diff --git a/py/__init__.py b/py/__init__.py
index 40835e1ce..f1c403a32 100644
--- a/py/__init__.py
+++ b/py/__init__.py
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ initpkg(__name__,
     'execnet.SocketGateway'  : ('./execnet/gateway.py', 'SocketGateway'),
     'execnet.PopenGateway'   : ('./execnet/gateway.py', 'PopenGateway'),
     'execnet.SshGateway'     : ('./execnet/gateway.py', 'SshGateway'),
+    'execnet.HostNotFound'   : ('./execnet/gateway.py', 'HostNotFound'),
     'execnet.XSpec'          : ('./execnet/xspec.py', 'XSpec'),
     'execnet.makegateway'    : ('./execnet/xspec.py', 'makegateway'),
     'execnet.MultiGateway'   : ('./execnet/multi.py', 'MultiGateway'),
diff --git a/py/execnet/gateway.py b/py/execnet/gateway.py
index 762cf274d..3b016df70 100644
--- a/py/execnet/gateway.py
+++ b/py/execnet/gateway.py
@@ -195,11 +195,8 @@ channel.send(dict(
 """
 
 class PopenCmdGateway(InitiatingGateway):
-    def __init__(self, cmd):
-        # on win close_fds=True does not work, not sure it'd needed
-        #p = Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdin=PIPE, stdout=PIPE, close_fds=True)
-        self._popen = p = Popen(cmd, shell=True, stdin=PIPE, stdout=PIPE) 
-        self._cmd = cmd
+    def __init__(self, args):
+        self._popen = p = Popen(args, stdin=PIPE, stdout=PIPE) 
         io = Popen2IO(p.stdin, p.stdout)
         super(PopenCmdGateway, self).__init__(io=io)
 
@@ -207,6 +204,7 @@ class PopenCmdGateway(InitiatingGateway):
         super(PopenCmdGateway, self).exit()
         self._popen.poll()
 
+popen_bootstrapline = "import sys ; exec(eval(sys.stdin.readline()))"
 class PopenGateway(PopenCmdGateway):
     """ This Gateway provides interaction with a newly started
         python subprocess. 
@@ -217,9 +215,8 @@ class PopenGateway(PopenCmdGateway):
         """
         if not python:
             python = sys.executable
-        cmd = ('%s -u -c "import sys ; '
-               'exec(eval(sys.stdin.readline()))"' % python)
-        super(PopenGateway, self).__init__(cmd)
+        args = [str(python), '-c', popen_bootstrapline]
+        super(PopenGateway, self).__init__(args)
 
     def _remote_bootstrap_gateway(self, io, extra=''):
         # have the subprocess use the same PYTHONPATH and py lib 
@@ -250,7 +247,10 @@ class SocketGateway(InitiatingGateway):
         self.port = port = int(port)
         self.remoteaddress = '%s:%d' % (self.host, self.port)
         sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
-        sock.connect((host, port))
+        try:
+            sock.connect((host, port))
+        except socket.gaierror:
+            raise HostNotFound(str(sys.exc_info()[1]))
         io = SocketIO(sock)
         super(SocketGateway, self).__init__(io=io)
 
@@ -280,36 +280,29 @@ class SocketGateway(InitiatingGateway):
         return py.execnet.SocketGateway(host, realport) 
     new_remote = classmethod(new_remote)
 
+class HostNotFound(Exception):
+    pass
     
 class SshGateway(PopenCmdGateway):
     """ This Gateway provides interaction with a remote Python process,
         established via the 'ssh' command line binary.  
         The remote side needs to have a Python interpreter executable. 
     """
-    def __init__(self, sshaddress, remotepython=None, 
-        identity=None, ssh_config=None): 
+
+    def __init__(self, sshaddress, remotepython=None, ssh_config=None): 
         """ instantiate a remote ssh process with the 
             given 'sshaddress' and remotepython version.
             you may specify an ssh_config file. 
-            DEPRECATED: you may specify an 'identity' filepath. 
         """
         self.remoteaddress = sshaddress
         if remotepython is None:
             remotepython = "python"
-        remotecmd = '%s -u -c "exec input()"' % (remotepython,)
-        cmdline = [sshaddress, remotecmd]
-        # XXX Unix style quoting
-        for i in range(len(cmdline)):
-            cmdline[i] = "'" + cmdline[i].replace("'", "'\\''") + "'"
-        cmd = 'ssh -C'
-        if identity is not None: 
-            py.log._apiwarn("1.0", "pass in 'ssh_config' file instead of identity")
-            cmd += ' -i %s' % (identity,)
+        args = ['ssh', '-C' ]
         if ssh_config is not None:
-            cmd += ' -F %s' % (ssh_config)
-        cmdline.insert(0, cmd) 
-        cmd = ' '.join(cmdline)
-        super(SshGateway, self).__init__(cmd)
+            args.extend(['-F', str(ssh_config)])
+        remotecmd = '%s -c "%s"' %(remotepython, popen_bootstrapline)
+        args.extend([sshaddress, remotecmd])
+        super(SshGateway, self).__init__(args)
        
     def _remote_bootstrap_gateway(self, io, s=""): 
         extra = "\n".join([
@@ -317,8 +310,12 @@ class SshGateway(PopenCmdGateway):
             "stdouterrin_setnull()",
             s, 
         ])
-        super(SshGateway, self)._remote_bootstrap_gateway(io, extra)
-
+        try:
+            super(SshGateway, self)._remote_bootstrap_gateway(io, extra)
+        except EOFError:
+            ret = self._popen.wait()
+            if ret == 255:
+                raise HostNotFound(self.remoteaddress)
 
 def stdouterrin_setnull():
     """ redirect file descriptors 0 and 1 (and possibly 2) to /dev/null. 
diff --git a/py/execnet/testing/test_basics.py b/py/execnet/testing/test_basics.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a87165bed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py/execnet/testing/test_basics.py
@@ -0,0 +1,215 @@
+
+import py
+import sys, os, subprocess, inspect
+from py.__.execnet import gateway_base, gateway
+from py.__.execnet.gateway_base import Message, Channel, ChannelFactory
+
+def test_subprocess_interaction(anypython):
+    line = gateway.popen_bootstrapline
+    compile(line, 'xyz', 'exec')
+    args = [str(anypython), '-c', line]
+    popen = subprocess.Popen(args, bufsize=0, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+                             stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+    def send(line):
+        popen.stdin.write(line.encode('ascii'))
+        if sys.version_info > (3,0): # 3k still buffers 
+            popen.stdin.flush()
+    def receive():
+        return popen.stdout.readline().decode('ascii')
+
+    try:
+        source = py.code.Source(read_write_loop, "read_write_loop()")
+        repr_source = repr(str(source)) + "\n"
+        sendline = repr_source
+        send(sendline)    
+        s = receive()
+        assert s == "ok\n"
+        send("hello\n")
+        s = receive()
+        assert s == "received: hello\n"
+        send("world\n")
+        s = receive()
+        assert s == "received: world\n"
+    finally:
+        popen.stdin.close()
+        popen.stdout.close()
+        popen.wait()
+
+def read_write_loop():
+    import os, sys
+    sys.stdout.write("ok\n")
+    sys.stdout.flush()
+    while 1:
+        try:
+            line = sys.stdin.readline()
+            sys.stdout.write("received: %s" % line)
+            sys.stdout.flush()
+        except (IOError, EOFError):
+            break
+
+def pytest_generate_tests(metafunc):
+    if 'anypython' in metafunc.funcargnames:
+        for name in 'python3.1', 'python2.4', 'python2.5', 'python2.6':
+            metafunc.addcall(id=name, param=name)
+
+def pytest_funcarg__anypython(request):
+    name = request.param  
+    executable = py.path.local.sysfind(name)
+    if executable is None:
+        py.test.skip("no %s found" % (name,))
+    return executable
+
+def test_io_message(anypython, tmpdir):
+    check = tmpdir.join("check.py")
+    check.write(py.code.Source(gateway_base, """
+        try:
+            from io import BytesIO 
+        except ImportError:
+            from StringIO import StringIO as BytesIO
+        import tempfile
+        temp_out = BytesIO()
+        temp_in = BytesIO()
+        io = Popen2IO(temp_out, temp_in)
+        for i, msg_cls in Message._types.items():
+            print ("checking %s %s" %(i, msg_cls))
+            for data in "hello", "hello".encode('ascii'):
+                msg1 = msg_cls(i, data)
+                msg1.writeto(io)
+                x = io.outfile.getvalue()
+                io.outfile.truncate(0)
+                io.outfile.seek(0)
+                io.infile.seek(0)
+                io.infile.write(x)
+                io.infile.seek(0)
+                msg2 = Message.readfrom(io)
+                assert msg1.channelid == msg2.channelid, (msg1, msg2)
+                assert msg1.data == msg2.data
+        print ("all passed")
+    """))
+    #out = py.process.cmdexec("%s %s" %(executable,check))
+    out = anypython.sysexec(check)
+    print (out)
+    assert "all passed" in out
+
+def test_popen_io(anypython, tmpdir):
+    check = tmpdir.join("check.py")
+    check.write(py.code.Source(gateway_base, """
+        do_exec(Popen2IO.server_stmt, globals())
+        io.write("hello".encode('ascii'))
+        s = io.read(1)
+        assert s == "x".encode('ascii')
+    """))
+    from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
+    args = [str(anypython), str(check)]
+    proc = Popen(args, stdin=PIPE, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE)
+    proc.stdin.write("x".encode('ascii'))
+    stdout, stderr = proc.communicate()
+    print (stderr)
+    ret = proc.wait()
+    assert "hello".encode('ascii') in stdout
+
+
+def test_rinfo_source(anypython, tmpdir):
+    check = tmpdir.join("check.py")
+    check.write(py.code.Source("""
+        class Channel:
+            def send(self, data):
+                assert eval(repr(data), {}) == data
+        channel = Channel()
+        """, gateway.rinfo_source, """
+        print ('all passed')
+    """))
+    out = anypython.sysexec(check)
+    print (out)
+    assert "all passed" in out
+
+def test_geterrortext(anypython, tmpdir):
+    check = tmpdir.join("check.py")
+    check.write(py.code.Source(gateway_base, """
+        class Arg:
+            pass
+        errortext = geterrortext((Arg, "1", 4))
+        assert "Arg" in errortext
+        import sys
+        try:
+            raise ValueError("17")
+        except ValueError:
+            excinfo = sys.exc_info()
+            s = geterrortext(excinfo)
+            assert "17" in s
+            print ("all passed")
+    """))
+    out = anypython.sysexec(check)
+    print (out)
+    assert "all passed" in out
+
+def test_getsource_import_modules(): 
+    for dottedname in gateway.startup_modules: 
+        yield gateway.getsource, dottedname 
+
+def test_getsource_no_colision(): 
+    seen = {}
+    for dottedname in gateway.startup_modules: 
+        mod = __import__(dottedname, None, None, ['__doc__'])
+        for name, value in vars(mod).items(): 
+            if py.std.inspect.isclass(value): 
+                if name in seen: 
+                    olddottedname, oldval = seen[name]
+                    if oldval is not value: 
+                        py.test.fail("duplicate class %r in %s and %s" % 
+                                     (name, dottedname, olddottedname)) 
+                seen[name] = (dottedname, value) 
+
+def test_stdouterrin_setnull():
+    cap = py.io.StdCaptureFD()
+    from py.__.execnet.gateway import stdouterrin_setnull
+    stdouterrin_setnull()
+    import os
+    os.write(1, "hello".encode('ascii'))
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        os.write(2, "world")
+    os.read(0, 1)
+    out, err = cap.reset()
+    assert not out
+    assert not err
+
+
+class TestMessage:
+    def test_wire_protocol(self):
+        for cls in Message._types.values():
+            one = py.io.BytesIO()
+            data = '23'.encode('ascii')
+            cls(42, data).writeto(one)
+            two = py.io.BytesIO(one.getvalue())
+            msg = Message.readfrom(two)
+            assert isinstance(msg, cls)
+            assert msg.channelid == 42
+            assert msg.data == data
+            assert isinstance(repr(msg), str)
+            # == "<Message.%s channelid=42 '23'>" %(msg.__class__.__name__, )
+
+class TestPureChannel:
+    def setup_method(self, method):
+        self.fac = ChannelFactory(None)
+
+    def test_factory_create(self):
+        chan1 = self.fac.new()
+        assert chan1.id == 1
+        chan2 = self.fac.new()
+        assert chan2.id == 3
+
+    def test_factory_getitem(self):
+        chan1 = self.fac.new()
+        assert self.fac._channels[chan1.id] == chan1
+        chan2 = self.fac.new()
+        assert self.fac._channels[chan2.id] == chan2
+
+    def test_channel_timeouterror(self):
+        channel = self.fac.new()
+        py.test.raises(IOError, channel.waitclose, timeout=0.01)
+
+    def test_channel_makefile_incompatmode(self):
+        channel = self.fac.new()
+        py.test.raises(ValueError, 'channel.makefile("rw")')
+
+
diff --git a/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py b/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
index 36039c607..3cc44af76 100644
--- a/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
+++ b/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
@@ -1,191 +1,13 @@
 from __future__ import generators
-import os, sys, time, signal
+import os, sys, time
 import py
-from py.__.execnet.gateway_base import Message, Channel, ChannelFactory
-from py.__.execnet.gateway_base import ExecnetAPI, queue, Popen2IO
 from py.__.execnet import gateway_base, gateway
+queue = py.builtin._tryimport('queue', 'Queue')
 
-from py.__.execnet.gateway import startup_modules, getsource 
 pytest_plugins = "pytester"
 
 TESTTIMEOUT = 10.0 # seconds
 
-def pytest_generate_tests(metafunc):
-    if 'pythonpath' in metafunc.funcargnames:
-        for name in 'python2.4', 'python2.5', 'python2.6', 'python3.1':
-            metafunc.addcall(id=name, param=name)
-
-def pytest_funcarg__pythonpath(request):
-    name = request.param  
-    executable = py.path.local.sysfind(name)
-    if executable is None:
-        py.test.skip("no %s found" % (name,))
-    return executable
-
-def test_io_message(pythonpath, tmpdir):
-    check = tmpdir.join("check.py")
-    check.write(py.code.Source(gateway_base, """
-        try:
-            from io import BytesIO 
-        except ImportError:
-            from StringIO import StringIO as BytesIO
-        import tempfile
-        temp_out = BytesIO()
-        temp_in = BytesIO()
-        io = Popen2IO(temp_out, temp_in)
-        for i, msg_cls in Message._types.items():
-            print ("checking %s %s" %(i, msg_cls))
-            for data in "hello", "hello".encode('ascii'):
-                msg1 = msg_cls(i, data)
-                msg1.writeto(io)
-                x = io.outfile.getvalue()
-                io.outfile.truncate(0)
-                io.outfile.seek(0)
-                io.infile.seek(0)
-                io.infile.write(x)
-                io.infile.seek(0)
-                msg2 = Message.readfrom(io)
-                assert msg1.channelid == msg2.channelid, (msg1, msg2)
-                assert msg1.data == msg2.data
-        print ("all passed")
-    """))
-    #out = py.process.cmdexec("%s %s" %(executable,check))
-    out = pythonpath.sysexec(check)
-    print (out)
-    assert "all passed" in out
-
-def test_popen_io(pythonpath, tmpdir):
-    check = tmpdir.join("check.py")
-    check.write(py.code.Source(gateway_base, """
-        do_exec(Popen2IO.server_stmt, globals())
-        io.write("hello".encode('ascii'))
-        s = io.read(1)
-        assert s == "x".encode('ascii')
-    """))
-    from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
-    args = [str(pythonpath), str(check)]
-    proc = Popen(args, stdin=PIPE, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE)
-    proc.stdin.write("x".encode('ascii'))
-    stdout, stderr = proc.communicate()
-    print (stderr)
-    ret = proc.wait()
-    assert "hello".encode('ascii') in stdout
-
-def test_rinfo_source(pythonpath, tmpdir):
-    check = tmpdir.join("check.py")
-    check.write(py.code.Source("""
-        class Channel:
-            def send(self, data):
-                assert eval(repr(data), {}) == data
-        channel = Channel()
-        """, gateway.rinfo_source, """
-        print ('all passed')
-    """))
-    out = pythonpath.sysexec(check)
-    print (out)
-    assert "all passed" in out
-
-def test_geterrortext(pythonpath, tmpdir):
-    check = tmpdir.join("check.py")
-    check.write(py.code.Source(gateway_base, """
-        class Arg:
-            pass
-        errortext = geterrortext((Arg, "1", 4))
-        assert "Arg" in errortext
-        import sys
-        try:
-            raise ValueError("17")
-        except ValueError:
-            excinfo = sys.exc_info()
-            s = geterrortext(excinfo)
-            assert "17" in s
-            print ("all passed")
-    """))
-    out = pythonpath.sysexec(check)
-    print (out)
-    assert "all passed" in out
-
-class TestExecnetEvents:
-    def test_popengateway(self, _pytest):
-        rec = _pytest.gethookrecorder(ExecnetAPI)
-        gw = py.execnet.PopenGateway()
-        call = rec.popcall("pyexecnet_gateway_init") 
-        assert call.gateway == gw
-        gw.exit()
-        call = rec.popcall("pyexecnet_gateway_exit")
-        assert call.gateway == gw
-
-
-def test_getsource_import_modules(): 
-    for dottedname in startup_modules: 
-        yield getsource, dottedname 
-
-def test_getsource_no_colision(): 
-    seen = {}
-    for dottedname in startup_modules: 
-        mod = __import__(dottedname, None, None, ['__doc__'])
-        for name, value in vars(mod).items(): 
-            if py.std.inspect.isclass(value): 
-                if name in seen: 
-                    olddottedname, oldval = seen[name]
-                    if oldval is not value: 
-                        py.test.fail("duplicate class %r in %s and %s" % 
-                                     (name, dottedname, olddottedname)) 
-                seen[name] = (dottedname, value) 
-
-def test_stdouterrin_setnull():
-    cap = py.io.StdCaptureFD()
-    from py.__.execnet.gateway import stdouterrin_setnull
-    stdouterrin_setnull()
-    import os
-    os.write(1, "hello".encode('ascii'))
-    if os.name == "nt":
-        os.write(2, "world")
-    os.read(0, 1)
-    out, err = cap.reset()
-    assert not out
-    assert not err
-
-
-class TestMessage:
-    def test_wire_protocol(self):
-        for cls in Message._types.values():
-            one = py.io.BytesIO()
-            data = '23'.encode('ascii')
-            cls(42, data).writeto(one)
-            two = py.io.BytesIO(one.getvalue())
-            msg = Message.readfrom(two)
-            assert isinstance(msg, cls)
-            assert msg.channelid == 42
-            assert msg.data == data
-            assert isinstance(repr(msg), str)
-            # == "<Message.%s channelid=42 '23'>" %(msg.__class__.__name__, )
-
-class TestPureChannel:
-    def setup_method(self, method):
-        self.fac = ChannelFactory(None)
-
-    def test_factory_create(self):
-        chan1 = self.fac.new()
-        assert chan1.id == 1
-        chan2 = self.fac.new()
-        assert chan2.id == 3
-
-    def test_factory_getitem(self):
-        chan1 = self.fac.new()
-        assert self.fac._channels[chan1.id] == chan1
-        chan2 = self.fac.new()
-        assert self.fac._channels[chan2.id] == chan2
-
-    def test_channel_timeouterror(self):
-        channel = self.fac.new()
-        py.test.raises(IOError, channel.waitclose, timeout=0.01)
-
-    def test_channel_makefile_incompatmode(self):
-        channel = self.fac.new()
-        py.test.raises(ValueError, 'channel.makefile("rw")')
-
-
 class PopenGatewayTestSetup:
     def setup_class(cls):
         cls.gw = py.execnet.PopenGateway()
@@ -648,6 +470,7 @@ class TestPopenGateway(PopenGatewayTestSetup, BasicRemoteExecution):
         py.test.raises(EOFError, channel.send, None)
         py.test.raises(EOFError, channel.receive)
 
+@py.test.mark.xfail
 def test_endmarker_delivery_on_remote_killterm():
     if not hasattr(py.std.os, 'kill'):
         py.test.skip("no os.kill()")
@@ -664,8 +487,8 @@ def test_endmarker_delivery_on_remote_killterm():
         err = channel._getremoteerror()
     finally:
         gw.exit()
-    py.test.skip("provide information on causes/signals "
-                 "of dying remote gateways")
+    assert "killed" in str(err)
+    assert "15" in str(err)
 
 
 class SocketGatewaySetup:
@@ -675,6 +498,10 @@ class SocketGatewaySetup:
         cls.gw = py.execnet.SocketGateway.new_remote(cls.proxygw,
                                                      ("127.0.0.1", 0)
                                                      ) 
+    def test_host_not_found(self):
+        py.test.raises(py.execnet.HostNotFound, 
+                'py.execnet.SocketGateway("qowieuqowe", 9000)'
+        )
 
 ##    def teardown_class(cls):
 ##        cls.gw.exit()
@@ -695,27 +522,16 @@ class TestSshGateway(BasicRemoteExecution):
             "Host alias123\n"
             "   HostName %s\n" % self.sshhost)
         gw = py.execnet.SshGateway("alias123", ssh_config=ssh_config)
-        assert gw._cmd.find("-F") != -1
-        assert gw._cmd.find(str(ssh_config)) != -1
         pid = gw.remote_exec("import os ; channel.send(os.getpid())").receive()
         gw.exit()
 
     def test_sshaddress(self):
         assert self.gw.remoteaddress == self.sshhost
 
-    @py.test.mark.xfail # XXX ssh-gateway error handling
     def test_connexion_failes_on_non_existing_hosts(self):
-        py.test.raises(IOError, 
+        py.test.raises(py.execnet.HostNotFound, 
             "py.execnet.SshGateway('nowhere.codespeak.net')")
 
-    @py.test.mark.xfail # "XXX ssh-gateway error handling"
-    def test_deprecated_identity(self):
-        py.test.deprecated_call(
-            py.test.raises, IOError, 
-                py.execnet.SshGateway,
-                    'nowhere.codespeak.net', identity='qwe')
-
-
 def test_threads():
     gw = py.execnet.PopenGateway()
     gw.remote_init_threads(3)
@@ -734,26 +550,17 @@ def test_threads_twice():
     gw.remote_init_threads(3)
     py.test.raises(IOError, gw.remote_init_threads, 3)
     gw.exit() 
-    
+
+class TestExecnetEvents:
+    def test_popengateway(self, _pytest):
+        rec = _pytest.gethookrecorder(gateway_base.ExecnetAPI)
+        gw = py.execnet.PopenGateway()
+        call = rec.popcall("pyexecnet_gateway_init") 
+        assert call.gateway == gw
+        gw.exit()
+        call = rec.popcall("pyexecnet_gateway_exit")
+        assert call.gateway == gw
 
 def test_nodebug():
     from py.__.execnet import gateway_base
     assert not gateway_base.debug
-
-def test_channel_endmarker_remote_killterm():
-    gw = py.execnet.PopenGateway()
-    try:
-        q = queue.Queue()
-        channel = gw.remote_exec('''
-            import os
-            os.kill(os.getpid(), 15)
-        ''') 
-        channel.setcallback(q.put, endmarker=999)
-        val = q.get(TESTTIMEOUT)
-        assert val == 999
-        err = channel._getremoteerror()
-    finally:
-        gw.exit()
-    py.test.skip("provide information on causes/signals "
-                 "of dying remote gateways")
-