diff --git a/py/execnet/gateway.py b/py/execnet/gateway.py
index b1ad35169..5b45c722e 100644
--- a/py/execnet/gateway.py
+++ b/py/execnet/gateway.py
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ debug = 0 # open('/tmp/execnet-debug-%d' % os.getpid()  , 'wa')
 sysex = (KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit)
 
 class Gateway(object):
-    num_worker_threads = 2
     ThreadOut = ThreadOut 
+    remoteaddress = ""
 
     def __init__(self, io, startcount=2, maxthreads=None):
         global registered_cleanup
-        self._execpool = WorkerPool() 
+        self._execpool = WorkerPool(maxthreads=maxthreads) 
 ##        self.running = True 
         self.io = io
         self._outgoing = Queue.Queue()
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class Gateway(object):
                                     sender = self.thread_sender)
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        addr = self._getremoteaddress()
+        addr = self.remoteaddress 
         if addr:
             addr = '[%s]' % (addr,)
         else:
@@ -67,9 +67,6 @@ class Gateway(object):
         return "<%s%s %s/%s (%s active channels)>" %(
                 self.__class__.__name__, addr, r, s, i)
 
-    def _getremoteaddress(self):
-        return None
-
 ##    def _local_trystopexec(self):
 ##        self._execpool.shutdown() 
 
diff --git a/py/execnet/register.py b/py/execnet/register.py
index c2afbf1a2..b027f8c1c 100644
--- a/py/execnet/register.py
+++ b/py/execnet/register.py
@@ -136,9 +136,7 @@ class SocketGateway(InstallableGateway):
         sock.connect((host, port))
         io = inputoutput.SocketIO(sock)
         super(SocketGateway, self).__init__(io=io)
-
-    def _getremoteaddress(self):
-        return '%s:%d' % (self.host, self.port)
+        self.remoteaddress = '%s:%d' % (self.host, self.port)
 
     def remote_install(cls, gateway, hostport=None): 
         """ return a connected socket gateway through the
@@ -167,7 +165,7 @@ class SocketGateway(InstallableGateway):
     
 class SshGateway(PopenCmdGateway):
     def __init__(self, sshaddress, remotepython='python', identity=None): 
-        self.sshaddress = sshaddress
+        self.remoteaddress = sshaddress
         remotecmd = '%s -u -c "exec input()"' % (remotepython,)
         cmdline = [sshaddress, remotecmd]
         # XXX Unix style quoting
@@ -179,9 +177,6 @@ class SshGateway(PopenCmdGateway):
         cmdline.insert(0, cmd) 
         super(SshGateway, self).__init__(' '.join(cmdline))
 
-    def _getremoteaddress(self):
-        return self.sshaddress
-
 class ExecGateway(PopenGateway):
     def remote_exec_sync_stdcapture(self, lines, callback):
         # hack: turn the content of the cell into
diff --git a/py/execnet/rsync.py b/py/execnet/rsync.py
index f9638a6df..ab1fa5f4b 100644
--- a/py/execnet/rsync.py
+++ b/py/execnet/rsync.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class RSync(object):
                             # sharing multiple copies of the file's data
                             data = intern(data)
                             print '%s <= %s' % (
-                                channel.gateway._getremoteaddress(),
+                                channel.gateway.remoteaddress, 
                                 modified_rel_path)
                     channel.send(data)
                     del data
diff --git a/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py b/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
index de6690724..1ad33c0e2 100644
--- a/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
+++ b/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ class PopenGatewayTestSetup:
     def setup_class(cls):
         cls.gw = py.execnet.PopenGateway()
 
-##    def teardown_class(cls):
-##        cls.gw.exit()
+    def teardown_class(cls):
+        cls.gw.exit()
 
 class BasicRemoteExecution:
     def test_correct_setup(self):
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ class TestSshGateway(BasicRemoteExecution):
         cls.gw = py.execnet.SshGateway(option.sshtarget) 
 
     def test_sshaddress(self):
-        assert self.gw.sshaddress == option.sshtarget
+        assert self.gw.remoteaddress == option.sshtarget
 
     def test_failed_connexion(self):
         gw = py.execnet.SshGateway('nowhere.codespeak.net')