diff --git a/src/prime_rl/entrypoints/rl.py b/src/prime_rl/entrypoints/rl.py
index 582d17116e..dae13df723 100644
--- a/src/prime_rl/entrypoints/rl.py
+++ b/src/prime_rl/entrypoints/rl.py
@@ -23,7 +23,13 @@
     resolve_latest_ckpt_step,
     validate_output_dir,
 )
-from prime_rl.utils.process import cleanup_processes, cleanup_threads, monitor_process, set_proc_title
+from prime_rl.utils.process import (
+    cleanup_processes,
+    cleanup_threads,
+    monitor_process,
+    set_proc_title,
+    start_tail_processes,
+)
 
 RL_TOML = "rl.toml"
 RL_SBATCH = "rl.sbatch"
@@ -321,11 +327,8 @@ def sigterm_handler(signum, frame):
         # Monitor all processes for failures
         logger.success("Startup complete. Showing orchestrator logs...")
 
-        tail_process = Popen(
-            f"tail -F '{log_dir / 'orchestrator.log'}'",
-            shell=True,
-        )
-        processes.append(tail_process)
+        tail_processes = start_tail_processes(log_dir / "orchestrator.log")
+        processes.extend(tail_processes)
 
         # Check for errors from monitor threads
         while not (stop_events["orchestrator"].is_set() and stop_events["trainer"].is_set()):
diff --git a/src/prime_rl/entrypoints/sft.py b/src/prime_rl/entrypoints/sft.py
index 1429e5942c..3e3fb0fa7e 100644
--- a/src/prime_rl/entrypoints/sft.py
+++ b/src/prime_rl/entrypoints/sft.py
@@ -12,7 +12,13 @@
 from prime_rl.utils.config import cli
 from prime_rl.utils.logger import setup_logger
 from prime_rl.utils.pathing import format_log_message, get_config_dir, get_log_dir, validate_output_dir
-from prime_rl.utils.process import cleanup_processes, cleanup_threads, monitor_process, set_proc_title
+from prime_rl.utils.process import (
+    cleanup_processes,
+    cleanup_threads,
+    monitor_process,
+    set_proc_title,
+    start_tail_processes,
+)
 
 SFT_TOML = "sft.toml"
 SFT_SBATCH = "sft.sbatch"
@@ -161,11 +167,11 @@ def sft_local(config: SFTConfig):
         monitor_threads.append(monitor_thread)
 
         logger.success("Startup complete. Showing trainer logs...")
-        tail_process = Popen(
-            f"tail -F '{log_dir / 'trainer.log'}' | sed -u 's/^\\[[a-zA-Z]*[0-9]*\\]://'",
-            shell=True,
+        tail_processes = start_tail_processes(
+            log_dir / "trainer.log",
+            strip_torchrun_prefix=True,
         )
-        processes.append(tail_process)
+        processes.extend(tail_processes)
 
         stop_event.wait()
 
diff --git a/src/prime_rl/utils/process.py b/src/prime_rl/utils/process.py
index ab14813f62..3329454b85 100644
--- a/src/prime_rl/utils/process.py
+++ b/src/prime_rl/utils/process.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 from prime_rl.utils.logger import get_logger
 
 PRIME_RL_PROC_PREFIX = "PRIME-RL"
+TORCHRUN_LOG_PREFIX_PATTERN = r"s/^\[[a-zA-Z]*[0-9]*\]://"
 
 
 def set_proc_title(name: str) -> None:
@@ -62,6 +63,30 @@ def cleanup_processes(processes: list[Popen]):
         get_logger().debug(f"Cleaned up process {process.pid}")
 
 
+def start_tail_processes(
+    log_path: str | os.PathLike[str],
+    *,
+    strip_torchrun_prefix: bool = False,
+) -> list[Popen]:
+    """Start subprocesses that stream a log file without invoking a shell."""
+    tail_process = Popen(
+        ["tail", "-F", os.fspath(log_path)],
+        stdout=subprocess.PIPE if strip_torchrun_prefix else None,
+    )
+    if not strip_torchrun_prefix:
+        return [tail_process]
+
+    if tail_process.stdout is None:
+        raise RuntimeError("tail process stdout was not captured")
+
+    sed_process = Popen(
+        ["sed", "-u", TORCHRUN_LOG_PREFIX_PATTERN],
+        stdin=tail_process.stdout,
+    )
+    tail_process.stdout.close()
+    return [tail_process, sed_process]
+
+
 def monitor_process(process: Popen, stop_event: Event, error_queue: list, process_name: str):
     """Monitor a subprocess and signal errors via shared queue."""
     process.wait()
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/test_process.py b/tests/unit/utils/test_process.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d5875b1c9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/utils/test_process.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+import subprocess
+
+from prime_rl.utils import process
+
+
+class FakeStdout:
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.closed = False
+
+    def close(self) -> None:
+        self.closed = True
+
+
+class FakePopen:
+    def __init__(self, cmd, **kwargs) -> None:
+        self.cmd = cmd
+        self.kwargs = kwargs
+        self.stdout = FakeStdout() if kwargs.get("stdout") is subprocess.PIPE else None
+
+
+def test_start_tail_processes_uses_argv_without_shell(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_popen(cmd, **kwargs):
+        popen = FakePopen(cmd, **kwargs)
+        calls.append(popen)
+        return popen
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(process, "Popen", fake_popen)
+
+    log_path = tmp_path / "trainer '$(touch injected)'.log"
+
+    started = process.start_tail_processes(log_path)
+
+    assert started == calls[:1]
+    assert calls[0].cmd == ["tail", "-F", str(log_path)]
+    assert "shell" not in calls[0].kwargs
+
+
+def test_start_tail_processes_can_strip_torchrun_prefix_without_shell(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_popen(cmd, **kwargs):
+        popen = FakePopen(cmd, **kwargs)
+        calls.append(popen)
+        return popen
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(process, "Popen", fake_popen)
+
+    log_path = tmp_path / "trainer.log"
+
+    started = process.start_tail_processes(log_path, strip_torchrun_prefix=True)
+
+    assert started == calls
+    assert calls[0].cmd == ["tail", "-F", str(log_path)]
+    assert calls[0].kwargs == {"stdout": subprocess.PIPE}
+    assert calls[0].stdout is not None
+    assert calls[0].stdout.closed is True
+    assert calls[1].cmd == ["sed", "-u", process.TORCHRUN_LOG_PREFIX_PATTERN]
+    assert calls[1].kwargs == {"stdin": calls[0].stdout}
+    assert "shell" not in calls[1].kwargs