diff --git a/lib/hydra/pipe.rb b/lib/hydra/pipe.rb
index e6d2dcb..577ebaa 100644
--- a/lib/hydra/pipe.rb
+++ b/lib/hydra/pipe.rb
@@ -34,12 +34,15 @@ module Hydra #:nodoc:
     # Read a line from a pipe. It will have a trailing newline.
     def gets
       force_identification
-      @reader.gets
+      @reader.gets.chomp
     end
 
     # Write a line to a pipe. It must have a trailing newline.
     def write(str)
       force_identification
+      unless str =~ /\n$/
+        str += "\n"
+      end
       begin
         @writer.write(str)
         return str
diff --git a/test/test_pipe.rb b/test/test_pipe.rb
index 9e19b97..6e91a41 100644
--- a/test/test_pipe.rb
+++ b/test/test_pipe.rb
@@ -8,15 +8,15 @@ class TestPipe < Test::Unit::TestCase
     should "be able to write messages" do
       Process.fork do
         @pipe.identify_as_child
-        assert_equal "Test Message\n", @pipe.gets
-        @pipe.write "Message Received\n"
-        @pipe.write "Second Message\n"
+        assert_equal "Test Message", @pipe.gets
+        @pipe.write "Message Received"
+        @pipe.write "Second Message"
         @pipe.close
       end
       @pipe.identify_as_parent
-      @pipe.write "Test Message\n"
-      assert_equal "Message Received\n", @pipe.gets
-      assert_equal "Second Message\n", @pipe.gets
+      @pipe.write "Test Message"
+      assert_equal "Message Received", @pipe.gets
+      assert_equal "Second Message", @pipe.gets
       assert_raise Hydra::PipeError::Broken do
         @pipe.write "anybody home?"
       end
@@ -32,5 +32,13 @@ class TestPipe < Test::Unit::TestCase
         @pipe.gets
       end
     end
+    should "handle newlines" do
+      Process.fork do
+        @pipe.identify_as_child
+        @pipe.write "Message\n"
+      end
+      @pipe.identify_as_parent
+      assert_equal "Message", @pipe.gets
+    end
   end
 end