diff --git a/nipype/interfaces/niftyreg/base.py b/nipype/interfaces/niftyreg/base.py
index aa343dcfcb..88e441d52a 100644
--- a/nipype/interfaces/niftyreg/base.py
+++ b/nipype/interfaces/niftyreg/base.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@
 import os
 
 from ... import logging
-from ..base import CommandLine, CommandLineInputSpec, traits, Undefined
+from ..base import (CommandLine, CommandLineInputSpec, traits, Undefined,
+                    PackageInfo)
 from ...utils.filemanip import split_filename
 
 iflogger = logging.getLogger("nipype.interface")
@@ -29,6 +30,14 @@ def get_custom_path(command, env_dir="NIFTYREGDIR"):
     return os.path.join(os.getenv(env_dir, ""), command)
 
 
+class Info(PackageInfo):
+    version_cmd = get_custom_path('reg_aladin') + ' --version'
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def parse_version(raw_info):
+        return raw_info
+
+
 class NiftyRegCommandInputSpec(CommandLineInputSpec):
     """Input Spec for niftyreg interfaces."""
 
@@ -55,9 +64,8 @@ def __init__(self, required_version=None, **inputs):
         self.num_threads = 1
         super(NiftyRegCommand, self).__init__(**inputs)
         self.required_version = required_version
-        _version = self.version_from_command()
+        _version = self.version
         if _version:
-            _version = _version.decode("utf-8")
             if self._min_version is not None and StrictVersion(
                 _version
             ) < StrictVersion(self._min_version):
@@ -91,11 +99,9 @@ def _environ_update(self):
             self.inputs.omp_core_val = Undefined
 
     def check_version(self):
-        _version = self.version_from_command()
+        _version = self.version
         if not _version:
             raise Exception("Niftyreg not found")
-        # Decoding to string:
-        _version = _version.decode("utf-8")
         if StrictVersion(_version) < StrictVersion(self._min_version):
             err = "A later version of Niftyreg is required (%s < %s)"
             raise ValueError(err % (_version, self._min_version))
@@ -107,10 +113,10 @@ def check_version(self):
 
     @property
     def version(self):
-        return self.version_from_command()
+        return Info.version()
 
     def exists(self):
-        return self.version_from_command() is not None
+        return self.version is not None
 
     def _format_arg(self, name, spec, value):
         if name == "omp_core_val":