diff --git a/asyncshell.lua b/asyncshell.lua
index 2d6b7e3..a8e3676 100644
--- a/asyncshell.lua
+++ b/asyncshell.lua
@@ -52,7 +52,11 @@ function asyncshell.request(command, callback, timeout)
         id, formatted_command
     )
 
-    awful.util.spawn_with_shell(req)
+    if type(awful.spawn) == 'table' then
+        awful.spawn.with_shell(req)
+    else
+        awful.util.spawn_with_shell(req)
+    end
 
     if timeout then
         asyncshell.request_table[id].timer = timer({ timeout = timeout })
diff --git a/helpers.lua b/helpers.lua
index 4ece329..5e958c3 100644
--- a/helpers.lua
+++ b/helpers.lua
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 local debug  = require("debug")
 
-local capi   = { timer = timer }
+local capi   = { timer = (type(timer) == 'table' and timer or require ("gears.timer")) }
 local io     = { open  = io.open,
                  lines = io.lines,
                  popen = io.popen }