diff --git a/lib/hydra.rb b/lib/hydra.rb
index c8b7abf..b2a64ff 100644
--- a/lib/hydra.rb
+++ b/lib/hydra.rb
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ require 'hydra/listener/minimal_output'
 require 'hydra/listener/report_generator'
 require 'hydra/listener/notifier'
 require 'hydra/listener/progress_bar'
-
+require 'hydra/runner_listener/abstract'
diff --git a/lib/hydra/runner.rb b/lib/hydra/runner.rb
index 5205e1c..86d7027 100644
--- a/lib/hydra/runner.rb
+++ b/lib/hydra/runner.rb
@@ -17,10 +17,14 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
     # parent) to send it messages on which files to execute.
     def initialize(opts = {})
       @io = opts.fetch(:io) { raise "No IO Object" } 
-      @verbose = opts.fetch(:verbose) { false }      
+      @verbose = opts.fetch(:verbose) { false }
+      @event_listeners = Array( opts.fetch( :runner_listeners ) { nil } )
+
       $stdout.sync = true
       trace 'Booted. Sending Request for file'
 
+      runner_begin
+
       @io.write RequestFile.new
       begin
         process_messages
@@ -30,6 +34,11 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
       end
     end
 
+    def runner_begin
+      trace "Firing runner_begin event"
+      @event_listeners.each {|l| l.runner_begin }
+    end
+
     # Run a test file and report the results
     def run_file(file)
       trace "Running file: #{file}"
@@ -54,6 +63,12 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
     # Stop running
     def stop
       @running = false
+      runner_end
+    end
+
+    def runner_end
+      trace "Firing runner_end event"
+      @event_listeners.each {|l| l.runner_end }
     end
 
     private
@@ -74,7 +89,7 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
           end
         rescue IOError => ex
           trace "Runner lost Worker"
-          @running = false
+          stop
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/hydra/runner_listener/abstract.rb b/lib/hydra/runner_listener/abstract.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..64cb7fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/hydra/runner_listener/abstract.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+module Hydra #:nodoc:
+  module RunnerListener #:nodoc:
+    # Abstract listener that implements all the events
+    # but does nothing.
+    class Abstract
+      # Create a new listener.
+      #
+      # Output: The IO object for outputting any information.
+      # Defaults to STDOUT, but you could pass a file in, or STDERR
+      def initialize(output = $stdout)
+        @output = output
+      end
+
+      # Fired by the runner just before requesting the first file
+      def runner_begin
+      end
+
+      # Fired by the runner just after stoping
+      def runner_end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/fixtures/runner_listeners.rb b/test/fixtures/runner_listeners.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47929c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/runner_listeners.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', 'test_helper')
+
+module RunnerListener
+  class RunnerBeginTest < Hydra::RunnerListener::Abstract
+    # Fired by the runner just before requesting the first file
+    def runner_begin
+      FileUtils.touch File.expand_path(File.join(Dir.consistent_tmpdir, 'alternate_hydra_test.txt'))
+    end
+  end
+
+  class RunnerEndTest < Hydra::RunnerListener::Abstract
+    # Fired by the runner just after stoping
+    def runner_end
+      FileUtils.touch File.expand_path(File.join(Dir.consistent_tmpdir, 'alternate_hydra_test.txt'))
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/runner_test.rb b/test/runner_test.rb
index 96f88ee..bbda5d8 100644
--- a/test/runner_test.rb
+++ b/test/runner_test.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'test_helper')
+require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'fixtures', 'runner_listeners')
 
 class RunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   context "with a file to test and a destination to verify" do
@@ -96,32 +97,65 @@ class RunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
 
     should "be able to run a runner over ssh" do
-      ssh = Hydra::SSH.new(
-        'localhost', 
-         remote_dir_path,
-        "ruby -e \"require 'rubygems'; require 'hydra'; Hydra::Runner.new(:io => Hydra::Stdio.new, :verbose => true);\""
-      )
-      assert ssh.gets.is_a?(Hydra::Messages::Runner::RequestFile)
-      ssh.write(Hydra::Messages::Worker::RunFile.new(:file => test_file))
-      
-      # grab its response. This makes us wait for it to finish
-      echo = ssh.gets # get the ssh echo
-      response = ssh.gets
+      send_file_to_ssh_runner_and_verify_completion
+    end
 
-      assert_equal Hydra::Messages::Runner::Results, response.class
-      
-      # tell it to shut down
-      ssh.write(Hydra::Messages::Worker::Shutdown.new)
+    context "using runner events" do
+      should "fire runner_begin event" do
+        pipe = Hydra::Pipe.new
+        parent = Process.fork do
+          request_a_file_and_verify_completion(pipe, test_file)
+        end
 
-      ssh.close
-      
-      # ensure it ran
-      assert File.exists?(target_file)
-      assert_equal "HYDRA", File.read(target_file)
+        run_the_runner(pipe,  [RunnerListener::RunnerBeginTest.new] )
+        Process.wait(parent)
+
+        # ensure runner_begin was fired
+        assert File.exists?( alternate_target_file )
+      end
+
+      should "fire runner_end event after successful shutting down" do
+        send_file_to_ssh_runner_and_verify_completion ", :runner_listeners => [RunnerListener::RunnerEndTest.new]"
+
+        wait_for_file_for_a_while alternate_target_file, 2
+
+        # ensure runner_end was fired
+        assert File.exists?( alternate_target_file )
+      end
+
+      should "fire runner_end event after losing communication with worker" do
+        pipe = Hydra::Pipe.new
+        parent = Process.fork do
+          pipe.identify_as_parent
+
+          # grab its response.
+          response = pipe.gets
+
+          pipe.close #this will be detected by the runner and it should call runner_end
+
+        end
+
+        run_the_runner(pipe,  [RunnerListener::RunnerEndTest.new] )
+        Process.wait(parent)
+
+        # ensure runner_begin was fired
+        assert File.exists?( alternate_target_file )
+      end
     end
   end
 
   module RunnerTestHelper
+
+    #this method allow us to wait for a file for a maximum number of time, so the
+    #test can pass in slower machines. This helps to speed up the tests
+    def wait_for_file_for_a_while file, time_to_wait
+      time_begin = Time.now
+
+      until Time.now - time_begin >= time_to_wait or File.exists?( file ) do
+        sleep 0.01
+      end
+    end
+
     def request_a_file_and_verify_completion(pipe, file)
       pipe.identify_as_parent
 
@@ -140,9 +174,35 @@ class RunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       assert_equal "HYDRA", File.read(target_file)
     end
 
-    def run_the_runner(pipe)
+    def run_the_runner(pipe, listeners = [])
       pipe.identify_as_child
-      Hydra::Runner.new(:io => pipe)
+      Hydra::Runner.new( :io => pipe, :runner_listeners => listeners )
+    end
+
+    def send_file_to_ssh_runner_and_verify_completion opts = ""
+      ssh = Hydra::SSH.new(
+        'localhost',
+         remote_dir_path,
+         "ruby -e \"require 'rubygems'; require 'hydra'; require '../test/fixtures/runner_listeners' ; Hydra::Runner.new(:io => Hydra::Stdio.new, :verbose => true #{opts} );\""
+      )
+
+      assert ssh.gets.is_a?(Hydra::Messages::Runner::RequestFile)
+      ssh.write(Hydra::Messages::Worker::RunFile.new(:file => test_file))
+
+      # grab its response. This makes us wait for it to finish
+      echo = ssh.gets # get the ssh echo
+      response = ssh.gets
+
+      assert_equal Hydra::Messages::Runner::Results, response.class
+
+      # tell it to shut down
+      ssh.write(Hydra::Messages::Worker::Shutdown.new)
+
+      ssh.close
+
+      # ensure it ran
+      assert File.exists?(target_file)
+      assert_equal "HYDRA", File.read(target_file)
     end
   end
   include RunnerTestHelper