diff --git a/neuronunit/models/backends/base.py b/neuronunit/models/backends/base.py
index 0e2e9dd10..22b9b9070 100644
--- a/neuronunit/models/backends/base.py
+++ b/neuronunit/models/backends/base.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
                           TemporaryDirectory
 
 # Test for NEURON support in a separate python process
-NEURON_SUPPORT = (os.system('python -c "import neuron" >/dev/null') == 0)  
+NEURON_SUPPORT = (os.system("python -c 'import neuron' > /dev/null 2>&1") == 0)  
 
 try:
     import pyNN