diff --git a/cmake_targets/autotests/run_exec_lte-softmodem_tests.py b/cmake_targets/autotests/run_exec_lte-softmodem_tests.py
index 30c3717385c6f44db869cc8f4e65e1f3ebc8d33a..87a90b3ab8cb290918c4f322df116e58c7f401d9 100755
--- a/cmake_targets/autotests/run_exec_lte-softmodem_tests.py
+++ b/cmake_targets/autotests/run_exec_lte-softmodem_tests.py
@@ -1098,6 +1098,11 @@ except KeyError:
    print "Please set the environment variable OPENAIR_TARGETS in the .bashrc"
    sys.exit(1)
 
+print "Killing zombie ssh sessions from earlier sessions..."
+cmd='ps aux |grep \"/usr/bin/ssh -q -l guptar\"|tr -s \" \" :|cut -f 2 -d :|xargs kill -9 \''
+os.system(cmd)
+
+
 
 # get the oai object
 host = os.uname()[1]
@@ -1207,11 +1212,6 @@ if localshell == 0:
            result = oai_list[index].send_expect_false('sudo -S -v','may not run sudo',True)
            print "Sudo permissions..." + result
            
-           print "Killing zombie ssh sessions from earlier sessions..."     
-           cmd='ps aux |grep \"/usr/bin/ssh -q -l guptar\"|tr -s \" \" :|cut -f 2 -d :|xargs kill -9 \''
-           result=oai_list[index].send_recv(cmd, True)
-           print result
-  
            print '\nCleaning Older running programs : ' + CleanUpOldProgs
            cleanOldPrograms(oai_list[index], CleanUpOldProgs, CleanUpAluLteBox, ExmimoRfStop)