diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index 4f85d51d9b..be68ba1e82 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -24,31 +24,6 @@
 using namespace v8;
 using namespace node;
 
-static void
-buf_free (evcom_buf *b)
-{
-  size_t total = sizeof(evcom_buf) + b->len;
-  V8::AdjustAmountOfExternalAllocatedMemory(-total);
-  free(b);
-}
-
-evcom_buf *
-node::buf_new (size_t size)
-{
-  size_t total = sizeof(evcom_buf) + size;
-  void *p = malloc(total);
-  if (p == NULL) return NULL;
-
-  evcom_buf *b = static_cast<evcom_buf*>(p);
-  b->base = static_cast<char*>(p) + sizeof(evcom_buf);
-
-  b->len = size;
-  b->release = buf_free;
-  V8::AdjustAmountOfExternalAllocatedMemory(total);
-
-  return b;
-}
-
 // Extracts a C string from a V8 Utf8Value.
 const char*
 ToCString(const v8::String::Utf8Value& value)
diff --git a/src/node.h b/src/node.h
index 1ce7a34000..c2e466610d 100644
--- a/src/node.h
+++ b/src/node.h
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ do {                                                                      \
 enum encoding {ASCII, UTF8, RAW};
 enum encoding ParseEncoding (v8::Handle<v8::Value> encoding_v);
 void FatalException (v8::TryCatch &try_catch); 
-evcom_buf * buf_new (size_t size);
 
 } // namespace node
 #endif // node_h
diff --git a/src/process.cc b/src/process.cc
index 3f91571547..d36add77ed 100644
--- a/src/process.cc
+++ b/src/process.cc
@@ -11,13 +11,7 @@
 using namespace v8;
 using namespace node;
 
-#define PID_SYMBOL        String::NewSymbol("pid")
-
-/* defines for the parent side */
-#define STDOUT_CLOSED     (stdout_pipe_[0] < 0)
-#define STDERR_CLOSED     (stderr_pipe_[0] < 0)
-#define STDIN_CLOSED      (stdin_pipe_[1] < 0)
-
+#define PID_SYMBOL String::NewSymbol("pid")
 
 Persistent<FunctionTemplate> Process::constructor_template;
 
@@ -36,9 +30,6 @@ Process::Initialize (Handle<Object> target)
   NODE_SET_PROTOTYPE_METHOD(constructor_template, "close", Process::Close);
   NODE_SET_PROTOTYPE_METHOD(constructor_template, "kill", Process::Kill);
 
-  constructor_template->PrototypeTemplate()->SetAccessor(PID_SYMBOL,
-                                                         PIDGetter);
-
   target->Set(String::NewSymbol("Process"), constructor_template->GetFunction());
 }
 
@@ -70,73 +61,55 @@ Process::Spawn (const Arguments& args)
     return ThrowException(String::New("Error spawning"));
   }
 
+  process->handle_->Set(PID_SYMBOL, Integer::New(process->pid_));
+
   return Undefined();
 }
 
 Handle<Value>
-Process::PIDGetter (Local<String> property, const AccessorInfo& info)
+Process::Write (const Arguments& args)
 {
   HandleScope scope;
-  Process *process = ObjectWrap::Unwrap<Process>(info.This());
-
+  Process *process = ObjectWrap::Unwrap<Process>(args.Holder());
   assert(process);
-  assert(property == PID_SYMBOL);
 
-  if (process->pid_ == 0) return Null();
+  ssize_t len;
 
-  Local<Integer> pid = Integer::New(process->pid_);
-  return scope.Close(pid);
-}
+  Local<String> string;
+  Local<Array> array;
 
-Handle<Value>
-Process::Write (const Arguments& args)
-{
-  HandleScope scope;
-  Process *process = ObjectWrap::Unwrap<Process>(args.Holder());
-  assert(process);
+  if (args[0]->IsArray()) {
+    array = Local<Array>::Cast(args[0]);
+    len = array->Length();
+  } else {
+    string = args[0]->ToString();
+    len = string->Utf8Length();
+  }
+
+  char buf[len];
 
-  // XXX
-  // A lot of improvement can be made here. First of all we're allocating
-  // evcom_bufs for every send which is clearly inefficent - it should use a
-  // memory pool or ring buffer. Of course, expressing binary data as an
-  // array of integers is extremely inefficent. This can improved when v8
-  // bug 270 (http://code.google.com/p/v8/issues/detail?id=270) has been
-  // addressed. 
-
-  evcom_buf *buf;
-  size_t len;
-
-  if (args[0]->IsString()) {
-    enum encoding enc = ParseEncoding(args[1]);
-    Local<String> s = args[0]->ToString();
-    len = s->Utf8Length();
-    buf = node::buf_new(len);
-    switch (enc) {
+  if (args[0]->IsArray()) {
+    for (ssize_t index = 0; index < len; index++) {
+      Local<Value> int_value = array->Get(Integer::New(index));
+      buf[index] = int_value->IntegerValue();
+    }
+  } else {
+    switch (ParseEncoding(args[1])) {
       case RAW:
       case ASCII:
-        s->WriteAscii(buf->base, 0, len);
+        string->WriteAscii(buf, 0, len);
         break;
 
       case UTF8:
-        s->WriteUtf8(buf->base, len);
+        string->WriteUtf8(buf, len);
         break;
 
       default:
-        assert(0 && "unhandled string encoding");
+        return ThrowException(String::New("Unknown encoding."));
     }
+  }
 
-  } else if (args[0]->IsArray()) {
-    Handle<Array> array = Handle<Array>::Cast(args[0]);
-    len = array->Length();
-    buf = node::buf_new(len);
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
-      Local<Value> int_value = array->Get(Integer::New(i));
-      buf->base[i] = int_value->IntegerValue();
-    }
-
-  } else return ThrowException(String::New("Bad argument"));
-
-  return process->Write(buf) == 0 ? True() : False();
+  return process->Write(buf, len) == 0 ? True() : False();
 }
 
 Handle<Value>
@@ -153,7 +126,7 @@ Process::Kill (const Arguments& args)
     return ThrowException(String::New("Process already dead"));
   }
 
-  return Undefined();  
+  return Undefined();
 }
 
 Handle<Value>
@@ -165,35 +138,93 @@ Process::Close (const Arguments& args)
   return process->Close() == 0 ? True() : False();
 }
 
+void
+Process::reader_closed (evcom_reader *r)
+{
+  Process *process = static_cast<Process*> (r->data);
+  if (r == &process->stdout_reader_) {
+    process->stdout_fd_ = -1;
+  } else {
+    assert(r == &process->stderr_reader_);
+    process->stderr_fd_ = -1;
+  }
+  evcom_reader_detach(r);
+  process->MaybeShutdown();
+}
+
+void
+Process::stdin_closed (evcom_writer *w)
+{
+  Process *process = static_cast<Process*> (w->data);
+  assert(w == &process->stdin_writer_);
+  process->stdin_fd_ = -1;
+  evcom_writer_detach(w);
+  process->MaybeShutdown();
+}
+
+void
+Process::on_read (evcom_reader *r, const void *buf, size_t len)
+{
+  Process *process = static_cast<Process*> (r->data);
+  HandleScope scope;
+
+  bool isSTDOUT = (r == &process->stdout_reader_);
+  Local<Value> argv[1];
+
+  enum encoding encoding = isSTDOUT ? process->stdout_encoding_ : process->stderr_encoding_;
+
+  if (len == 0) {
+    argv[0] = Local<Value>::New(Null());
+
+  } else if (encoding == RAW) {
+    // raw encoding
+    Local<Array> array = Array::New(len);
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+      unsigned char val = static_cast<const unsigned char*>(buf)[i];
+      array->Set(Integer::New(i), Integer::New(val));
+    }
+    argv[0] = array;
+
+  } else {
+    // utf8 or ascii encoding
+    argv[0] = String::New((const char*)buf, len);
+  }
+
+  process->Emit(isSTDOUT ? "output" : "error", 1, argv);
+  process->MaybeShutdown();
+}
+
 Process::Process ()
   : EventEmitter()
 {
-  ev_init(&stdout_watcher_, Process::OnOutput);
-  stdout_watcher_.data = this;
+  evcom_reader_init(&stdout_reader_);
+  stdout_reader_.data     = this;
+  stdout_reader_.on_read  = on_read;
+  stdout_reader_.on_close = reader_closed;
 
-  ev_init(&stderr_watcher_, Process::OnOutput);
-  stderr_watcher_.data = this;
+  evcom_reader_init(&stderr_reader_);
+  stderr_reader_.data     = this;
+  stderr_reader_.on_read  = on_read;
+  stderr_reader_.on_close = reader_closed;
 
-  ev_init(&stdin_watcher_, Process::OnWritable);
-  stdin_watcher_.data = this;
+  evcom_writer_init(&stdin_writer_);
+  stdin_writer_.data      = this;
+  stdin_writer_.on_close  = stdin_closed;
 
   ev_init(&child_watcher_, Process::OnCHLD);
   child_watcher_.data = this;
 
-  stdout_pipe_[0] = -1;
-  stdout_pipe_[1] = -1;
-  stderr_pipe_[0] = -1;
-  stderr_pipe_[1] = -1;
-  stdin_pipe_[0] = -1;
-  stdin_pipe_[1] = -1;
+  stdout_fd_ = -1;
+  stderr_fd_ = -1;
+  stdin_fd_ = -1;
+
+  stdout_encoding_ = UTF8;
+  stderr_encoding_ = UTF8;
 
-  got_close_ = false;
   got_chld_ = false;
   exit_code_ = 0;
 
-  pid_ = 0; 
-
-  evcom_queue_init(&out_stream_);
+  pid_ = 0;
 }
 
 Process::~Process ()
@@ -202,37 +233,26 @@ Process::~Process ()
 }
 
 void
-Process::Shutdown () 
+Process::Shutdown ()
 {
-  // Clear the out_stream
-  while (!evcom_queue_empty(&out_stream_)) {
-    evcom_queue *q = evcom_queue_last(&out_stream_);
-    evcom_buf *buf = (evcom_buf*) evcom_queue_data(q, evcom_buf, queue);
-    evcom_queue_remove(q);
-    if (buf->release) buf->release(buf);
+  if (stdin_fd_ >= 0) {
+    evcom_writer_close(&stdin_writer_);
   }
 
-  if (stdout_pipe_[0] >= 0) close(stdout_pipe_[0]);
-  if (stdout_pipe_[1] >= 0) close(stdout_pipe_[1]);
+  if (stdin_fd_  >= 0) close(stdin_fd_);
+  if (stdout_fd_ >= 0) close(stdout_fd_);
+  if (stderr_fd_ >= 0) close(stderr_fd_);
 
-  if (stderr_pipe_[0] >= 0) close(stderr_pipe_[0]);
-  if (stderr_pipe_[1] >= 0) close(stderr_pipe_[1]);
+  stdin_fd_ = -1;
+  stdout_fd_ = -1;
+  stderr_fd_ = -1;
 
-  if (stdin_pipe_[0] >= 0) close(stdin_pipe_[0]);
-  if (stdin_pipe_[1] >= 0) close(stdin_pipe_[1]);
-
-  stdout_pipe_[0] = -1;
-  stdout_pipe_[1] = -1;
-  stderr_pipe_[0] = -1;
-  stderr_pipe_[1] = -1;
-  stdin_pipe_[0] = -1;
-  stdin_pipe_[1] = -1;
-
-  ev_io_stop(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stdout_watcher_);
-  ev_io_stop(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stderr_watcher_);
-  ev_io_stop(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stdin_watcher_);
+  evcom_writer_detach(&stdin_writer_);
+  evcom_reader_detach(&stdout_reader_);
+  evcom_reader_detach(&stderr_reader_);
 
   ev_child_stop(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &child_watcher_);
+
   /* XXX Kill the PID? */
   pid_ = 0;
 }
@@ -252,25 +272,24 @@ int
 Process::Spawn (const char *command)
 {
   assert(pid_ == 0);
-  assert(stdout_pipe_[0] == -1);
-  assert(stdout_pipe_[1] == -1);
-  assert(stderr_pipe_[0] == -1);
-  assert(stderr_pipe_[1] == -1);
-  assert(stdin_pipe_[0] == -1);
-  assert(stdin_pipe_[1] == -1);
+  assert(stdout_fd_ == -1);
+  assert(stderr_fd_ == -1);
+  assert(stdin_fd_ == -1);
+
+  int stdout_pipe[2], stdin_pipe[2], stderr_pipe[2];
 
   /* An implementation of popen(), basically */
-  if (pipe(stdout_pipe_) < 0) {
+  if (pipe(stdout_pipe) < 0) {
     perror("pipe()");
     return -1;
   }
 
-  if (pipe(stderr_pipe_) < 0) {
+  if (pipe(stderr_pipe) < 0) {
     perror("pipe()");
     return -2;
   }
 
-  if (pipe(stdin_pipe_) < 0) {
+  if (pipe(stdin_pipe) < 0) {
     perror("pipe()");
     return -3;
   }
@@ -281,14 +300,14 @@ Process::Spawn (const char *command)
       return -4;
 
     case 0: // Child.
-      close(stdout_pipe_[0]); // close read end 
-      dup2(stdout_pipe_[1], STDOUT_FILENO);
+      close(stdout_pipe[0]); // close read end
+      dup2(stdout_pipe[1], STDOUT_FILENO);
 
-      close(stderr_pipe_[0]); // close read end 
-      dup2(stderr_pipe_[1], STDERR_FILENO);
+      close(stderr_pipe[0]); // close read end
+      dup2(stderr_pipe[1], STDERR_FILENO);
 
-      close(stdin_pipe_[1]); // close write end 
-      dup2(stdin_pipe_[0],  STDIN_FILENO);
+      close(stdin_pipe[1]); // close write end
+      dup2(stdin_pipe[0],  STDIN_FILENO);
 
       execl("/bin/sh", "sh", "-c", command, (char *)NULL);
       _exit(127);
@@ -299,136 +318,33 @@ Process::Spawn (const char *command)
   ev_child_set(&child_watcher_, pid_, 0);
   ev_child_start(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &child_watcher_);
 
-  SetNonBlocking(stdout_pipe_[0]);
-  ev_io_set(&stdout_watcher_, stdout_pipe_[0], EV_READ);    
-  ev_io_start(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stdout_watcher_);
-  close(stdout_pipe_[1]); // close write end 
-  stdout_pipe_[1] = -1;
-
-  SetNonBlocking(stderr_pipe_[0]);
-  ev_io_set(&stderr_watcher_, stderr_pipe_[0], EV_READ);    
-  ev_io_start(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stderr_watcher_);
-  close(stderr_pipe_[1]); // close write end 
-  stderr_pipe_[1] = -1;
-
-  SetNonBlocking(stdin_pipe_[1]);
-  ev_io_set(&stdin_watcher_, stdin_pipe_[1], EV_WRITE);    
-  ev_io_start(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stdin_watcher_);
-  close(stdin_pipe_[0]);  // close read end 
-  stdin_pipe_[0] = -1;
+  close(stdout_pipe[1]);
+  stdout_fd_ = stdout_pipe[0];
+  SetNonBlocking(stdout_fd_);
 
-  Attach();
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
-void 
-Process::OnOutput (EV_P_ ev_io *watcher, int revents)
-{
-  int r;
-  char buf[16*1024];
-  size_t buf_size = 16*1024;
+  close(stderr_pipe[1]);
+  stderr_fd_ = stderr_pipe[0];
+  SetNonBlocking(stderr_fd_);
 
-  Process *process = static_cast<Process*>(watcher->data);
-
-  bool is_stdout = (&process->stdout_watcher_ == watcher);
-  int fd = is_stdout ? process->stdout_pipe_[0] : process->stderr_pipe_[0];
+  close(stdin_pipe[0]);
+  stdin_fd_ = stdin_pipe[1];
+  SetNonBlocking(stdin_fd_);
 
-  assert(revents == EV_READ);
-  assert(fd >= 0);
+  evcom_reader_set(&stdout_reader_, stdout_fd_);
+  evcom_reader_attach(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stdout_reader_);
 
-  HandleScope scope;
-  Handle<Value> argv[1];
-
-  for (;;) {
-    r = read(fd, buf, buf_size);
-
-    if (r < 0) {
-      if (errno != EAGAIN) {
-        perror("IPC pipe read error");
-      } else {
-        if (process->got_chld_) {
-          close(fd);
-          if (is_stdout) {
-            process->stdout_pipe_[0] = -1;
-          } else {
-            process->stderr_pipe_[0] = -1;
-          }
-        }
-      }
-      break;
-    }
+  evcom_reader_set(&stderr_reader_, stderr_fd_);
+  evcom_reader_attach(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stderr_reader_);
 
-    if (r == 0) {
-      argv[0] = Null();    
-    } else {
-      // TODO multiple encodings
-      argv[0] = String::New((const char*)buf, r);
-    }
+  evcom_writer_set(&stdin_writer_, stdin_fd_);
+  evcom_writer_attach(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stdin_writer_);
 
-    process->Emit(is_stdout ? "output" : "error", 1, argv);
-
-    if (r == 0) {
-      ev_io_stop(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ watcher);
-      close(fd);
-      if (is_stdout) {
-        process->stdout_pipe_[0] = -1;
-      } else {
-        process->stderr_pipe_[0] = -1;
-      }
-      break;
-    }
-  }
-  process->MaybeShutdown();
-}
-
-void 
-Process::OnWritable (EV_P_ ev_io *watcher, int revents)
-{
-  Process *process = static_cast<Process*>(watcher->data);
-  int sent;
-
-  assert(revents == EV_WRITE);
-  assert(process->stdin_pipe_[1] >= 0);
-
-  while (!evcom_queue_empty(&process->out_stream_)) {
-    evcom_queue *q = evcom_queue_last(&process->out_stream_);
-    evcom_buf *to_write = (evcom_buf*) evcom_queue_data(q, evcom_buf, queue);
-
-    sent = write( process->stdin_pipe_[1]
-                , to_write->base + to_write->written
-                , to_write->len - to_write->written
-                );
-    if (sent < 0) {
-      if (errno == EAGAIN) {
-        if (process->got_chld_) {
-          close(process->stdin_pipe_[1]);
-          process->stdin_pipe_[1] = -1;
-        }
-        break;
-      }
-      perror("IPC pipe write error");
-      break;
-    }
-
-    to_write->written += sent;
-
-    if (to_write->written == to_write->len) {
-      evcom_queue_remove(q);
-      if (to_write->release) to_write->release(to_write);
-    }
-  }
+  Attach();
 
-  if (evcom_queue_empty(&process->out_stream_)) {
-    ev_io_stop(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &process->stdin_watcher_);
-    if (process->got_close_) {
-      close(process->stdin_pipe_[1]);
-      process->stdin_pipe_[1] = -1;
-    }
-  }
+  return 0;
 }
 
-void 
+void
 Process::OnCHLD (EV_P_ ev_child *watcher, int revents)
 {
   ev_child_stop(EV_A_ watcher);
@@ -441,38 +357,24 @@ Process::OnCHLD (EV_P_ ev_child *watcher, int revents)
   process->got_chld_ = true;
   process->exit_code_ = watcher->rstatus;
 
-  if (process->stdout_pipe_[0] >= 0) {
-    ev_feed_event(&process->stdout_watcher_, EV_READ);
-  }
-
-  if (process->stderr_pipe_[0] >= 0) {
-    ev_feed_event(&process->stderr_watcher_, EV_READ);
-  }
-
-  if (process->stdin_pipe_[1] >= 0) {
-    ev_io_start(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &process->stdin_watcher_);
-    ev_feed_event(&process->stdin_watcher_, EV_WRITE);
-  }
+  if (process->stdin_fd_  >= 0) evcom_writer_close(&process->stdin_writer_);
 
   process->MaybeShutdown();
 }
 
 int
-Process::Write (evcom_buf *buf)
+Process::Write (const char *str, size_t len)
 {
-  if (STDIN_CLOSED || got_close_ || got_chld_) return -1;
-  evcom_queue_insert_head(&out_stream_, &buf->queue);
-  buf->written = 0;
-  ev_io_start(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stdin_watcher_);
+  if (stdin_fd_ < 0 || got_chld_) return -1;
+  evcom_writer_write(&stdin_writer_, str, len);
   return 0;
 }
 
 int
 Process::Close (void)
 {
-  if (STDIN_CLOSED || got_close_ || got_chld_) return -1;
-  got_close_ = true;
-  ev_io_start(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stdin_watcher_);
+  if (stdin_fd_ < 0 || got_chld_) return -1;
+  evcom_writer_close(EV_DEFAULT_UC_ &stdin_writer_);
   return 0;
 }
 
@@ -486,11 +388,11 @@ Process::Kill (int sig)
 void
 Process::MaybeShutdown (void)
 {
-  if (STDOUT_CLOSED && STDERR_CLOSED && got_chld_) {
+  if (stdout_fd_ < 0 && stderr_fd_ < 0 && got_chld_) {
     HandleScope scope;
     Handle<Value> argv[1] = { Integer::New(exit_code_) };
     Emit("exit", 1, argv);
     Shutdown();
     Detach();
-  } 
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/process.h b/src/process.h
index a940789524..fea3cda4ab 100644
--- a/src/process.h
+++ b/src/process.h
@@ -26,35 +26,36 @@ class Process : EventEmitter {
   ~Process();
 
   int Spawn (const char *command);
-  int Write (evcom_buf *buf);
+  int Write (const char *str, size_t len);
   int Close (void);
   int Kill (int sig);
 
  private:
-  static void OnOutput (EV_P_ ev_io *watcher, int revents);
-  static void OnError (EV_P_ ev_io *watcher, int revents);
-  static void OnWritable (EV_P_ ev_io *watcher, int revents);
+  static void on_read (evcom_reader *r, const void *buf, size_t len);
+  static void reader_closed (evcom_reader *r);
+  static void stdin_closed (evcom_writer *w);
   static void OnCHLD (EV_P_ ev_child *watcher, int revents);
 
   void MaybeShutdown (void);
   void Shutdown (void);
 
-  ev_io stdout_watcher_;
-  ev_io stderr_watcher_;
-  ev_io stdin_watcher_;
+  evcom_reader stdout_reader_;
+  evcom_reader stderr_reader_;
+  evcom_writer stdin_writer_;
+
   ev_child child_watcher_;
 
-  int stdout_pipe_[2];
-  int stderr_pipe_[2];
-  int stdin_pipe_[2];
+  int stdout_fd_;
+  int stderr_fd_;
+  int stdin_fd_;
+
+  enum encoding stdout_encoding_;
+  enum encoding stderr_encoding_;
 
   pid_t pid_;
 
-  bool got_close_;
   bool got_chld_;
   int exit_code_;
-
-  evcom_queue out_stream_;
 };
 
 } // namespace node 
diff --git a/test/mjsunit/test-process-buffering.js b/test/mjsunit/test-process-buffering.js
index 2e48ad7b06..75438cdc24 100644
--- a/test/mjsunit/test-process-buffering.js
+++ b/test/mjsunit/test-process-buffering.js
@@ -6,9 +6,11 @@ function pwd (callback) {
   var output = "";
   var process = node.createProcess("pwd");
   process.addListener("output", function (s) {
+    puts("stdout: " + JSON.stringify(s));
     if (s) output += s;
   });
-  process.addListener("exit", function(c) {
+  process.addListener("exit", function (c) {
+    puts("exit: " + c);
     assertEquals(0, c);
     callback(output);
     pwd_called = true;
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ function pwd (callback) {
 
 function onLoad () {
   pwd(function (result) {
-    print(result);  
+    p(result);  
     assertTrue(result.length > 1);
     assertEquals("\n", result[result.length-1]);
   });
diff --git a/test/mjsunit/test-process-simple.js b/test/mjsunit/test-process-simple.js
index 6f1b8f41c1..9d68b7db51 100644
--- a/test/mjsunit/test-process-simple.js
+++ b/test/mjsunit/test-process-simple.js
@@ -6,15 +6,23 @@ var response = "";
 var exit_status = -1;
 
 cat.addListener("output", function (chunk) {
+  puts("stdout: " + JSON.stringify(chunk));
   if (chunk) {
     response += chunk;
-    if (response === "hello world") cat.close();
+    if (response === "hello world") {
+      puts("closing cat");
+      cat.close();
+    }
   }
 });
 cat.addListener("error", function (chunk) {
+  puts("stderr: " + JSON.stringify(chunk));
   assertEquals(null, chunk);
 });
-cat.addListener("exit", function (status) { exit_status = status; });
+cat.addListener("exit", function (status) {
+  puts("exit event");
+  exit_status = status;
+});
 
 function onLoad () {
   cat.write("hello");