diff --git a/packages/addons/browser/chrome/source/default.py b/packages/addons/browser/chrome/source/default.py
index 82dd0c27cf..c09c06aa54 100644
--- a/packages/addons/browser/chrome/source/default.py
+++ b/packages/addons/browser/chrome/source/default.py
@@ -2,17 +2,20 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2009-2012 Stephan Raue (stephan@openelec.tv)
 # Copyright (C) 2018-present Team LibreELEC (https://libreelec.tv)
 
+import json
+import linecache
 import os
+import shlex
+import subprocess
 import sys
 import time
-import xbmcaddon
-import subprocess
-import json
 
 import xbmc
+import xbmcaddon
+
 
 __addon__ = xbmcaddon.Addon();
-__path__  = os.path.join(__addon__.getAddonInfo('path'), 'bin') + '/'
+__path__  = os.path.join(__addon__.getAddonInfo('path'), 'bin')
 
 pauseXBMC = __addon__.getSetting("PAUSE_XBMC")
 
@@ -27,41 +30,53 @@ def resumeXbmc():
     xbmc.audioResume()
     xbmc.enableNavSounds(True)
 
+def _print_exception():
+  exc_type, exc_obj, tb = sys.exc_info()
+  frame = tb.tb_frame
+  lineno = tb.tb_lineno
+  filename = frame.f_code.co_filename
+  linecache.checkcache(filename)
+  line = linecache.getline(filename, lineno, frame.f_globals)
+  xbmc.log(f'## Chrome Addon Error: in ({filename}, line {lineno}\n"{line.strip()}"):\n{repr(exc_obj)}', xbmc.LOGERROR)
+
 def startchrome(args):
   try:
-    new_env = os.environ.copy()
-    new_env['VAAPI_MODE'] = __addon__.getSetting('VAAPI_MODE')
-    new_env['WINDOW_MODE'] = __addon__.getSetting('WINDOW_MODE')
-    new_env['RASTER_MODE'] = __addon__.getSetting('RASTER_MODE')
-    new_env['DARK_MODE'] = __addon__.getSetting('DARK_MODE')
+    chrome_env = {
+      'VAAPI_MODE': __addon__.getSetting('VAAPI_MODE'),
+      'WINDOW_MODE': __addon__.getSetting('WINDOW_MODE'),
+      'RASTER_MODE': __addon__.getSetting('RASTER_MODE'),
+      'DARK_MODE': __addon__.getSetting('DARK_MODE')
+    }
 
+    # sound settings as environment variable
     if __addon__.getSetting('USE_CUST_AUDIODEVICE') == 'true':
       audio_device = __addon__.getSetting('CUST_AUDIODEVICE_STR')
     else:
       audio_device = getAudioDevice()
-
-    new_env['AUDIO_DEVICE_TYPE'] = getAudioDeviceType(audio_device)
-    if new_env['AUDIO_DEVICE_TYPE'] == "ALSA":
-      new_env['ALSA_DEVICE'] = ''
+    chrome_env['AUDIO_DEVICE_TYPE'] = getAudioDeviceType(audio_device)
+    if chrome_env['AUDIO_DEVICE_TYPE'] == 'ALSA':
       alsa_device = getAlsaAudioDevice(audio_device)
-      if not alsa_device == None and not alsa_device == '':
-        new_env['ALSA_DEVICE'] = alsa_device
+      chrome_env['ALSA_DEVICE'] = alsa_device if alsa_device else ''
 
+    # chrome user-agent string
     if __addon__.getSetting('USE_CUST_USERAGENT') == 'true':
-      new_env['USER_AGENT'] = __addon__.getSetting('CUST_USERAGENT_STR')
+      chrome_env['USER_AGENT'] = __addon__.getSetting('CUST_USERAGENT_STR')
 
-    chrome_params = args + ' ' + \
-                    __addon__.getSetting('HOMEPAGE')
-    subprocess.call(__path__ + 'chrome-start ' + chrome_params, shell=True, env=new_env)
-  except Exception as e:
-    xbmc.log('## Chrome Error:' + repr(e), xbmc.LOGERROR)
+    # launch chrome
+    new_env = os.environ.copy()
+    new_env.update(chrome_env)
+    chrome_execute = ([os.path.join(__path__, 'chrome-start')]
+                      + args
+                      + [__addon__.getSetting('HOMEPAGE')])
+    subprocess.call(chrome_execute, env=new_env)
+  except Exception:
+    _print_exception()
+    xbmc.log(f'## Chrome Addon Error: chrome env: {chrome_env}, audio device: {audio_device}', xbmc.LOGERROR)
 
-def isRuning(pname):
-  tmp = os.popen("ps -Af").read()
-  pcount = tmp.count(pname)
-  if pcount > 0:
-    return True
-  return False
+def isRunning(pname):
+  '''Returns True/False if pname is running'''
+  running_commands = subprocess.run(shlex.split('ps -Ao comm'), text=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+  return pname in running_commands.stdout
 
 def getAudioDevice():
   return json.loads(xbmc.executeJSONRPC(json.dumps({
@@ -74,20 +89,26 @@ def getAudioDevice():
                    })))['result']['value']
 
 def getAudioDeviceType(dev):
-  if dev.startswith("ALSA:"):
-    return "ALSA"
-  if dev.startswith("PULSE:"):
-    return "PULSE"
-  return None
+  if dev:
+    if dev.startswith("ALSA:"):
+      return "ALSA"
+    elif dev.startswith("PULSE:"):
+      return "PULSE"
+    else:
+      # backwards compatibility of device string
+      return "ALSA"
+  return "ALSA"
 
 def getAlsaAudioDevice(dev):
+  if not dev.startswith('ALSA:'):
+    return dev
   dev = dev.split("ALSA:")[1]
   if dev == "@":
     return None
   if dev.startswith("@:"):
     dev = dev.split("@:")[1]
   if dev.startswith("CARD="):
-    dev = "plughw:" + dev
+    dev = f'plughw:{dev}'
   return dev
 
 if (not __addon__.getSetting("firstrun")):
@@ -95,19 +116,19 @@ if (not __addon__.getSetting("firstrun")):
   __addon__.openSettings()
 
 try:
-  args = ' '.join(sys.argv[1:])
-except:
-  args = ""
+  args = sys.argv[1:]
+except Exception:
+  args = ''
 
 if args == 'widevine':
   install_widevine()
 elif args == 'flash':
   install_flash()
 else:
-  if not isRuning('chrome'):
+  if not isRunning('chrome'):
     pauseXbmc()
     startchrome(args)
-    while isRuning('chrome'):
+    while isRunning('chrome'):
       time.sleep(1)
     resumeXbmc()