diff --git a/lib/hydra/runner.rb b/lib/hydra/runner.rb
index 696a232..dd22e1e 100644
--- a/lib/hydra/runner.rb
+++ b/lib/hydra/runner.rb
@@ -16,16 +16,16 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
     # Boot up a runner. It takes an IO object (generally a pipe from its
     # parent) to send it messages on which files to execute.
     def initialize(opts = {})
+      redirect_output
+      reg_trap_sighup
+
       @io = opts.fetch(:io) { raise "No IO Object" }
       @verbose = opts.fetch(:verbose) { false }
       @event_listeners = Array( opts.fetch( :runner_listeners ) { nil } )
 
       $stdout.sync = true
-
       runner_begin
 
-      reg_exit_hook
-
       trace 'Booted. Sending Request for file'
       @io.write RequestFile.new
       begin
@@ -36,18 +36,19 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
       end
     end
 
+    def reg_trap_sighup
+      trap :SIGHUP do
+        File.open("_log_output", 'a'){ |f| f << "SIGHUP trapped"}
+        stop
+      end
+      @runner_began = true
+    end
+
     def runner_begin
       trace "Firing runner_begin event"
       @event_listeners.each {|l| l.runner_begin( self ) }
     end
 
-    def reg_exit_hook
-      at_exit do
-        # NOTE: do not use trace here
-        stop
-      end
-    end
-
     # Run a test file and report the results
     def run_file(file)
       trace "Running file: #{file}"
@@ -71,16 +72,19 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
 
     # Stop running
     def stop
-      # NOTE: do not use trace here
-      runner_end if @running
-      @running = false
+      runner_end if @runner_began
+      @runner_began = @running = false
     end
 
     def runner_end
-#      trace "Firing runner_end event"
+      trace "Ending runner #{self.inspect}"
       @event_listeners.each {|l| l.runner_end( self ) }
     end
 
+    def format_exception(ex)
+      "#{ex.class.name}: #{ex.message}\n    #{ex.backtrace.join("\n    ")}"
+    end
+
     private
 
     # The runner will continually read messages and handle them.
@@ -108,10 +112,6 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
       "Error in #{file}:\n  #{format_exception(ex)}"
     end
 
-    def format_exception(ex)
-      "#{ex.class.name}: #{ex.message}\n    #{ex.backtrace.join("\n    ")}"
-    end
-
     # Run all the Test::Unit Suites in a ruby file
     def run_test_unit_file(file)
       begin
@@ -288,5 +288,11 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
         end
       end.compact
     end
+
+    def redirect_output file_name = nil
+      file_name = 'log/hydra.log' if !file_name and File.exists? 'log/'
+      file_name = 'hydra.log' unless file_name
+      $stderr = $stdout =  File.open(file_name, 'a')
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/fixtures/runner_listeners.rb b/test/fixtures/runner_listeners.rb
index fb4b12d..1221423 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/runner_listeners.rb
+++ b/test/fixtures/runner_listeners.rb
@@ -8,9 +8,14 @@ module HydraExtension
     end
 
     class RunnerEndTest < Hydra::RunnerListener::Abstract
+      # Fired by the runner just before requesting the first file
+      def runner_begin( runner )
+        FileUtils.touch File.expand_path(File.join(Dir.consistent_tmpdir, 'runner_began_flag')) #used to know when the runner is ready
+      end
       # Fired by the runner just after stoping
       def runner_end( runner )
         # NOTE: do not use trace here
+        #runner.trace "Ending runner"
         FileUtils.touch File.expand_path(File.join(Dir.consistent_tmpdir, 'alternate_hydra_test.txt'))
       end
     end
diff --git a/test/master_test.rb b/test/master_test.rb
index 2d9cc21..2881ada 100644
--- a/test/master_test.rb
+++ b/test/master_test.rb
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ class MasterTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       FileUtils.rm_f(target_file)
       FileUtils.rm_f(alternate_target_file)
 
-      @worker_began_flag = File.expand_path(File.join(Dir.consistent_tmpdir, 'worker_began_flag')) #used to know when the worker is ready
-      FileUtils.rm_f(@worker_began_flag)
+      @runner_began_flag = File.expand_path(File.join(Dir.consistent_tmpdir, 'runner_began_flag')) #used to know when the worker is ready
+      FileUtils.rm_f(@runner_began_flag)
 
       @runner_listener = 'HydraExtension::RunnerListener::RunnerEndTest.new' # runner_end method that creates alternate_target_file
       @master_listener = HydraExtension::Listener::WorkerBeganFlag.new  #used to know when the runner is up
@@ -217,13 +217,7 @@ class MasterTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       end
 
       should "run runner_end after interruption signal" do
-
-        class << @master_listener
-          def worker_begin( worker )
-            super
-            sleep 1 while true #ensure the process doesn't finish before killing it
-          end
-        end
+        add_infinite_worker_begin_to @master_listener
 
         capture_stderr do # redirect stderr
           @pid = Process.fork do
@@ -248,6 +242,13 @@ class MasterTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     context "running a remote worker" do
       setup do
         copy_worker_init_file # this method has a protection to avoid erasing an existing worker_init_file
+      end
+
+      teardown do
+        FileUtils.rm_f(@remote_init_file) unless @protect_init_file
+      end
+
+      should "run runner_end on successful termination" do
         capture_stderr do # redirect stderr
           @pid = Process.fork do
             Hydra::Master.new(
@@ -265,13 +266,6 @@ class MasterTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
             )
           end
         end
-      end
-
-      teardown do
-        FileUtils.rm_f(@remote_init_file) unless @protect_init_file
-      end
-
-      should "run runner_end on successful termination" do
         Process.waitpid @pid
 
         assert_file_exists alternate_target_file
@@ -280,11 +274,19 @@ class MasterTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   end
 
   private
+
+  def add_infinite_worker_begin_to master_listener
+    class << master_listener
+      def worker_begin( worker )
+        super
+        sleep 1 while true #ensure the process doesn't finish before killing it
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   #  this requires that a worker_begin listener creates a file named worker_began_flag in tmp directory
   def wait_for_runner_to_begin
-    FileUtils.rm_f(@worker_began_flag)
-
-    assert_file_exists @worker_began_flag
+    assert_file_exists @runner_began_flag
   end
 
   # with a protection to avoid erasing something important in lib
diff --git a/test/runner_test.rb b/test/runner_test.rb
index 3b04189..381229e 100644
--- a/test/runner_test.rb
+++ b/test/runner_test.rb
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ class RunnerTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         run_the_runner(pipe,  [HydraExtension::RunnerListener::RunnerEndTest.new] )
         Process.wait(parent)
 
-        # ensure runner_begin was fired
+        # ensure runner_end was fired
         assert File.exists?( alternate_target_file )
       end
     end