diff --git a/datajob/datajob.py b/datajob/datajob.py
index 8139f4a..a0ed530 100644
--- a/datajob/datajob.py
+++ b/datajob/datajob.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import typer
+import shlex
 
 from datajob.package import wheel
 
@@ -68,4 +69,5 @@ def call_cdk(command: str, args: list = None, extra_args: list = None):
     full_command = " ".join(["cdk", command] + args + extra_args)
     print(f"cdk command:" f" {full_command}")
     # todo - shell=True is not secure
-    subprocess.call(full_command, shell=True)
+    # subprocess.call(full_command, shell=True)
+    subprocess.check_call(shlex.split(full_command))
diff --git a/datajob/package/wheel.py b/datajob/package/wheel.py
index c146847..a3e8264 100644
--- a/datajob/package/wheel.py
+++ b/datajob/package/wheel.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import subprocess
 from pathlib import Path
+import shlex
 
 from datajob import logger
 
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ def create(project_root):
         cmd = f"cd {project_root}; python setup.py bdist_wheel"
         print(f"wheel command: {cmd}")
         # todo - shell=True is not secure
-        subprocess.call(cmd, shell=True)
+        subprocess.check_call(shlex.split(cmd))
     else:
         raise DatajobPackageWheelError(
             f"no setup.py file detected in project root {project_root}. "