diff --git a/test/Makefile.am b/test/Makefile.am
index e9ca2fc532..b3a741548f 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/Makefile.am
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@
 
 include $(top_srcdir)/Makefile.incl
 
-TESTS = test_sanity.php 			\
-	test_uc.php 				\
-	test_concat.php 			\
+TESTS = test_sanity.php				\
+	test_uc.php				\
+	test_concat.php				\
 	test_1sec.php				\
-	test_rsc.php
+	test_rsc.php				\
+	test_backend.php
+
+# test_sticky.php
 
 EXTRA_DIST =					\
         *.xml *.php *wu *result *output		\
diff --git a/test/test.inc b/test/test.inc
index 7c3af41b19..c75320dec2 100644
--- a/test/test.inc
+++ b/test/test.inc
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ function verbose_echo($level, $line)
             echo "$line\n";
         } else if (VERBOSE == 1) {
             echo "\r                                                                               ";
-            echo "\r$line";
+            echo "\r$line ";
         }
     }
 }
@@ -969,7 +969,7 @@ class Host {
         $enc_url = str_replace("/", "_", $enc_url);
         $path= "$this->host_dir/projects/$enc_url/$filename";
         if (!file_exists($path)) {
-            echo "ERROR: file $path doesn't exist\n";
+            error("file $path doesn't exist");
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/test/test_backend.php b/test/test_backend.php
index df7b7f1918..701c7442f1 100644
--- a/test/test_backend.php
+++ b/test/test_backend.php
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-#! /usr/local/bin/php
-<?php
+#!/usr/local/bin/php -q
+<?php {
+    // $Id$
+
     // End to end test.  Tests make_work, feeder, scheduling server, client,
     // file_upload_handler, validator, assimilator, timeout_check, and
     // file_deleter on a large batch of workunits.  Confirms that credit
@@ -7,7 +9,7 @@
 
     include_once("test.inc");
 
-    $retval = 0;
+    test_msg("backend");
 
     $project = new Project;
     $user = new User();
@@ -32,16 +34,18 @@
     $host->add_user($user,$project);
     $host->install();
 
-    echo "adding work\n";
-
     $work->install($project);
 
     $project->start_servers();
 
     // Start by generating a batch of 500 results
-    echo "Generating 500 results... ";
-    while( $project->num_wus_left() < 500 ) sleep(1);
-    echo "done.\n";
+    $n = 0;
+    while($n < 500 ) {
+        $n = $project->num_wus_left();
+        verbose_echo(1, "Generating results [$n/500]");
+        sleep(1);
+    }
+    verbose_echo(1, "Generating results... 500 done");
 
     // Stop the project, deinstall make_work, and install the normal backend components
     $project->stop();
@@ -72,5 +76,5 @@
     // Stop the server
     $project->stop();
 
-    exit($retval);
-?>
+    test_done();
+} ?>
diff --git a/test/test_sticky.php b/test/test_sticky.php
index 9856cb98e5..9e4c334562 100644
--- a/test/test_sticky.php
+++ b/test/test_sticky.php
@@ -1,27 +1,23 @@
-#! /usr/local/bin/php
-<?php
-    // test the sticky file mechanism
+#!/usr/local/bin/php -q
+<?php {
+    // $Id$
 
     include_once("test.inc");
 
+    test_msg("sticky file mechanism");
+
     $project = new Project;
     $user = new User();
     $host = new Host($user);
-    $app = new App("upper_case");
-    $app_version = new App_Version($app);
 
     $project->add_user($user);
-    $project->add_app($app);
-    $project->add_app_version($app_version);
+    $project->add_app_and_version("upper_case");
     $project->install();      // must install projects before adding to hosts
     $project->install_feeder();
 
-    $host->log_flags = "log_flags.xml";
     $host->add_user($user,$project);
     $host->install();
 
-    echo "adding work\n";
-
     $work = new Work($app);
     $work->wu_template = "uc_wu_sticky";
     $work->result_template = "uc_result_sticky";
@@ -42,4 +38,5 @@
     $host->check_file_present($project, "uc_wu_sticky_0_0");
     $host->check_file_present($project, "uc_wu_sticky_1_0");
 
-?>
+    test_done();
+} ?>
diff --git a/test/test_uc_slow.php b/test/test_uc_slow.php
index d1907e627f..f2015536db 100644
--- a/test/test_uc_slow.php
+++ b/test/test_uc_slow.php
@@ -1,34 +1,31 @@
-#! /usr/local/bin/php
-
-<?php
-    // test the client checkpoint/restart mechanism,
+#!/usr/local/bin/php -q
+<?php {
+    // $Id$
 
     include_once("test.inc");
 
+    test_msg("client checkpoint/restart mechanism");
+
     $project = new Project;
     $user = new User();
-    $host = new Host($user);
-    $app = new App("upper_case");
-    $app_version = new App_Version($app);
+    $host = new Host();
 
     $project->add_user($user);
-    $project->add_app($app);
-    $project->add_app_version($app_version);
+    $project->add_app_and_version("upper_case");
     $project->install();      // must install projects before adding to hosts
 
-    $host->log_flags = "log_flags.xml";
-    $host->add_project($project);
+    $host->add_user($user, $project);
     $host->install();
 
-    echo "adding work\n";
-
-    $work = new Work($app);
+    $work = new Work();
     $work->wu_template = "ucs_wu";
     $work->result_template = "ucs_result";
     array_push($work->input_files, "small_input");
     $work->install($project);
 
-    $project->start_feeder();
-    echo "Now run the client manually; start and stop it a few times\n";
+    $project->install_feeder();
+    $project->start_servers();
+
+    verbose_echo(0, "Now run the client manually; start and stop it a few times");
     //compare_file("ucs_wu_0_0", "uc_small_correct_output");
-?>
+} ?>