diff --git a/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py b/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py
index 62ba2a7bb2..9b7f2c8615 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ class IpNetnsCommand(IpCommandBase):
             check_exit_code=check_exit_code)
 
     def exists(self, name):
-        output = self._run('list', options='o')
+        output = self._parent._execute('o', 'netns', ['list'])
 
         for line in output.split('\n'):
             if name == line.strip():
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/test_linux_ip_lib.py b/neutron/tests/unit/test_linux_ip_lib.py
index 74f47ccf67..ea23c85497 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/test_linux_ip_lib.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/test_linux_ip_lib.py
@@ -713,17 +713,25 @@ class TestIpNetnsCommand(TestIPCmdBase):
 
     def test_namespace_exists(self):
         retval = '\n'.join(NETNS_SAMPLE)
-        self.parent._run.return_value = retval
-        self.assertTrue(
-            self.netns_cmd.exists('bbbbbbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbbbbbbbbbb'))
-        self._assert_call('o', ('list',))
+        # need another instance to avoid mocking
+        netns_cmd = ip_lib.IpNetnsCommand(ip_lib.SubProcessBase())
+        with mock.patch('neutron.agent.linux.utils.execute') as execute:
+            execute.return_value = retval
+            self.assertTrue(
+                netns_cmd.exists('bbbbbbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbbbbbbbbbb'))
+            execute.assert_called_once_with(['ip', '-o', 'netns', 'list'],
+                                            root_helper=None)
 
     def test_namespace_doest_not_exist(self):
         retval = '\n'.join(NETNS_SAMPLE)
-        self.parent._run.return_value = retval
-        self.assertFalse(
-            self.netns_cmd.exists('bbbbbbbb-1111-2222-3333-bbbbbbbbbbbb'))
-        self._assert_call('o', ('list',))
+        # need another instance to avoid mocking
+        netns_cmd = ip_lib.IpNetnsCommand(ip_lib.SubProcessBase())
+        with mock.patch('neutron.agent.linux.utils.execute') as execute:
+            execute.return_value = retval
+            self.assertFalse(
+                netns_cmd.exists('bbbbbbbb-1111-2222-3333-bbbbbbbbbbbb'))
+            execute.assert_called_once_with(['ip', '-o', 'netns', 'list'],
+                                            root_helper=None)
 
     def test_execute(self):
         self.parent.namespace = 'ns'