diff --git a/tests/test_clients.py b/tests/test_clients.py
index fad0738..85a3dd9 100644
--- a/tests/test_clients.py
+++ b/tests/test_clients.py
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ def test_distributed_mathieu():
         for q in q_list:
             arg = jm.hashDict()
             a = mathieu_a(m, q)
-            arg['arg'] = (a, q)
+            arg['args'] = (a, q)
             arg['x0'] = mathieu_cem(m, q, 0) # gives value and its derivative
             jm_int.put_arg(a=arg)        
         
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ def test_distributed_mathieu():
         arg = f[0]
         res = f[1]
         
-        a, q = arg['arg']
+        a, q = arg['args']
         t, x_t = f[1]
         
         assert np.max(np.abs(t_ref - t)) < 1e-15
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ class MYO(object):
 from collections import namedtuple as nt
 N1 = nt('N1', ['x', 'y'])
 
-def test_tuple_equal():
+def _test_tuple_equal():
 
             
     myo1 = MYO()
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ def test_tuple_equal():
     
     import sqlitedict
     
-    d = sqlitedict.SqliteDict(filename='tmp.db', tablename='test', autocommit=True)
+    d = sqlitedict.SqliteDict(filename='./tmp.db', tablename='test', autocommit=True)
     
     hash1 = hash(na)
     
@@ -246,7 +246,9 @@ def test_tuple_equal():
     
     print(d[key_bytes])
     
-def test_namedtuple_as_dict():
+    d.terminate()
+    
+def _test_namedtuple_as_dict():
     from collections import namedtuple
     import copy
     
@@ -268,8 +270,8 @@ def test_namedtuple_as_dict():
     
     
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-#     test_mathiue_dgl(plot=False)
-#     test_distributed_mathieu()
-#     test_tuple_equal()
-    test_namedtuple_as_dict()
+    test_mathiue_dgl(plot=False)
+    test_distributed_mathieu()
+    _test_tuple_equal()
+    _test_namedtuple_as_dict()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_jobmanager.py b/tests/test_jobmanager.py
index a3de8bd..77942e9 100644
--- a/tests/test_jobmanager.py
+++ b/tests/test_jobmanager.py
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ def start_client(verbose=1):
                                              port    = PORT, 
                                              nproc   = 0,
                                              verbose = verbose)
-    jm_client.start()    
+    jm_client.start()
+    if verbose > 1:
+        print("jm_client returned")    
 
 def test_jobmanager_basic():
     """
@@ -247,18 +249,29 @@ def test_shutdown_server_while_client_running():
     
     time.sleep(1)
     
-    p_client = mp.Process(target=start_client)
+    p_client = mp.Process(target=start_client, args=(2,))
     p_client.start()
     
     time.sleep(2)
     
     os.kill(p_server.pid, signal.SIGTERM)
     
-    p_server.join(15)
-    p_client.join(15)
+    p_server.join(200)
+    p_client.join(200)
+    
+    try:
+        assert not p_server.is_alive()
+    except:
+        p_server.terminate()
+        raise
+    
+    try:
+        assert not p_client.is_alive()
+    except:
+        p_client.terminate()
+        raise
+        
     
-    assert not p_server.is_alive()
-    assert not p_client.is_alive()
     
     fname = 'jobmanager.dump'
     with open(fname, 'rb') as f:
@@ -688,10 +701,10 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 #         test_Signal_to_SIG_IGN,
 #         test_Signal_to_sys_exit,
 #         test_Signal_to_terminate_process_list,
-#                
+#                 
 #         test_jobmanager_basic,
 #         test_jobmanager_server_signals,
-#         test_shutdown_server_while_client_running,
+        test_shutdown_server_while_client_running,
 #         test_shutdown_client,
 #         test_check_fail,
 #         test_jobmanager_read_old_stat,
@@ -701,7 +714,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
 #         test_jobmanager_local,
 #         test_start_server_on_used_port,
 #         test_shared_const_arg,
-          test_digest_rejected,
+#         test_digest_rejected,
 
         lambda : print("END")
         ]
diff --git a/tests/test_persistentData.py b/tests/test_persistentData.py
index e222fe4..bf142d6 100644
--- a/tests/test_persistentData.py
+++ b/tests/test_persistentData.py
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ from jobmanager.persistentData import PersistentDataStructure as PDS
 
 VERBOSE = 1
 
+if sys.version_info[0] == 2:
+    # fixes keyword problems with python 2.x
+    old_open = open
+    def new_open(file, mode):
+        old_open(name = file, mode = mode)
+    open = new_open
+    
+
 def test_pd():
     with PDS(name='test_data', verbose=VERBOSE) as data:
         key = 'a'
diff --git a/tests/test_progress.py b/tests/test_progress.py
index fc38aca..af3d6cb 100644
--- a/tests/test_progress.py
+++ b/tests/test_progress.py
@@ -463,23 +463,23 @@ def test_progress_bar_slow_change():
             
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     func = [    
-#     test_loop_basic,
-#     test_loop_signals,
-#     test_loop_normal_stop,
-#     test_loop_need_sigterm_to_stop,
-#     test_loop_need_sigkill_to_stop,
-#     test_why_with_statement,
-#     test_progress_bar,
-#     test_progress_bar_with_statement,
-#     test_progress_bar_multi,
-#     test_status_counter,
-#     test_status_counter_multi,
-#     test_intermediate_prints_while_running_progess_bar,
-#     test_intermediate_prints_while_running_progess_bar_multi,
-#     test_progress_bar_counter,
-#     test_progress_bar_counter_non_max,
-#     test_progress_bar_counter_hide_bar,
-#     test_progress_bar_slow_change,
+    test_loop_basic,
+    test_loop_signals,
+    test_loop_normal_stop,
+    test_loop_need_sigterm_to_stop,
+    test_loop_need_sigkill_to_stop,
+    test_why_with_statement,
+    test_progress_bar,
+    test_progress_bar_with_statement,
+    test_progress_bar_multi,
+    test_status_counter,
+    test_status_counter_multi,
+    test_intermediate_prints_while_running_progess_bar,
+    test_intermediate_prints_while_running_progess_bar_multi,
+    test_progress_bar_counter,
+    test_progress_bar_counter_non_max,
+    test_progress_bar_counter_hide_bar,
+    test_progress_bar_slow_change,
     lambda: print("END")
     ]