diff --git a/bin/nodetool b/bin/nodetool
index d00d14a12..ab2210aa5 100755
--- a/bin/nodetool
+++ b/bin/nodetool
@@ -140,11 +140,12 @@ do(Args) ->
                     io:format("~p\n", [Other])
             end;
         ["eval" | ListOfArgs] ->
+            % parse args locally in the remsh node
             Parsed = parse_eval_args(ListOfArgs),
             % and evaluate it on the remote node
-            case rpc:call(TargetNode, emqx_ctl, eval_erl, [Parsed]) of
+            case rpc:call(TargetNode, emqx_ctl, run_command, [eval_erl, Parsed], infinity) of
                 {ok, Value} ->
-                    io:format("~p~n",[Value]);
+                    io:format("~p~n", [Value]);
                 {badrpc, Reason} ->
                     io:format("RPC to ~p failed: ~p~n", [TargetNode, Reason]),
                     halt(1)