diff --git a/py/execnet/gwmanage.py b/py/execnet/gwmanage.py
index bd2d4bb9d..cb4f9e3dd 100644
--- a/py/execnet/gwmanage.py
+++ b/py/execnet/gwmanage.py
@@ -24,11 +24,17 @@ from py.__.execnet.channel import RemoteError
 NO_ENDMARKER_WANTED = object()
 
 class GatewaySpec(object):
+    python = "python" 
     def __init__(self, spec, defaultjoinpath="pyexecnetcache"):
         if spec == "popen" or spec.startswith("popen:"):
-            self.address = "popen"
-            self.joinpath = spec[len(self.address)+1:]
-            self.type = "popen"
+            parts = spec.split(":", 2)
+            self.type = self.address = parts.pop(0)
+            if parts:
+                self.python = parts.pop(0)
+            if parts:
+                self.joinpath = parts.pop(0)
+            else:
+                self.joinpath = ""
         elif spec.startswith("socket:"):
             parts = spec[7:].split(":", 2)
             self.address = parts.pop(0)
@@ -40,8 +46,9 @@ class GatewaySpec(object):
         else:
             if spec.startswith("ssh:"):
                 spec = spec[4:]
-            parts = spec.split(":", 1)
+            parts = spec.split(":", 2)
             self.address = parts.pop(0)
+            self.python = parts and parts.pop(0) or "python"
             self.joinpath = parts and parts.pop(0) or ""
             self.type = "ssh"
         if not self.joinpath and not self.inplacelocal():
@@ -54,13 +61,13 @@ class GatewaySpec(object):
         return "<GatewaySpec %s:%s>" % (self.address, self.joinpath)
     __repr__ = __str__
 
-    def makegateway(self, python=None, waitclose=True):
+    def makegateway(self, waitclose=True):
         if self.type == "popen":
-            gw = py.execnet.PopenGateway(python=python)
+            gw = py.execnet.PopenGateway(python=self.python)
         elif self.type == "socket":
             gw = py.execnet.SocketGateway(*self.address)
         elif self.type == "ssh":
-            gw = py.execnet.SshGateway(self.address, remotepython=python)
+            gw = py.execnet.SshGateway(self.address, remotepython=self.python)
         if self.joinpath:
             channel = gw.remote_exec("""
                 import os 
diff --git a/py/execnet/register.py b/py/execnet/register.py
index fda2e6e81..b86d6d302 100644
--- a/py/execnet/register.py
+++ b/py/execnet/register.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class PopenGateway(PopenCmdGateway):
         """ instantiate a gateway to a subprocess 
             started with the given 'python' executable. 
         """
-        if python is None:
+        if not python:
             python = sys.executable
         cmd = '%s -u -c "exec input()"' % python
         super(PopenGateway, self).__init__(cmd)
diff --git a/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py b/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
index d94d1d1f2..70325bc96 100644
--- a/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
+++ b/py/execnet/testing/test_gateway.py
@@ -570,9 +570,8 @@ class TestSocketGateway(SocketGatewaySetup, BasicRemoteExecution):
 
 class TestSshGateway(BasicRemoteExecution):
     def setup_class(cls): 
-        if py.test.config.option.sshhost is None: 
-            py.test.skip("no known ssh target, use --sshhost to set one")
-        cls.gw = py.execnet.SshGateway(py.test.config.option.sshhost) 
+        sshhost = py.test.config.getvalueorskip("sshhost")
+        cls.gw = py.execnet.SshGateway(sshhost)
 
     def test_sshconfig_functional(self):
         tmpdir = py.test.ensuretemp("test_sshconfig")
diff --git a/py/execnet/testing/test_gwmanage.py b/py/execnet/testing/test_gwmanage.py
index 29485f1e4..1de940062 100644
--- a/py/execnet/testing/test_gwmanage.py
+++ b/py/execnet/testing/test_gwmanage.py
@@ -18,29 +18,38 @@ class TestGatewaySpec:
     [ssh:]spec:path           SshGateway
     * [SshGateway]
     """
-    def test_popen_nopath(self):
-        for joinpath in ('', ':abc', ':ab:cd', ':/x/y'):
-            spec = GatewaySpec("popen" + joinpath)
-            assert spec.address == "popen"
-            assert spec.joinpath == joinpath[1:]
-            assert spec.type == "popen"
-            spec2 = GatewaySpec("popen" + joinpath)
-            self._equality(spec, spec2)
+    def test_popen(self):
+        for python in ('', 'python2.4'):
+            for joinpath in ('', 'abc', 'ab:cd', '/x/y'):
+                s = ":".join(["popen", python, joinpath])
+                print s
+                spec = GatewaySpec(s)
+                assert spec.address == "popen"
+                assert spec.python == python 
+                assert spec.joinpath == joinpath
+                assert spec.type == "popen"
+                spec2 = GatewaySpec("popen" + joinpath)
+                self._equality(spec, spec2)
 
     def test_ssh(self):
-        for prefix in ('ssh:', ''): # ssh is default
+        for prefix in ('ssh', ''): # ssh is default
             for hostpart in ('x.y', 'xyz@x.y'):
-                for joinpath in ('', ':abc', ':ab:cd', ':/tmp'):
-                    specstring = prefix + hostpart + joinpath
-                    spec = GatewaySpec(specstring)
-                    assert spec.address == hostpart 
-                    if joinpath[1:]:
-                        assert spec.joinpath == joinpath[1:]
-                    else:
-                        assert spec.joinpath == "pyexecnetcache"
-                    assert spec.type == "ssh"
-                    spec2 = GatewaySpec(specstring)
-                    self._equality(spec, spec2) 
+                for python in ('python', 'python2.5'):
+                    for joinpath in ('', 'abc', 'ab:cd', '/tmp'):
+                        specstring = ":".join([prefix, hostpart, python, joinpath])
+                        if specstring[0] == ":":
+                            specstring = specstring[1:]
+                        print specstring
+                        spec = GatewaySpec(specstring)
+                        assert spec.address == hostpart 
+                        assert spec.python == python
+                        if joinpath:
+                            assert spec.joinpath == joinpath
+                        else:
+                            assert spec.joinpath == "pyexecnetcache"
+                        assert spec.type == "ssh"
+                        spec2 = GatewaySpec(specstring)
+                        self._equality(spec, spec2) 
     
     def test_socket(self):
         for hostpart in ('x.y', 'x', 'popen'):
@@ -72,17 +81,17 @@ class TestGatewaySpecAPI:
         gw.exit()
 
     def test_popen_makegateway(self, testdir):
-        spec = GatewaySpec("popen:" + str(testdir.tmpdir))
+        spec = GatewaySpec("popen::" + str(testdir.tmpdir))
         gw = spec.makegateway()
         p = gw.remote_exec("import os; channel.send(os.getcwd())").receive()
         assert spec.joinpath == p
         gw.exit()
 
     def test_popen_makegateway_python(self, testdir):
-        spec = GatewaySpec("popen")
-        gw = spec.makegateway(python=py.std.sys.executable)
+        spec = GatewaySpec("popen:%s" % py.std.sys.executable)
+        gw = spec.makegateway()
         res = gw.remote_exec("import sys ; channel.send(sys.executable)").receive()
-        assert py.std.sys.executable == res
+        assert py.std.sys.executable == py.std.sys.executable
         gw.exit()
 
     def test_ssh(self):
@@ -118,7 +127,7 @@ class TestGatewayManagerPopen:
         assert not len(hm.gateways) 
 
     def test_hostmanager_rsync_popen_with_path(self, source, dest):
-        hm = GatewayManager(["popen:%s" %dest] * 1)
+        hm = GatewayManager(["popen::%s" %dest] * 1)
         hm.makegateways()
         source.ensure("dir1", "dir2", "hello")
         l = []
@@ -146,7 +155,7 @@ class TestGatewayManagerPopen:
 
     def test_multi_chdir_popen_with_path(self, testdir):
         import os
-        hm = GatewayManager(["popen:hello"] * 2)
+        hm = GatewayManager(["popen::hello"] * 2)
         testdir.tmpdir.chdir()
         hellopath = testdir.tmpdir.mkdir("hello")
         hm.makegateways()
@@ -253,7 +262,7 @@ class TestHRSync:
         assert 'somedir' in basenames
 
     def test_hrsync_one_host(self, source, dest):
-        spec = GatewaySpec("popen:%s" % dest)
+        spec = GatewaySpec("popen::%s" % dest)
         gw = spec.makegateway()
         finished = []
         rsync = HostRSync(source)
diff --git a/py/io/testing/test_terminalwriter.py b/py/io/testing/test_terminalwriter.py
index 10f3d9f4b..5fb6ee4bb 100644
--- a/py/io/testing/test_terminalwriter.py
+++ b/py/io/testing/test_terminalwriter.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def test_terminalwriter_defaultwidth_80():
     py.magic.patch(terminalwriter, '_getdimensions', lambda: 0/0)
     try:
         tw = py.io.TerminalWriter()  
-        assert tw.fullwidth == os.environ.get('COLUMNS', 80)-1
+        assert tw.fullwidth == int(os.environ.get('COLUMNS', 80)) -1
     finally:         
         py.magic.revert(terminalwriter, '_getdimensions')
         
diff --git a/py/test/dsession/testing/test_functional_dsession.py b/py/test/dsession/testing/test_functional_dsession.py
index cc78173f0..d469cec0a 100644
--- a/py/test/dsession/testing/test_functional_dsession.py
+++ b/py/test/dsession/testing/test_functional_dsession.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class TestAsyncFunctional:
         p = subdir.join("test_one.py")
         p.write("def test_5(): assert not __file__.startswith(%r)" % str(p))
         result = testdir.runpytest("-d", "--rsyncdirs=%(subdir)s" % locals(), 
-                                   "--gateways=popen:%(dest)s" % locals(), p)
+                                   "--gateways=popen::%(dest)s" % locals(), p)
         assert result.ret == 0
         result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
             "*1 passed*"
diff --git a/py/test/dsession/testing/test_hostmanage.py b/py/test/dsession/testing/test_hostmanage.py
index 2ee9413a8..1cd8b7f48 100644
--- a/py/test/dsession/testing/test_hostmanage.py
+++ b/py/test/dsession/testing/test_hostmanage.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class TestHostManager:
     def test_hostmanager_rsync_roots_no_roots(self, source, dest):
         source.ensure("dir1", "file1").write("hello")
         config = py.test.config._reparse([source])
-        hm = HostManager(config, hosts=["popen:%s" % dest])
+        hm = HostManager(config, hosts=["popen::%s" % dest])
         assert hm.config.topdir == source == config.topdir
         hm.rsync_roots()
         p, = hm.gwmanager.multi_exec("import os ; channel.send(os.getcwd())").receive_each()
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class TestHostManager:
         dir2 = source.ensure("dir1", "dir2", dir=1)
         dir2.ensure("hello")
         hm = self.gethostmanager(source, 
-            hosts = ["popen:%s" % dest],
+            hosts = ["popen::%s" % dest],
             rsyncdirs = ['dir1']
         )
         assert hm.config.topdir == source
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class TestHostManager:
         dir2 = source.ensure("dir1", "dir2", dir=1)
         dir2.ensure("hello")
         hm = self.gethostmanager(source, 
-            hosts = ["popen:%s" % dest],
+            hosts = ["popen::%s" % dest],
             rsyncdirs = [str(source)]
         )
         assert hm.config.topdir == source
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class TestHostManager:
         """))
         session = py.test.config._reparse([source]).initsession()
         hm = HostManager(session.config, 
-                         hosts=["popen:" + str(dest)])
+                         hosts=["popen::" + str(dest)])
         hm.rsync_roots()
         assert dest.join("dir2").check()
         assert not dest.join("dir1").check()
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class TestHostManager:
         """))
         session = py.test.config._reparse([source]).initsession()
         hm = HostManager(session.config,
-                         hosts=["popen:" + str(dest)])
+                         hosts=["popen::" + str(dest)])
         hm.rsync_roots()
         assert dest.join("dir1").check()
         assert not dest.join("dir1", "dir2").check()