diff --git a/pyvirtualdisplay/abstractdisplay.py b/pyvirtualdisplay/abstractdisplay.py
index bed35ed..41e2e75 100644
--- a/pyvirtualdisplay/abstractdisplay.py
+++ b/pyvirtualdisplay/abstractdisplay.py
@@ -189,15 +189,15 @@ def _popen(self, use_pass_fds):
                 self._subproc = subprocess.Popen(
                     self._command,
                     pass_fds=[self._pipe_wfd],
-                    stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-                    stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                    stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+                    stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                     shell=False,
                 )
             else:
                 self._subproc = subprocess.Popen(
                     self._command,
-                    stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-                    stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                    stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+                    stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
                     shell=False,
                 )
 
@@ -340,7 +340,6 @@ def _kill_subproc(self):
                 log.debug("exception in kill:%s", oserror)
 
             self._subproc.wait()
-            self._read_stdout_stderr()
 
     def stop(self):
         """
@@ -365,13 +364,6 @@ def stop(self):
                 self._display_to_rm = None
         return self
 
-    def _read_stdout_stderr(self):
-        if self.stdout is None:
-            (self.stdout, self.stderr) = self._subproc.communicate()
-
-            log.debug("stdout=%s", self.stdout)
-            log.debug("stderr=%s", self.stderr)
-
     def _setup_xauth(self):
         """
         Set up the Xauthority file and the XAUTHORITY environment variable.
@@ -416,9 +408,6 @@ def is_alive(self):
             return False
         # return self.return_code is None
         rc = self._subproc.poll()
-        if rc is not None:
-            # proc exited
-            self._read_stdout_stderr()
         return rc is None
 
     # @property