diff --git a/test/pummel/test-keep-alive.js b/test/pummel/test-keep-alive.js
index d2980e15ed..fb0979a543 100644
--- a/test/pummel/test-keep-alive.js
+++ b/test/pummel/test-keep-alive.js
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ function runAb(opts, callback) {
   var command = "ab " + opts + " http://127.0.0.1:" + common.PORT + "/";
   exec(command, function (err, stdout, stderr) {
     if (err) {
-      console.log("ab not installed? skipping test.\n" + stderr);
-      process.exit();
+      if (stderr.indexOf("ab") >= 0) {
+        console.log("ab not installed? skipping test.\n" + stderr);
+        process.reallyExit(0);
+      }
       return;
     }
     if (err) throw err;
diff --git a/test/pummel/test-net-pingpong-delay.js b/test/pummel/test-net-pingpong-delay.js
index ba68d641ac..39e746b1d6 100644
--- a/test/pummel/test-net-pingpong-delay.js
+++ b/test/pummel/test-net-pingpong-delay.js
@@ -43,45 +43,46 @@ function pingPongTest (port, host, on_complete) {
       socket.server.close();
     });
   });
-  server.listen(port, host);
 
-  var client = net.createConnection(port, host);
+  server.listen(port, host, function () {
+    var client = net.createConnection(port, host);
 
-  client.setEncoding("utf8");
+    client.setEncoding("utf8");
 
-  client.addListener("connect", function () {
-    assert.equal("open", client.readyState);
-    client.write("PING");
-  });
-
-  client.addListener("data", function (data) {
-    console.log(data);
-    assert.equal("PONG", data);
-    assert.equal("open", client.readyState);
+    client.addListener("connect", function () {
+      assert.equal("open", client.readyState);
+      client.write("PING");
+    });
 
-    setTimeout(function () {
+    client.addListener("data", function (data) {
+      console.log(data);
+      assert.equal("PONG", data);
       assert.equal("open", client.readyState);
-      if (count++ < N) {
-        client.write("PING");
-      } else {
-        console.log("closing client");
-        client.end();
-        client_ended = true;
-      }
-    }, DELAY);
-  });
 
-  client.addListener("timeout", function () {
-    common.debug("client-side timeout!!");
-    assert.equal(false, true);
-  });
+      setTimeout(function () {
+        assert.equal("open", client.readyState);
+        if (count++ < N) {
+          client.write("PING");
+        } else {
+          console.log("closing client");
+          client.end();
+          client_ended = true;
+        }
+      }, DELAY);
+    });
 
-  client.addListener("close", function () {
-    console.log("client.end");
-    assert.equal(N+1, count);
-    assert.ok(client_ended);
-    if (on_complete) on_complete();
-    tests_run += 1;
+    client.addListener("timeout", function () {
+      common.debug("client-side timeout!!");
+      assert.equal(false, true);
+    });
+
+    client.addListener("close", function () {
+      console.log("client.end");
+      assert.equal(N+1, count);
+      assert.ok(client_ended);
+      if (on_complete) on_complete();
+      tests_run += 1;
+    });
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/test/pummel/test-net-pingpong.js b/test/pummel/test-net-pingpong.js
index 59bf3b4cec..48704ef048 100644
--- a/test/pummel/test-net-pingpong.js
+++ b/test/pummel/test-net-pingpong.js
@@ -43,44 +43,45 @@ function pingPongTest (port, host, on_complete) {
       socket.server.close();
     });
   });
-  server.listen(port, host);
 
-  var client = net.createConnection(port, host);
+  server.listen(port, host, function () {
+    var client = net.createConnection(port, host);
 
-  client.setEncoding("utf8");
+    client.setEncoding("utf8");
 
-  client.addListener("connect", function () {
-    assert.equal("open", client.readyState);
-    client.write("PING");
-  });
+    client.addListener("connect", function () {
+      assert.equal("open", client.readyState);
+      client.write("PING");
+    });
 
-  client.addListener("data", function (data) {
-    console.log('client got: ' + data);
+    client.addListener("data", function (data) {
+      console.log('client got: ' + data);
 
-    assert.equal("PONG", data);
-    count += 1;
+      assert.equal("PONG", data);
+      count += 1;
 
-    if (sent_final_ping) {
-      assert.equal("readOnly", client.readyState);
-      return;
-    } else {
-      assert.equal("open", client.readyState);
-    }
+      if (sent_final_ping) {
+        assert.equal("readOnly", client.readyState);
+        return;
+      } else {
+        assert.equal("open", client.readyState);
+      }
 
-    if (count < N) {
-      client.write("PING");
-    } else {
-      sent_final_ping = true;
-      client.write("PING");
-      client.end();
-    }
-  });
+      if (count < N) {
+        client.write("PING");
+      } else {
+        sent_final_ping = true;
+        client.write("PING");
+        client.end();
+      }
+    });
 
-  client.addListener("close", function () {
-    assert.equal(N+1, count);
-    assert.equal(true, sent_final_ping);
-    if (on_complete) on_complete();
-    tests_run += 1;
+    client.addListener("close", function () {
+      assert.equal(N+1, count);
+      assert.equal(true, sent_final_ping);
+      if (on_complete) on_complete();
+      tests_run += 1;
+    });
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/test/pummel/test-net-throttle.js b/test/pummel/test-net-throttle.js
index 74dc57001e..6aada7ab70 100644
--- a/test/pummel/test-net-throttle.js
+++ b/test/pummel/test-net-throttle.js
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ assert = common.assert
 net = require("net");
 N = 160*1024; // 30kb
 
+
+chars_recved = 0;
+npauses = 0;
+
 console.log("build big string");
 var body = "";
 for (var i = 0; i < N; i++) {
@@ -17,38 +21,35 @@ server = net.createServer(function (connection) {
     connection.end();
   });
 });
-server.listen(common.PORT);
-
-
-chars_recved = 0;
-npauses = 0;
-
+server.listen(common.PORT, function () {
+  var paused = false;
+  client = net.createConnection(common.PORT);
+  client.setEncoding("ascii");
+  client.addListener("data", function (d) {
+    chars_recved += d.length;
+    console.log("got " + chars_recved);
+    if (!paused) {
+      client.pause();
+      npauses += 1;
+      paused = true;
+      console.log("pause");
+      x = chars_recved;
+      setTimeout(function () {
+        assert.equal(chars_recved, x);
+        client.resume();
+        console.log("resume");
+        paused = false;
+      }, 100);
+    }
+  });
 
-var paused = false;
-client = net.createConnection(common.PORT);
-client.setEncoding("ascii");
-client.addListener("data", function (d) {
-  chars_recved += d.length;
-  console.log("got " + chars_recved);
-  if (!paused) {
-    client.pause();
-    npauses += 1;
-    paused = true;
-    console.log("pause");
-    x = chars_recved;
-    setTimeout(function () {
-      assert.equal(chars_recved, x);
-      client.resume();
-      console.log("resume");
-      paused = false;
-    }, 100);
-  }
+  client.addListener("end", function () {
+    server.close();
+    client.end();
+  });
 });
 
-client.addListener("end", function () {
-  server.close();
-  client.end();
-});
+
 
 process.addListener("exit", function () {
   assert.equal(N, chars_recved);
diff --git a/test/simple/test-http-full-response.js b/test/simple/test-http-full-response.js
index 62588adb81..2b543058fb 100644
--- a/test/simple/test-http-full-response.js
+++ b/test/simple/test-http-full-response.js
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ function runAb(opts, callback) {
   var command = "ab " + opts + " http://127.0.0.1:" + common.PORT + "/";
   exec(command, function (err, stdout, stderr) {
     if (err) {
-      console.log("ab not installed? skipping test.\n" + stderr);
+      if (stderr.indexOf("ab") >= 0) {
+        console.log("ab not installed? skipping test.\n" + stderr);
+        process.reallyExit(0);
+      }
       process.exit();
       return;
     }