diff --git a/tempest/common/utils/linux/remote_client.py b/tempest/common/utils/linux/remote_client.py
index d4e6eb8..7682c31 100644
--- a/tempest/common/utils/linux/remote_client.py
+++ b/tempest/common/utils/linux/remote_client.py
@@ -72,8 +72,7 @@
             return output.split()[1]
 
     def get_number_of_vcpus(self):
-        command = 'cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep processor | wc -l'
-        output = self.exec_command(command)
+        output = self.exec_command('grep -c processor /proc/cpuinfo')
         return int(output)
 
     def get_partitions(self):
diff --git a/tempest/tests/common/utils/linux/test_remote_client.py b/tempest/tests/common/utils/linux/test_remote_client.py
index 3506856..08888d6 100644
--- a/tempest/tests/common/utils/linux/test_remote_client.py
+++ b/tempest/tests/common/utils/linux/test_remote_client.py
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@
     def test_get_number_of_vcpus(self):
         self.ssh_mock.mock.exec_command.return_value = '16'
         self.assertEqual(self.conn.get_number_of_vcpus(), 16)
-        self._assert_exec_called_with(
-            'cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep processor | wc -l')
+        self._assert_exec_called_with('grep -c processor /proc/cpuinfo')
 
     def test_get_partitions(self):
         proc_partitions = """major minor  #blocks  name