diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/extend/kernel.rb b/Library/Homebrew/extend/kernel.rb
index 61d1e0b6106b7..410caab550578 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/extend/kernel.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/extend/kernel.rb
@@ -264,6 +264,8 @@ def with_custom_locale(locale, &block)
 
   # Kernel.system but with exceptions.
   def safe_system(cmd, *args, **options)
+    require "utils"
+
     return if Homebrew.system(cmd, *args, **options)
 
     raise ErrorDuringExecution.new([cmd, *args], status: $CHILD_STATUS)
@@ -273,6 +275,8 @@ def safe_system(cmd, *args, **options)
   #
   # @api internal
   def quiet_system(cmd, *args)
+    require "utils"
+
     Homebrew._system(cmd, *args) do
       # Redirect output streams to `/dev/null` instead of closing as some programs
       # will fail to execute if they can't write to an open stream.