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+            procom = process.communicate()
+            hd = procom[0].decode().strip()
     gpgfile = "{0}/{1}.gpg".format(hd, keyfile)
     ascfile = "{0}/{1}.asc".format(hd, keyfile)
 
diff --git a/lang/python/examples/howto/groups.py b/lang/python/examples/howto/groups.py
index b8317b69..154961b1 100644
--- a/lang/python/examples/howto/groups.py
+++ b/lang/python/examples/howto/groups.py
@@ -37,7 +37,12 @@ if sys.platform == "win32":
 else:
     gpgconfcmd = "gpgconf --list-options gpg"
 
-lines = subprocess.getoutput(gpgconfcmd).splitlines()
+try:
+    lines = subprocess.getoutput(gpgconfcmd).splitlines()
+except:
+    process = subprocess.Popen(gpgconfcmd.split(), stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+    procom = process.communicate()
+    lines = procom[0].decode().splitlines()
 
 for i in range(len(lines)):
     if lines[i].startswith("group") is True: