diff --git a/lib/child_process.js b/lib/child_process.js
index 81fb8c1fcd..4fda6e20e5 100644
--- a/lib/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/child_process.js
@@ -332,7 +332,12 @@ function normalizeSpawnArguments(file /*, args, options*/) {
       args = ['/s', '/c', '"' + command + '"'];
       options.windowsVerbatimArguments = true;
     } else {
-      file = typeof options.shell === 'string' ? options.shell : '/bin/sh';
+      if (typeof options.shell === 'string')
+        file = options.shell;
+      else if (process.platform === 'android')
+        file = '/system/bin/sh';
+      else
+        file = '/bin/sh';
       args = ['-c', command];
     }
   }