diff --git a/ansible_mitogen/planner.py b/ansible_mitogen/planner.py
index 8ea3886ab..801950f9a 100644
--- a/ansible_mitogen/planner.py
+++ b/ansible_mitogen/planner.py
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@
     from ansible.plugins import module_loader
     from ansible.plugins import module_utils_loader
 
-import mitogen
 import ansible_mitogen.target
 
 
diff --git a/ansible_mitogen/process.py b/ansible_mitogen/process.py
index c4f583104..ff6372990 100644
--- a/ansible_mitogen/process.py
+++ b/ansible_mitogen/process.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 import errno
 import logging
 import os
+import signal
 import socket
 import sys
 
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ def start(cls):
         if cls.child_pid:
             cls.child_sock.close()
             cls.child_sock = None
-            cls.worker_sock.recv(1)
+            mitogen.core.io_op(cls.worker_sock.recv, 1)
         else:
             cls.worker_sock.close()
             cls.worker_sock = None
@@ -128,9 +129,9 @@ def worker_main(self):
         self._setup_services()
 
         # Let the parent know our listening socket is ready.
-        self.child_sock.send('1')
+        mitogen.core.io_op(self.child_sock.send, '1')
         # Block until the socket is closed, which happens on parent exit.
-        self.child_sock.recv(1)
+        mitogen.core.io_op(self.child_sock.recv, 1)
 
     def _setup_master(self):
         """
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@ def _setup_master(self):
         self.router.responder.whitelist_prefix('ansible')
         self.router.responder.whitelist_prefix('ansible_mitogen')
         mitogen.core.listen(self.router.broker, 'shutdown', self.on_broker_shutdown)
+        mitogen.core.listen(self.router.broker, 'exit', self.on_broker_exit)
         self.listener = mitogen.unix.Listener(
             router=self.router,
             path=self.unix_listener_path,
@@ -168,14 +170,23 @@ def _setup_services(self):
 
     def on_broker_shutdown(self):
         """
-        Respond to the Router shutdown (indirectly triggered through exit of
-        the main thread) by unlinking the listening socket. Ideally this would
-        happen explicitly, but Ansible provides no hook to allow it.
+        Respond to broker shutdown by beginning service pool shutdown. Do not
+        join on the pool yet, since that would block the broker thread which
+        then cannot clean up pending handlers, which is required for the
+        threads to exit gracefully.
         """
-        self.pool.stop()
+        self.pool.stop(join=False)
         try:
             os.unlink(self.listener.path)
         except OSError, e:
             # Prevent a shutdown race with the parent process.
             if e.args[0] != errno.ENOENT:
                 raise
+
+    def on_broker_exit(self):
+        """
+        Respond to the broker thread about to exit by sending SIGTERM to
+        ourself. In future this should gracefully join the pool, but TERM is
+        fine for now.
+        """
+        os.kill(os.getpid(), signal.SIGTERM)
diff --git a/ansible_mitogen/runner.py b/ansible_mitogen/runner.py
index e14d26bda..7155aee1e 100644
--- a/ansible_mitogen/runner.py
+++ b/ansible_mitogen/runner.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 import cStringIO
 import ctypes
+import errno
 import imp
 import json
 import logging
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ def revert(self):
         implementation simply restores the original environment.
         """
         self._env.revert()
-        self._cleanup_temp()
+        self._try_cleanup_temp()
 
     def _cleanup_temp(self):
         """
@@ -162,6 +163,20 @@ def _cleanup_temp(self):
             LOG.debug('Deleting %r', path)
             ansible_mitogen.target.prune_tree(path)
 
+    def _try_cleanup_temp(self):
+        """
+        During broker shutdown triggered by async task timeout or loss of
+        connection to the parent, it is possible for prune_tree() in
+        target.py::_on_broker_shutdown() to run before _cleanup_temp(), so skip
+        cleanup if the directory or a file disappears from beneath us.
+        """
+        try:
+            self._cleanup_temp()
+        except (IOError, OSError) as e:
+            if e.args[0] == errno.ENOENT:
+                return
+            raise
+
     def _run(self):
         """
         The _run() method is expected to return a dictionary in the form of
diff --git a/ansible_mitogen/target.py b/ansible_mitogen/target.py
index 9d4d8d3a7..9bf239d3a 100644
--- a/ansible_mitogen/target.py
+++ b/ansible_mitogen/target.py
@@ -266,75 +266,67 @@ def _get_async_dir():
     )
 
 
-def _write_job_status(job_id, dct):
-    """
-    Update an async job status file.
-    """
-    LOG.info('_write_job_status(%r, %r)', job_id, dct)
-    dct.setdefault('ansible_job_id', job_id)
-    dct.setdefault('data', '')
-
-    async_dir = _get_async_dir()
-    if not os.path.exists(async_dir):
-        os.makedirs(async_dir)
-
-    path = os.path.join(async_dir, job_id)
-    with open(path + '.tmp', 'w') as fp:
-        fp.write(json.dumps(dct))
-    os.rename(path + '.tmp', path)
-
-
-def _sigalrm(broker, timeout_secs, job_id):
-    """
-    Respond to SIGALRM (job timeout) by updating the job file and killing the
-    process.
-    """
-    msg = "Job reached maximum time limit of %d seconds." % (timeout_secs,)
-    _write_job_status(job_id, {
-        "failed": 1,
-        "finished": 1,
-        "msg": msg,
-    })
-    broker.shutdown()
-
-
-def _install_alarm(broker, timeout_secs, job_id):
-    handler = lambda *_: _sigalrm(broker, timeout_secs, job_id)
-    signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, handler)
-    signal.alarm(timeout_secs)
-
-
-def _run_module_async(kwargs, job_id, timeout_secs, econtext):
-    """
-    1. Immediately updates the status file to mark the job as started.
-    2. Installs a timer/signal handler to implement the time limit.
-    3. Runs as with run_module(), writing the result to the status file.
-
-    :param dict kwargs:
-        Runner keyword arguments.
-    :param str job_id:
-        String job ID.
-    :param int timeout_secs:
-        If >0, limit the task's maximum run time.
-    """
-    _write_job_status(job_id, {
-        'started': 1,
-        'finished': 0,
-        'pid': os.getpid()
-    })
-
-    if timeout_secs > 0:
-        _install_alarm(econtext.broker, timeout_secs, job_id)
+class AsyncRunner(object):
+    def __init__(self, job_id, timeout_secs, econtext, kwargs):
+        self.job_id = job_id
+        self.timeout_secs = timeout_secs
+        self.econtext = econtext
+        self.kwargs = kwargs
+        self._timed_out = False
+        self._init_path()
+
+    def _init_path(self):
+        async_dir = _get_async_dir()
+        if not os.path.exists(async_dir):
+            os.makedirs(async_dir)
+        self.path = os.path.join(async_dir, self.job_id)
+
+    def _update(self, dct):
+        """
+        Update an async job status file.
+        """
+        LOG.info('%r._update(%r, %r)', self, self.job_id, dct)
+        dct.setdefault('ansible_job_id', self.job_id)
+        dct.setdefault('data', '')
+
+        with open(self.path + '.tmp', 'w') as fp:
+            fp.write(json.dumps(dct))
+        os.rename(self.path + '.tmp', self.path)
+
+    def _on_sigalrm(self, signum, frame):
+        """
+        Respond to SIGALRM (job timeout) by updating the job file and killing
+        the process.
+        """
+        msg = "Job reached maximum time limit of %d seconds." % (
+            self.timeout_secs,
+        )
+        self._update({
+            "failed": 1,
+            "finished": 1,
+            "msg": msg,
+        })
+        self._timed_out = True
+        self.econtext.broker.shutdown()
+
+    def _install_alarm(self):
+        signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, self._on_sigalrm)
+        signal.alarm(self.timeout_secs)
+
+    def _run_module(self):
+        kwargs = dict(self.kwargs, **{
+            'detach': True,
+            'econtext': self.econtext,
+            'emulate_tty': False,
+        })
 
-    kwargs['detach'] = True
-    kwargs['econtext'] = econtext
-    kwargs['emulate_tty'] = False
-    dct = run_module(kwargs)
-    if mitogen.core.PY3:
-        for key in 'stdout', 'stderr':
-            dct[key] = dct[key].decode('utf-8', 'surrogateescape')
+        dct = run_module(kwargs)
+        if mitogen.core.PY3:
+            for key in 'stdout', 'stderr':
+                dct[key] = dct[key].decode('utf-8', 'surrogateescape')
+        return dct
 
-    try:
+    def _parse_result(self, dct):
         filtered, warnings = (
             ansible.module_utils.json_utils.
             _filter_non_json_lines(dct['stdout'])
@@ -342,34 +334,69 @@ def _run_module_async(kwargs, job_id, timeout_secs, econtext):
         result = json.loads(filtered)
         result.setdefault('warnings', []).extend(warnings)
         result['stderr'] = dct['stderr']
-        _write_job_status(job_id, result)
-    except Exception:
-        _write_job_status(job_id, {
-            "failed": 1,
-            "msg": traceback.format_exc(),
-            "data": dct['stdout'],  # temporary notice only
-            "stderr": dct['stderr']
+        self._update(result)
+
+    def _run(self):
+        """
+        1. Immediately updates the status file to mark the job as started.
+        2. Installs a timer/signal handler to implement the time limit.
+        3. Runs as with run_module(), writing the result to the status file.
+
+        :param dict kwargs:
+            Runner keyword arguments.
+        :param str job_id:
+            String job ID.
+        :param int timeout_secs:
+            If >0, limit the task's maximum run time.
+        """
+        self._update({
+            'started': 1,
+            'finished': 0,
+            'pid': os.getpid()
         })
 
+        if self.timeout_secs > 0:
+            self._install_alarm()
+
+        dct = self._run_module()
+        if not self._timed_out:
+            # After SIGALRM fires, there is a window between broker responding
+            # to shutdown() by killing the process, and work continuing on the
+            # main thread. If main thread was asleep in at least
+            # basic.py/select.select(), an EINTR will be raised. We want to
+            # discard that exception.
+            try:
+                self._parse_result(dct)
+            except Exception:
+                self._update({
+                    "failed": 1,
+                    "msg": traceback.format_exc(),
+                    "data": dct['stdout'],  # temporary notice only
+                    "stderr": dct['stderr']
+                })
+
+    def run(self):
+        try:
+            try:
+                self._run()
+            except Exception:
+                self._update({
+                    "failed": 1,
+                    "msg": traceback.format_exc(),
+                })
+        finally:
+            self.econtext.broker.shutdown()
+
 
 @mitogen.core.takes_econtext
 def run_module_async(kwargs, job_id, timeout_secs, econtext):
     """
-    Arrange for a module to be executed with its run status and result
-    serialized to a disk file. This function expects to run in a child forked
-    using :func:`create_fork_child`.
+    Execute a module with its run status and result written to a file,
+    terminating on the process on completion. This function must run in a child
+    forked using :func:`create_fork_child`.
     """
-    try:
-        try:
-            _run_module_async(kwargs, job_id, timeout_secs, econtext)
-        except Exception:
-            # Catch any (ansible_mitogen) bugs and write them to the job file.
-            _write_job_status(job_id, {
-                "failed": 1,
-                "msg": traceback.format_exc(),
-            })
-    finally:
-        econtext.broker.shutdown()
+    arunner = AsyncRunner(job_id, timeout_secs, econtext, kwargs)
+    arunner.run()
 
 
 def make_temp_directory(base_dir):
diff --git a/mitogen/debug.py b/mitogen/debug.py
index 95f7db3e8..312c8d9a4 100644
--- a/mitogen/debug.py
+++ b/mitogen/debug.py
@@ -48,6 +48,15 @@
 _last = None
 
 
+def enable_evil_interrupts():
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, (lambda a, b: None))
+    signal.setitimer(signal.ITIMER_REAL, 0.01, 0.01)
+
+
+def disable_evil_interrupts():
+    signal.setitimer(signal.ITIMER_REAL, 0, 0)
+
+
 def _hex(n):
     return '%08x' % n
 
diff --git a/mitogen/service.py b/mitogen/service.py
index 62180e333..ffb456495 100644
--- a/mitogen/service.py
+++ b/mitogen/service.py
@@ -271,9 +271,12 @@ def _run(self):
             method_name, kwargs, msg = tup
             try:
                 super(SerializedInvoker, self).invoke(method_name, kwargs, msg)
+            except mitogen.core.CallError:
+                e = sys.exc_info()[1]
+                LOG.warning('%r: call error: %s: %s', self, msg, e)
+                msg.reply(e)
             except Exception:
-                LOG.exception('%r: while invoking %r of %r',
-                              self, method_name, self.service)
+                LOG.exception('%r: while invoking %s()', self, method_name)
                 msg.reply(mitogen.core.Message.dead())
 
     def invoke(self, method_name, kwargs, msg):
@@ -456,9 +459,13 @@ def add(self, service):
 
     closed = False
 
-    def stop(self):
+    def stop(self, join=True):
         self.closed = True
         self._select.close()
+        if join:
+            self.join()
+
+    def join(self):
         for th in self._threads:
             th.join()
         for invoker in self._invoker_by_name.itervalues():
diff --git a/tests/ansible/ansible.cfg b/tests/ansible/ansible.cfg
index 437e67b7e..eeb821099 100644
--- a/tests/ansible/ansible.cfg
+++ b/tests/ansible/ansible.cfg
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ gathering = explicit
 strategy_plugins = ../../ansible_mitogen/plugins/strategy
 action_plugins = lib/action
 callback_plugins = lib/callback
+stdout_callback = nice_stdout
 library = lib/modules
 # module_utils = lib/module_utils
 retry_files_enabled = False
diff --git a/tests/ansible/integration/async/runner_two_simultaneous_jobs.yml b/tests/ansible/integration/async/runner_two_simultaneous_jobs.yml
index 51ceef2fe..9474263bd 100644
--- a/tests/ansible/integration/async/runner_two_simultaneous_jobs.yml
+++ b/tests/ansible/integration/async/runner_two_simultaneous_jobs.yml
@@ -6,16 +6,20 @@
 
   # Start 2 duplicate jobs, verify they run concurrently.
 
+  - file:
+      path: /tmp/flurp
+      state: absent
+
   - name: create semaphore file and sleep for 5 seconds.
     shell: |
       exec 2>/dev/null;
       bash -c '
-        echo im_alive $$ > /tmp/flurp
+        echo im_alive $$ > /tmp/flurp;
         sleep 60;
       ';
       rm -f /tmp/flurp;
       echo alldone
-    async: 1000
+    async: 30
     poll: 0
     register: job1
 
@@ -24,30 +28,29 @@
   # below compltes quickly.
   - name: verify semaphore file exists while this job exists.
     shell: |
-      [ -f /tmp/flurp ] && {
-        read im_alive pid < /tmp/flurp
-        echo $im_alive
-        kill $pid &>/dev/null
-      }
-    async: 1000
+      while [ ! -f /tmp/flurp ]; do sleep 0.1; done;
+      read im_alive pid < /tmp/flurp
+      echo $im_alive
+      kill $pid &>/dev/null
+    async: 30
     poll: 0
     register: job2
 
-  - name: (job1) busy-poll up to 100000 times
+  - name: (job1) poll
     async_status:
       jid: "{{job1.ansible_job_id}}"
     register: result1
     until: result1.finished
-    retries: 100000
-    delay: 0
+    retries: 5
+    delay: 1
 
-  - name: (job2) busy-poll up to 100000 times
+  - name: (job2) poll
     async_status:
       jid: "{{job2.ansible_job_id}}"
     register: result2
     until: result2.finished
-    retries: 100000
-    delay: 0
+    retries: 5
+    delay: 1
 
   - assert:
       that:
diff --git a/tests/ansible/lib/callback/nice_stdout.py b/tests/ansible/lib/callback/nice_stdout.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..08a3757be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ansible/lib/callback/nice_stdout.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+import io
+
+try:
+    from ansible.plugins import callback_loader
+except ImportError:
+    from ansible.plugins.loader import callback_loader
+
+
+def printi(tio, obj, key=None, indent=0):
+    def write(s, *args):
+        if args:
+            s %= args
+        tio.write('  ' * indent)
+        if key is not None:
+            tio.write('%s: ' % (key,))
+        tio.write(s)
+        tio.write('\n')
+
+    if isinstance(obj, (list, tuple)):
+        write('[')
+        for i, obj2 in enumerate(obj):
+            printi(tio, obj2, key=i, indent=indent+1)
+        key = None
+        write(']')
+    elif isinstance(obj, dict):
+        write('{')
+        for key2, obj2 in sorted(obj.iteritems()):
+            if not (key2.startswith('_ansible_') or
+                    key2.endswith('_lines')):
+                printi(tio, obj2, key=key2, indent=indent+1)
+        key = None
+        write('}')
+    elif isinstance(obj, basestring):
+        if isinstance(obj, str):
+            obj = obj.decode('utf-8', 'replace')
+        for line in obj.splitlines():
+            write('%s', line.rstrip('\r\n'))
+    else:
+        write('%r', obj)
+
+
+DefaultModule = callback_loader.get('default', class_only=True)
+
+class CallbackModule(DefaultModule):
+    def _dump_results(self, result, *args, **kwargs):
+        try:
+            tio = io.StringIO()
+            printi(tio, result)
+            return tio.getvalue().encode('ascii', 'replace')
+        except:
+            import traceback
+            traceback.print_exc()
+            raise
diff --git a/tests/ansible/osx_setup.yml b/tests/ansible/osx_setup.yml
index 655c76059..7a6ff23f5 100644
--- a/tests/ansible/osx_setup.yml
+++ b/tests/ansible/osx_setup.yml
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
         - has_sudo_pubkey
         - require_tty
         - pw_required
+        - readonly_homedir
         - require_tty_pw_required
         - slow_user
       when: ansible_system != 'Darwin'