diff --git a/lib/repl.js b/lib/repl.js
index 8df05f65c5..1fa3ed576c 100644
--- a/lib/repl.js
+++ b/lib/repl.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ function REPLServer(prompt, stream) {
   self.buffered_cmd = '';
 
   self.stream = stream || process.openStdin();
-  self.prompt = "node> " || prompt;
+  self.prompt = prompt || "node> ";
 
   var isTTY = (self.stream.fd < 3);
   var rli = self.rli = rl.createInterface(self.stream, isTTY);
diff --git a/test/simple/test-repl.js b/test/simple/test-repl.js
index 65ee7cb27f..0d951ba2f6 100644
--- a/test/simple/test-repl.js
+++ b/test/simple/test-repl.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 require("../common");
+
 var sys = require("sys"),
   net = require("net"),
   repl = require("repl"),
@@ -7,8 +8,8 @@ var sys = require("sys"),
   prompt_unix = "node via Unix socket> ",
   prompt_tcp = "node via TCP socket> ",
   server_tcp, server_unix, client_tcp, client_unix, timer;
-  
-debug('repl test');
+
+error('repl test');
 
 // function for REPL to run
 invoke_me = function (arg) {
@@ -19,6 +20,8 @@ function send_expect(list) {
   if (list.length > 0) {
     var cur = list.shift();
 
+    error("sending " + JSON.stringify(cur.send));
+
     cur.client.expect = cur.expect;
     cur.client.list = list;
     if (cur.send.length > 0) {
@@ -31,7 +34,7 @@ function tcp_test() {
   server_tcp = net.createServer(function (socket) {
     assert.strictEqual(server_tcp, socket.server);
     assert.strictEqual(server_tcp.type, 'tcp4');
-    
+
     socket.addListener("end", function () {
       socket.end();
     });
@@ -41,7 +44,7 @@ function tcp_test() {
 
   server_tcp.addListener('listening', function () {
     var read_buffer = "";
-    
+
     client_tcp = net.createConnection(PORT);
 
     client_tcp.addListener('connect', function () {
@@ -50,14 +53,14 @@ function tcp_test() {
 
       send_expect([
           { client: client_tcp, send: "", expect: prompt_tcp },
-          { client: client_tcp, send: "invoke_me(333)", expect: ('\'' + "invoked 333" + '\'\n' + prompt_tcp) },
-          { client: client_tcp, send: "a += 1", expect: ("12346" + '\n' + prompt_tcp) }
+          { client: client_tcp, send: "invoke_me(333)\n", expect: ('\'' + "invoked 333" + '\'\n' + prompt_tcp) },
+          { client: client_tcp, send: "a += 1\n", expect: ("12346" + '\n' + prompt_tcp) }
         ]);
     });
 
     client_tcp.addListener('data', function (data) {
       read_buffer += data.asciiSlice(0, data.length);
-      sys.puts("TCP data: " + read_buffer + ", expecting " + client_tcp.expect);
+      error("TCP data: " + JSON.stringify(read_buffer) + ", expecting " + JSON.stringify(client_tcp.expect));
       if (read_buffer.indexOf(prompt_tcp) !== -1) {
         assert.strictEqual(client_tcp.expect, read_buffer);
         read_buffer = "";
@@ -65,21 +68,21 @@ function tcp_test() {
           send_expect(client_tcp.list);
         }
         else {
-          sys.puts("End of TCP test.");
+          error("End of TCP test.");
           client_tcp.end();
           client_unix.end();
           clearTimeout(timer);
         }
       }
       else {
-        sys.puts("didn't see prompt yet, buffering");
+        error("didn't see prompt yet, buffering");
       }
     });
-  
+
     client_tcp.addListener("error", function (e) {
       throw e;
     });
-    
+
     client_tcp.addListener("close", function () {
       server_tcp.close();
     });
@@ -102,7 +105,7 @@ function unix_test() {
 
   server_unix.addListener('listening', function () {
     var read_buffer = "";
-    
+
     client_unix = net.createConnection(unix_socket_path);
 
     client_unix.addListener('connect', function () {
@@ -111,31 +114,31 @@ function unix_test() {
 
       send_expect([
           { client: client_unix, send: "", expect: prompt_unix },
-          { client: client_unix, send: "message", expect: ('\'' + message + '\'\n' + prompt_unix) },
-          { client: client_unix, send: "invoke_me(987)", expect: ('\'' + "invoked 987" + '\'\n' + prompt_unix) },
-          { client: client_unix, send: "a = 12345", expect: ("12345" + '\n' + prompt_unix) }
+          { client: client_unix, send: "message\n", expect: ('\'' + message + '\'\n' + prompt_unix) },
+          { client: client_unix, send: "invoke_me(987)\n", expect: ('\'' + "invoked 987" + '\'\n' + prompt_unix) },
+          { client: client_unix, send: "a = 12345\n", expect: ("12345" + '\n' + prompt_unix) }
         ]);
     });
 
     client_unix.addListener('data', function (data) {
       read_buffer += data.asciiSlice(0, data.length);
-      sys.puts("Unix data: " + read_buffer + ", expecting " + client_unix.expect);
+      error("Unix data: " + JSON.stringify(read_buffer) + ", expecting " + JSON.stringify(client_unix.expect));
       if (read_buffer.indexOf(prompt_unix) !== -1) {
         assert.strictEqual(client_unix.expect, read_buffer);
+        error("match");
         read_buffer = "";
         if (client_unix.list && client_unix.list.length > 0) {
           send_expect(client_unix.list);
-        }
-        else {
-          sys.puts("End of Unix test, running TCP test.");
+        } else {
+          error("End of Unix test, running TCP test.");
           tcp_test();
         }
       }
       else {
-        sys.puts("didn't see prompt yet, bufering.");
+        error("didn't see prompt yet, bufering.");
       }
     });
-  
+
     client_unix.addListener("error", function (e) {
       throw e;
     });