diff --git a/scheduler/package.json b/scheduler/package.json
index 5629d4d165..ac7817d365 100644
--- a/scheduler/package.json
+++ b/scheduler/package.json
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "chai": "^4.2.0",
-    "execa": "^1.0.0",
     "mocha": "^6.0.0",
     "supertest": "^4.0.0"
   }
diff --git a/scheduler/system-test/test.samples.js b/scheduler/system-test/test.samples.js
index 67da83470e..f08c9f1a62 100644
--- a/scheduler/system-test/test.samples.js
+++ b/scheduler/system-test/test.samples.js
@@ -14,9 +14,8 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-const path = require('path');
 const {assert} = require('chai');
-const execa = require('execa');
+const {execSync} = require('child_process');
 const supertest = require('supertest');
 const app = require('../app.js');
 const request = supertest(app);
@@ -25,22 +24,22 @@ const PROJECT_ID = process.env.GCLOUD_PROJECT;
 const LOCATION_ID = process.env.LOCATION_ID || 'us-central1';
 const SERVICE_ID = 'my-service';
 
-const cwd = path.join(__dirname, '../');
-const exec = cmd => execa.shell(cmd, {cwd});
-
 describe('Cloud Scheduler Sample Tests', () => {
   let jobName;
 
   it('should create and delete a scheduler job', async () => {
-    const {stdout} = await exec(
+    const stdout = execSync(
       `node createJob.js ${PROJECT_ID} ${LOCATION_ID} ${SERVICE_ID}`
     );
     assert.match(stdout, /Created job/);
-    jobName = stdout.split('/').pop();
+    jobName = stdout
+      .toString()
+      .split('/')
+      .pop();
   });
 
   it('should delete a scheduler job', async () => {
-    const {stdout} = await exec(
+    const stdout = execSync(
       `node deleteJob.js ${PROJECT_ID} ${LOCATION_ID} ${jobName}`
     );
     assert.match(stdout, /Job deleted/);