diff --git a/lib/utilities.bash b/lib/utilities.bash
index fa77d4fd..de31810e 100644
--- a/lib/utilities.bash
+++ b/lib/utilities.bash
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ _bash-it-component-help() {
   if [[ ! -s "${file}" || -z "$(find "${file}" -mmin -300)" ]] ; then
     rm -f "${file}" 2>/dev/null
     local func="_bash-it-${component}"
-    "${func}" | $(_bash-it-grep) -E '   \[' | cat > "${file}"
+    "${func}" | ${BASH_IT_GREP:-$(_bash-it-grep)} -E '   \[' > "${file}"
   fi
   cat "${file}"
 }
@@ -124,17 +124,17 @@ _bash-it-component-list() {
 _bash-it-component-list-matching() {
   local component="$1"; shift
   local term="$1"
-  _bash-it-component-help "${component}" | $(_bash-it-grep) -E -- "${term}" | awk '{print $1}' | sort -u
+  _bash-it-component-help "${component}" | ${BASH_IT_GREP:-$(_bash-it-grep)} -E -- "${term}" | awk '{print $1}' | sort -u
 }
 
 _bash-it-component-list-enabled() {
   local IFS=$'\n' component="$1"
-  _bash-it-component-help "${component}" | $(_bash-it-grep) -E  '\[x\]' | awk '{print $1}' | sort -u
+  _bash-it-component-help "${component}" | ${BASH_IT_GREP:-$(_bash-it-grep)} -E  '\[x\]' | awk '{print $1}' | sort -u
 }
 
 _bash-it-component-list-disabled() {
   local IFS=$'\n' component="$1"
-  _bash-it-component-help "${component}" | $(_bash-it-grep) -E -v '\[x\]' | awk '{print $1}' | sort -u
+  _bash-it-component-help "${component}" | ${BASH_IT_GREP:-$(_bash-it-grep)} -E -v '\[x\]' | awk '{print $1}' | sort -u
 }
 
 # Checks if a given item is enabled for a particular component/file-type.
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ _bash-it-component-list-disabled() {
 _bash-it-component-item-is-enabled() {
   local component="$1"
   local item="$2"
-  _bash-it-component-help "${component}" | $(_bash-it-grep) -E '\[x\]' |  $(_bash-it-grep) -E -q -- "^${item}\s"
+  _bash-it-component-help "${component}" | ${BASH_IT_GREP:-$(_bash-it-grep)} -E '\[x\]' |  ${BASH_IT_GREP:-$(_bash-it-grep)} -E -q -- "^${item}\s"
 }
 
 # Checks if a given item is disabled for a particular component/file-type.
@@ -162,5 +162,5 @@ _bash-it-component-item-is-enabled() {
 _bash-it-component-item-is-disabled() {
   local component="$1"
   local item="$2"
-  _bash-it-component-help "${component}" | $(_bash-it-grep) -E -v '\[x\]' |  $(_bash-it-grep) -E -q -- "^${item}\s"
+  _bash-it-component-help "${component}" | ${BASH_IT_GREP:-$(_bash-it-grep)} -E -v '\[x\]' |  ${BASH_IT_GREP:-$(_bash-it-grep)} -E -q -- "^${item}\s"
 }