diff --git a/devstack/plugin.sh b/devstack/plugin.sh
index dbc8dcdaa..9570c1fab 100644
--- a/devstack/plugin.sh
+++ b/devstack/plugin.sh
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ function start_nodepool {
     # run a fake statsd so we test stats sending paths
     export STATSD_HOST=localhost
     export STATSD_PORT=8125
-    run_process statsd "socat -u udp-recv:$STATSD_PORT -"
+    run_process statsd "/usr/bin/socat -u udp-recv:$STATSD_PORT -"
 
     run_process nodepool "$NODEPOOL_INSTALL/bin/nodepoold -c $NODEPOOL_CONFIG -s $NODEPOOL_SECURE -l $NODEPOOL_LOGGING -d"
     run_process nodepool-builder "$NODEPOOL_INSTALL/bin/nodepool-builder -c $NODEPOOL_CONFIG -l $NODEPOOL_LOGGING -d"