diff --git a/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/process.py b/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/process.py
index 1a2c268dbd8..501c830d99c 100644
--- a/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/process.py
+++ b/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/process.py
@@ -9,6 +9,15 @@ import logging
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def which(executable):
+    """
+    Proxy function to ceph_volume.util.system.which because the ``system``
+    module does import ``process``
+    """
+    from ceph_volume.util import system
+    return system.which(executable)
+
+
 def log_output(descriptor, message, terminal_logging, logfile_logging):
     """
     log output to both the logger and the terminal if terminal_logging is
@@ -102,6 +111,8 @@ def run(command, **kw):
     stop_on_error = kw.pop('stop_on_error', True)
     command_msg = obfuscate(command, kw.pop('obfuscate', None))
     fail_msg = kw.pop('fail_msg', None)
+    executable = which(command.pop(0))
+    command.insert(0, executable)
     logger.info(command_msg)
     terminal.write(command_msg)
     terminal_logging = kw.pop('terminal_logging', True)
@@ -166,6 +177,8 @@ def call(command, **kw):
     terminal_verbose = kw.pop('terminal_verbose', False)
     logfile_verbose = kw.pop('logfile_verbose', True)
     show_command = kw.pop('show_command', False)
+    executable = which(command.pop(0))
+    command.insert(0, executable)
     command_msg = "Running command: %s" % ' '.join(command)
     stdin = kw.pop('stdin', None)
     logger.info(command_msg)
diff --git a/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/tests/util/test_system.py b/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/tests/util/test_system.py
index a742de4804c..690147cb29b 100644
--- a/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/tests/util/test_system.py
+++ b/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/tests/util/test_system.py
@@ -166,3 +166,29 @@ class TestIsBinary(object):
     def test_is_not_binary(self, tmpfile):
         binary_path = tmpfile(contents='asd\n\nlkjh0')
         assert system.is_binary(binary_path) is False
+
+
+class TestWhich(object):
+
+    def test_executable_exists_but_is_not_file(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(system.os.path, 'isfile', lambda x: False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(system.os.path, 'exists', lambda x: True)
+        assert system.which('exedir') == 'exedir'
+
+    def test_executable_does_not_exist(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(system.os.path, 'isfile', lambda x: False)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(system.os.path, 'exists', lambda x: False)
+        assert system.which('exedir') == 'exedir'
+
+    def test_executable_exists_as_file(self, monkeypatch):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(system.os.path, 'isfile', lambda x: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(system.os.path, 'exists', lambda x: True)
+        assert system.which('ceph') == '/usr/local/bin/ceph'
+
+    def test_warnings_when_executable_isnt_matched(self, monkeypatch, capsys):
+        monkeypatch.setattr(system.os.path, 'isfile', lambda x: True)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(system.os.path, 'exists', lambda x: False)
+        system.which('exedir')
+        stdout, stderr = capsys.readouterr()
+        assert 'Absolute path not found for executable: exedir' in stdout
+        assert 'Ensure $PATH environment variable contains common executable locations' in stdout
diff --git a/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/util/system.py b/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/util/system.py
index 2b4473efe62..0ba46d36276 100644
--- a/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/util/system.py
+++ b/src/ceph-volume/ceph_volume/util/system.py
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ import pwd
 import platform
 import tempfile
 import uuid
-from ceph_volume import process
+from ceph_volume import process, terminal
 from . import as_string
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+mlogger = terminal.MultiLogger(__name__)
 
 # TODO: get these out of here and into a common area for others to consume
 if platform.system() == 'FreeBSD':
@@ -30,6 +31,28 @@ def generate_uuid():
     return str(uuid.uuid4())
 
 
+def which(executable):
+    """find the location of an executable"""
+    locations = (
+        '/usr/local/bin',
+        '/bin',
+        '/usr/bin',
+        '/usr/local/sbin',
+        '/usr/sbin',
+        '/sbin',
+    )
+
+    for location in locations:
+        executable_path = os.path.join(location, executable)
+        if os.path.exists(executable_path) and os.path.isfile(executable_path):
+            return executable_path
+    mlogger.warning('Absolute path not found for executable: %s', executable)
+    mlogger.warning('Ensure $PATH environment variable contains common executable locations')
+    # fallback to just returning the argument as-is, to prevent a hard fail,
+    # and hoping that the system might have the executable somewhere custom
+    return executable
+
+
 def get_ceph_user_ids():
     """
     Return the id and gid of the ceph user