diff --git a/py/test/rsession/hostmanage.py b/py/test/rsession/hostmanage.py
index b6c00a46e..257ce6d4b 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/hostmanage.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/hostmanage.py
@@ -106,8 +106,7 @@ class HostRSync(py.execnet.RSync):
         return remotepath 
 
 class HostManager(object):
-    def __init__(self, config, hosts=None, optimise_localhost=False):
-        self.optimise_localhost = optimise_localhost
+    def __init__(self, config, hosts=None):
         self.config = config
         if hosts is None:
             hosts = self.config.getvalue("dist_hosts")
@@ -133,21 +132,14 @@ class HostManager(object):
             rsync = HostRSync(ignores=ignores, 
                               verbose=self.config.option.verbose)
             destrelpath = root.relto(self.config.topdir)
-            to_send = False
             for host in self.hosts:
-                if host.hostname != 'localhost' or not self.optimise_localhost:
-                    def donecallback(host=host, root=root):
-                        reporter(repevent.HostRSyncRootReady(host, root))
-                    remotepath = rsync.add_target_host(
-                        host, reporter, destrelpath, finishedcallback=
-                        donecallback)
-                    reporter(repevent.HostRSyncing(host, root, remotepath))
-                    to_send = True
-                else:
+                def donecallback(host, root):
                     reporter(repevent.HostRSyncRootReady(host, root))
-            if to_send:
-                # don't send if we have no targets
-                rsync.send(root)
+                remotepath = rsync.add_target_host(
+                    host, reporter, destrelpath, finishedcallback=
+                    lambda host=host, root=root: donecallback(host, root))
+                reporter(repevent.HostRSyncing(host, root, remotepath))
+            rsync.send(root)
 
     def setup_hosts(self, reporter):
         self.init_rsync(reporter)
@@ -161,14 +153,7 @@ class HostManager(object):
     def teardown_hosts(self, reporter, channels, nodes,
                        waiter=lambda : time.sleep(.1), exitfirst=False):
         for channel in channels:
-            try:
-                channel.send(None)
-            except IOError:
-                print "Sending error, channel IOError"
-                print channel._getremoterror()
-                # XXX: this should go as soon as we'll have proper detection
-                #      of hanging nodes and such
-                raise
+            channel.send(None)
     
         clean = exitfirst
         while not clean:
@@ -181,11 +166,7 @@ class HostManager(object):
 
     def kill_channels(self, channels):
         for channel in channels:
-            try:
-                channel.send(42)
-            except IOError:
-                print "Sending error, channel IOError"
-                print channel._getremoterror()
+            channel.send(42)
 
     def teardown_gateways(self, reporter, channels):
         for channel in channels:
diff --git a/py/test/rsession/testing/test_hostmanage.py b/py/test/rsession/testing/test_hostmanage.py
index c48f350c3..31e6df74f 100644
--- a/py/test/rsession/testing/test_hostmanage.py
+++ b/py/test/rsession/testing/test_hostmanage.py
@@ -192,19 +192,6 @@ class TestHostManager(DirSetup):
         assert self.dest.join("dir5","file").check()
         assert not self.dest.join("dir6").check()
 
-    def test_hostmanager_rsync_optimise_localhost(self):
-        dir1 = self.source.ensure("opt_localhost1", dir=1)
-        config = py.test.config._reparse([self.source])
-        hm = HostManager(config,
-                         hosts=[HostInfo("localhost:" + str(self.dest))],
-                         optimise_localhost=True)
-        events = []
-        hm.init_rsync(reporter=events.append)
-        rr = [i for i in events if isinstance(i, repevent.HostRSyncRootReady)]
-        assert len(rr) == 1
-        hr = [i for i in events if isinstance(i, repevent.HostRSyncing)]
-        assert len(hr) == 0
-
 def test_getpath_relto_home():
     x = getpath_relto_home("hello")
     assert x == py.path.local._gethomedir().join("hello")