--- /usr/sbin/etc-update
+++ ./etc-update
@@ -12,7 +12,15 @@
 
 export PORTAGE_CALLER="etc-update"
 
-USERLAND="$(/usr/lib/portage/bin/portageq envvar USERLAND)"
+{
+read USERLAND
+read CONFIG_PROTECT
+read CONFIG_PROTECT_MASK
+} <<< "$(python -c 'import portage
+print portage.settings["USERLAND"]
+print portage.settings["CONFIG_PROTECT"]
+print portage.settings["CONFIG_PROTECT_MASK"]')"
+
 if [ "$USERLAND" == "BSD" ] ; then
 	function sed() { gsed "$@"; }
 elif [ "$USERLAND" == "Darwin" ] && [ -x /bin/gsed ]; then
@@ -361,10 +369,6 @@
 rm -rf ${TMP} 2> /dev/null
 mkdir ${TMP} || die "failed mkdir command!" 1
 
-# I need the CONFIG_PROTECT value
-CONFIG_PROTECT=$(/usr/lib/portage/bin/portageq config_protect)
-CONFIG_PROTECT_MASK=$(/usr/lib/portage/bin/portageq config_protect_mask)
-
 # load etc-config's configuration
 EU_AUTOMERGE=`get_config eu_automerge`
 rm_opts=`get_config rm_opts`