diff --git a/js/client/modules/@arangodb/testing.js b/js/client/modules/@arangodb/testing.js
index a2b0b1930e..dbca9e90c0 100644
--- a/js/client/modules/@arangodb/testing.js
+++ b/js/client/modules/@arangodb/testing.js
@@ -446,190 +446,58 @@ function analyzeCoreDumpWindows(instanceInfo) {
   executeExternalAndWait("cdb", args);
 }
 
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-/// @brief checks of an instance is still alive
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
-function checkInstanceAliveSingleServer(instanceInfo, options) {
-  if (instanceInfo.hasOwnProperty('exitStatus')) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  const res = statusExternal(instanceInfo.pid, false);
-  const ret = res.status === "RUNNING";
-
-  if (!ret) {
-    print("ArangoD with PID " + instanceInfo.pid.pid + " gone:");
-    print(instanceInfo);
-
-    if (res.hasOwnProperty('signal') &&
-      ((res.signal === 11) ||
-        (res.signal === 6) ||
-        // Windows sometimes has random numbers in signal...
-        (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win')
-      )
-    ) {
-      const storeArangodPath = "/var/tmp/arangod_" + instanceInfo.pid.pid;
-
-      print("Core dump written; copying arangod to " +
-        instanceInfo.tmpDataDir + " for later analysis.");
-
-      let corePath = (options.coreDirectory === "") ?
-        "core" :
-        options.coreDirectory + "/core*" + instanceInfo.pid.pid + "*'";
-
-      res.gdbHint = "Run debugger with 'gdb " +
-        storeArangodPath + " " + corePath;
-
-      if (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win') {
-        // Windows: wait for procdump to do its job...
-        statusExternal(instanceInfo.monitor, true);
-        analyzeCoreDumpWindows(instanceInfo);
-      } else {
-        fs.copyFile("bin/arangod", storeArangodPath);
-        analyzeCoreDump(instanceInfo, options, storeArangodPath, instanceInfo.pid.pid);
-      }
+function checkInstanceAlive(instanceInfo, options) {
+  return instanceInfo.arangods.reduce((previous, arangod) => {
+    if (arangod.hasOwnProperty('exitStatus')) {
+      return false;
     }
-
-    instanceInfo.exitStatus = res;
-  }
-
-  if (!ret) {
-    print("marking crashy");
-    serverCrashed = true;
-  }
-
-  return ret;
-}
-
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-/// @brief checks if an agency instance is still alive
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
-function checkInstanceAliveAgency(instanceInfo, options) {
-  if (instanceInfo.hasOwnProperty('exitStatus')) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  for (let i = 0; i < options.agencySize; i++) {
-    const res = statusExternal(instanceInfo.pids[i], false);
+    
+    const res = statusExternal(arangod.pid, false);
     const ret = res.status === "RUNNING";
 
     if (!ret) {
-      print("ArangoD with PID " + instanceInfo.pids[i].pid + " gone:");
-      print(instanceInfo);
+      print("ArangoD with PID " + arangod.pid + " gone:");
+      print(arangod);
 
       if (res.hasOwnProperty('signal') &&
-        ((res.signal === 11) ||
-          (res.signal === 6) ||
-          // Windows sometimes has random numbers in signal...
-          (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win')
-        )
-      ) {
-        const storeArangodPath = "/var/tmp/arangod_" + instanceInfo.pids[i].pid;
+          ((res.signal === 11) ||
+           (res.signal === 6) ||
+           // Windows sometimes has random numbers in signal...
+           (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win')
+          )
+         ) {
+        const storeArangodPath = "/var/tmp/arangod_" + arangod.pid;
 
         print("Core dump written; copying arangod to " +
-          instanceInfo.tmpDataDir + " for later analysis.");
+            arangod.tmpDataDir + " for later analysis.");
 
         let corePath = (options.coreDirectory === "") ?
           "core" :
-          options.coreDirectory + "/core*" + instanceInfo.pids[i].pid + "*'";
+          options.coreDirectory + "/core*" + arangod.pid + "*'";
 
         res.gdbHint = "Run debugger with 'gdb " +
           storeArangodPath + " " + corePath;
 
         if (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win') {
           // Windows: wait for procdump to do its job...
-          statusExternal(instanceInfo.monitor, true);
-          analyzeCoreDumpWindows(instanceInfo);
+          statusExternal(arangod.monitor, true);
+          analyzeCoreDumpWindows(arangod);
         } else {
           fs.copyFile("bin/arangod", storeArangodPath);
-          analyzeCoreDump(instanceInfo, options, storeArangodPath, instanceInfo.pids[i].pid);
+          analyzeCoreDump(arangod, options, storeArangodPath, arangod.pid);
         }
       }
 
-      if (instanceInfo.exitStatus === undefined) {
-        instanceInfo.exitStatus = [];
-      }
-      instanceInfo.exitStatus[i] = res;
+      arangod.exitStatus = res;
     }
-  }
 
-  if (instanceInfo.exitStatus !== undefined) {
-    print("marking crashy");
-    serverCrashed = true;
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  return true;
-}
-
-function checkRemoteInstance(pid, wait, options) {
-  const debug = options.debug || false;
-  const p = JSON.stringify(pid);
-  
-  const res = JSON.parse(arango.PUT("/_admin/execute",
-    `return require("internal").statusExternal(${p}, ${wait});`));
-
-  if (debug) {
-    print(`status of remote process ${p}: ${res.status}`);
-  }
-
-  return res;
-}
-
-function checkInstanceAliveCluster(instanceInfo, options) {
-  let clusterFit = true;
-  
-  for (let pid in instanceInfo.pids) {
-    if (instanceInfo.pids.hasOwnProperty(pid)) {
-      const checkpid = instanceInfo.pids[pid];
-      const ress = checkRemoteInstance(checkpid, false, options);
-
-      if (ress.hasOwnProperty('signal') &&
-          ((ress.signal === 11) || (ress.signal === 6))) {
-        const storeArangodPath = "/var/tmp/arangod_" + checkpid.pid;
-
-        print("Core dump written; copying arangod to " +
-            storeArangodPath + " for later analysis.");
-
-        ress.gdbHint = "Run debugger with 'gdb " +
-          storeArangodPath +
-          " /var/tmp/core*" + checkpid.pid + "*'";
-
-        if (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win') {
-          // Windows: wait for procdump to do its job...
-          checkRemoteInstance(instanceInfo.monitor, true, options);
-          analyzeCoreDumpWindows(instanceInfo);
-        } else {
-          fs.copyFile("bin/arangod", storeArangodPath);
-          analyzeCoreDump(instanceInfo, options, storeArangodPath, checkpid.pid);
-        }
-
-        instanceInfo.exitStatus = ress;
-        clusterFit = false;
-      }
+    if (!ret) {
+      print("marking crashy");
+      serverCrashed = true;
     }
-  }
-
-  if (clusterFit) {
-    return true;
-  } else {
-    print("marking crashy");
-    serverCrashed = true;
-    return false;
-  }
-}
-
-function checkInstanceAlive(instanceInfo, options) {
-  if (options.cluster) {
-    return checkInstanceAliveCluster(instanceInfo, options);
-  }
-  if (options.agency) {
-    return checkInstanceAliveAgency(instanceInfo, options);
-  }
-  return checkInstanceAliveSingleServer(instanceInfo, options);
 
+    return ret && previous;
+  }, true);
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -1232,184 +1100,21 @@ function runArangoBenchmark(options, instanceInfo, cmds) {
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 function shutdownInstance(instanceInfo, options) {
+  // mop: reversing for now because it seems cluster hangs when agency is killed first :S
+  // should be fixed :S
   if (!checkInstanceAlive(instanceInfo, options)) {
     print("Server already dead, doing nothing. This shouldn't happen?");
   }
-
-  if (options.valgrind) {
-    waitOnServerForGC(instanceInfo, options, 60);
-  }
-
-  if (options.cluster) {
-    if (instanceInfo.exitStatus === undefined) {
-      instanceInfo.exitStatus = [];
+  instanceInfo.arangods.reverse().forEach(arangod => {
+    if (options.valgrind) {
+      waitOnServerForGC(arangod, options, 60);
     }
-    // mop: currently it seems killing the agency first renders the other servers unusable :S
-    for (let i=instanceInfo.pids.length - 1;i>=0;i--) {
-      if (instanceInfo.exitStatus[i] === undefined) {
-        print(instanceInfo.urls[i] + "/_admin/shutdown");
-        download(instanceInfo.urls[i] + "/_admin/shutdown", "",
+    if (arangod.exitStatus === undefined) {
+      print(arangod.url + "/_admin/shutdown");
+      download(arangod.url + "/_admin/shutdown", "",
           makeAuthorizationHeaders(options));
 
-        print("Waiting for server with pid " + instanceInfo.pids[i].pid + " to shut down");
-
-        let count = 0;
-        let bar = "[";
-
-        let timeout = 600;
-
-        if (options.sanitizer) {
-          timeout *= 2;
-        }
-
-        if (instanceInfo.exitStatus === undefined) {
-          instanceInfo.exitStatus = [];
-        }
-        while (true) {
-          instanceInfo.exitStatus[i] = statusExternal(instanceInfo.pids[i], false);
-
-          if (instanceInfo.exitStatus[i].status === "RUNNING") {
-            ++count;
-
-            if (options.valgrind) {
-              wait(1);
-              continue;
-            }
-
-            if (count % 10 === 0) {
-              bar = bar + "#";
-            }
-
-            if (count > 600) {
-              print("forcefully terminating " + yaml.safeDump(instanceInfo.pids[i]) +
-                " after " + timeout + "s grace period; marking crashy.");
-              serverCrashed = true;
-              killExternal(instanceInfo.pids[i]);
-              break;
-            } else {
-              wait(1);
-            }
-          } else if (instanceInfo.exitStatus[i].status !== "TERMINATED") {
-            if (instanceInfo.exitStatus[i].hasOwnProperty('signal')) {
-              print("Server shut down with : " +
-                yaml.safeDump(instanceInfo.exitStatus[i]) +
-                " marking build as crashy.");
-
-              serverCrashed = true;
-              break;
-            }
-            if (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win') {
-              // Windows: wait for procdump to do its job...
-              statusExternal(instanceInfo.monitor, true);
-            }
-          } else {
-            print("Server shutdown: Success.");
-            break; // Success.
-          }
-        }
-
-        if (count > 10) {
-          print("long Server shutdown: " + bar + ']');
-        }
-      } else {
-        print("Server already dead, doing nothing.");
-      }
-
-      if (!options.skipLogAnalysis) {
-        instanceInfo.importantLogLines =
-          readImportantLogLines(instanceInfo.tmpDataDir);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-  // agency mode
-  else if (options.agency) {
-    if (instanceInfo.exitStatus === undefined) {
-      instanceInfo.exitStatus = [];
-    }
-
-    for (let i = 0; i < options.agencySize; i++) {
-      if (instanceInfo.exitStatus[i] === undefined) {
-        download(instanceInfo.urls[i] + "/_admin/shutdown", "",
-          makeAuthorizationHeaders(options));
-
-        print("Waiting for server shut down");
-
-        let count = 0;
-        let bar = "[";
-
-        let timeout = 600;
-
-        if (options.sanitizer) {
-          timeout *= 2;
-        }
-
-        if (instanceInfo.exitStatus === undefined) {
-          instanceInfo.exitStatus = [];
-        }
-        while (true) {
-          instanceInfo.exitStatus[i] = statusExternal(instanceInfo.pids[i], false);
-
-          if (instanceInfo.exitStatus[i].status === "RUNNING") {
-            ++count;
-
-            if (options.valgrind) {
-              wait(1);
-              continue;
-            }
-
-            if (count % 10 === 0) {
-              bar = bar + "#";
-            }
-
-            if (count > 600) {
-              print("forcefully terminating " + yaml.safeDump(instanceInfo.pids[i]) +
-                " after " + timeout + "s grace period; marking crashy.");
-              serverCrashed = true;
-              killExternal(instanceInfo.pids[i]);
-              break;
-            } else {
-              wait(1);
-            }
-          } else if (instanceInfo.exitStatus[i].status !== "TERMINATED") {
-            if (instanceInfo.exitStatus[i].hasOwnProperty('signal')) {
-              print("Server shut down with : " +
-                yaml.safeDump(instanceInfo.exitStatus[i]) +
-                " marking build as crashy.");
-
-              serverCrashed = true;
-              break;
-            }
-            if (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win') {
-              // Windows: wait for procdump to do its job...
-              statusExternal(instanceInfo.monitor, true);
-            }
-          } else {
-            print("Server shutdown: Success.");
-            break; // Success.
-          }
-        }
-
-        if (count > 10) {
-          print("long Server shutdown: " + bar + ']');
-        }
-      } else {
-        print("Server already dead, doing nothing.");
-      }
-
-      if (!options.skipLogAnalysis) {
-        instanceInfo.importantLogLines =
-          readImportantLogLines(instanceInfo.tmpDataDir);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  // single server
-  else {
-    if (typeof(instanceInfo.exitStatus) === 'undefined') {
-      download(instanceInfo.url + "/_admin/shutdown", "",
-        makeAuthorizationHeaders(options));
-
-      print("Waiting for server shut down");
+      print("Waiting for server with pid " + arangod.pid + " to shut down");
 
       let count = 0;
       let bar = "[";
@@ -1421,9 +1126,9 @@ function shutdownInstance(instanceInfo, options) {
       }
 
       while (true) {
-        instanceInfo.exitStatus = statusExternal(instanceInfo.pid, false);
+        arangod.exitStatus = statusExternal(arangod.pid, false);
 
-        if (instanceInfo.exitStatus.status === "RUNNING") {
+        if (arangod.exitStatus.status === "RUNNING") {
           ++count;
 
           if (options.valgrind) {
@@ -1436,26 +1141,26 @@ function shutdownInstance(instanceInfo, options) {
           }
 
           if (count > 600) {
-            print("forcefully terminating " + yaml.safeDump(instanceInfo.pid) +
-              " after " + timeout + "s grace period; marking crashy.");
+            print("forcefully terminating " + yaml.safeDump(arangod.pid) +
+                " after " + timeout + "s grace period; marking crashy.");
             serverCrashed = true;
-            killExternal(instanceInfo.pid);
+            killExternal(arangod.pid);
             break;
           } else {
             wait(1);
           }
-        } else if (instanceInfo.exitStatus.status !== "TERMINATED") {
-          if (instanceInfo.exitStatus.hasOwnProperty('signal')) {
+        } else if (arangod.exitStatus.status !== "TERMINATED") {
+          if (arangod.exitStatus.hasOwnProperty('signal')) {
             print("Server shut down with : " +
-              yaml.safeDump(instanceInfo.exitStatus) +
-              " marking build as crashy.");
+                yaml.safeDump(arangod.exitStatus) +
+                " marking build as crashy.");
 
             serverCrashed = true;
             break;
           }
           if (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win') {
             // Windows: wait for procdump to do its job...
-            statusExternal(instanceInfo.monitor, true);
+            statusExternal(arangod.monitor, true);
           }
         } else {
           print("Server shutdown: Success.");
@@ -1471,65 +1176,13 @@ function shutdownInstance(instanceInfo, options) {
     }
 
     if (!options.skipLogAnalysis) {
-      instanceInfo.importantLogLines =
-        readImportantLogLines(instanceInfo.tmpDataDir);
+      arangod.importantLogLines =
+        readImportantLogLines(arangod.rootDir);
     }
-  }
-
-  cleanupDirectories = cleanupDirectories.concat(
-    instanceInfo.tmpDataDir, instanceInfo.flatTmpDataDir);
+  });
+  cleanupDirectories.push(instanceInfo.rootDir);
 }
 
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-/// @brief starts a dispatcher
-////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
-/*
-function startDispatcher(instanceInfo) {
-  let args = {};
-
-  args["configuration"] = "none";
-
-  args["cluster.agent-path"] = ETCD_ARANGO_BIN;
-
-  args["cluster.arangod-path"] = ARANGOD_BIN;
-
-  args["cluster.coordinator-config"] =
-    fs.join("etc", "relative", "arangod-coordinator.conf");
-
-  args["cluster.dbserver-config"] =
-    fs.join("etc", "relative", "arangod-dbserver.conf");
-
-  args["cluster.disable-dispatcher-frontend"] = "false";
-
-  args["cluster.disable-dispatcher-kickstarter"] = "false";
-
-  args["cluster.data-path"] = "cluster";
-
-  args["cluster.log-path"] = "cluster";
-
-  args["database.directory"] =
-    fs.join(instanceInfo.flatTmpDataDir, "dispatcher");
-
-  args["log.file"] =
-    fs.join(instanceInfo.flatTmpDataDir, "dispatcher.log");
-
-  args["server.endpoint"] = arango.getEndpoint();
-
-  args["javascript.startup-directory"] = "js";
-
-  args["javascript.app-path"] = fs.join("js", "apps");
-
-  instanceInfo.dispatcherPid = executeExternal(ARANGOD_BIN, toArgv(args));
-
-  while (arango.GET("/_admin/version").error === true) {
-    print("Waiting for dispatcher to appear");
-    sleep(1);
-  }
-
-  print("Dispatcher is ready");
-}
-*/
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief starts an instance
 ///
@@ -1537,28 +1190,25 @@ function startDispatcher(instanceInfo) {
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 function startInstanceCluster(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
-  addArgs, testname, appDir, tmpDataDir) {
-  instanceInfo.urls = [];
+  addArgs, name, rootDir) {
   let clusterArgs = options._extraArgs || {};
   
   let makeArgs = function(name, args) {
     args = args || options.extraArgs;
-
-    let appDir = fs.join(tmpDataDir, name + '-apps');
-    fs.makeDirectoryRecursive(appDir);
     
-    let tmpDir = fs.join(tmpDataDir, name + '-tmp');
-    fs.makeDirectoryRecursive(tmpDir);
-  
-    let subArgs = makeArgsArangod(options, appDir);
+    let subDir = fs.join(rootDir, name);
+    fs.makeDirectoryRecursive(subDir);
+
+    let subArgs = makeArgsArangod(options, fs.join(subDir, "apps"));
     subArgs = _.extend(subArgs, args);
 
-    return [subArgs, testname + '-' + 'agency', appDir, tmpDir];
+    return [subArgs, name, subDir];
   }
+
   options.agencySize = 1;
-  startInstanceAgency(instanceInfo, protocol, options, ...makeArgs('agency', clusterArgs));
+  startInstanceAgency(instanceInfo, protocol, options, ...makeArgs('agency', {}));
   
-  let agencyEndpoint = instanceInfo.endpoints[0];
+  let agencyEndpoint = instanceInfo.endpoint;
   let i;
   for (i=0;i<options.clusterNodes;i++) {
     let endpoint = protocol + "://127.0.0.1:" + findFreePort();
@@ -1570,12 +1220,8 @@ function startInstanceCluster(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
     primaryArgs['cluster.agency-endpoint'] = agencyEndpoint;
 
     startInstanceSingleServer(instanceInfo, protocol, options, ...makeArgs('dbserver' + i, primaryArgs));
-    instanceInfo.endpoints.push(instanceInfo.endpoint);
-    instanceInfo.ports.push(instanceInfo.port);
-    instanceInfo.pids.push(instanceInfo.pid);
-    instanceInfo.urls.push(instanceInfo.url);
   }
-  
+
   let endpoint = protocol + "://127.0.0.1:" + findFreePort();
   let coordinatorArgs = _.clone(options.extraArgs);
   coordinatorArgs['server.endpoint'] = endpoint;
@@ -1586,26 +1232,7 @@ function startInstanceCluster(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
 
   startInstanceSingleServer(instanceInfo, protocol, options, ...makeArgs('coordinator', coordinatorArgs));
   
-  instanceInfo.endpoints.push(instanceInfo.endpoint);
-  instanceInfo.ports.push(instanceInfo.port);
-  instanceInfo.pids.push(instanceInfo.pid);
-  instanceInfo.urls.push(instanceInfo.url);
-  delete instanceInfo.endpoint;
-  delete instanceInfo.port;
-  delete instanceInfo.pid;
-  delete instanceInfo.url;
-
-  let notYetUp = instanceInfo.endpoints.slice();
-  while (notYetUp.length > 0) {
-    notYetUp = notYetUp.filter(notYet => {
-      let url = endpointToURL(notYet);
-      const reply = download(url + "/_api/version", "", makeAuthorizationHeaders(options));
-      return reply.code !== 200;
-    });
-    wait(0.5);
-  }
-
-  let coordinatorUrl = endpointToURL(instanceInfo.endpoints[instanceInfo.endpoints.length - 1]);
+  let coordinatorUrl = instanceInfo.url;
   let response;
   let httpOptions = makeAuthorizationHeaders(options);
   httpOptions.method = 'POST';
@@ -1614,7 +1241,7 @@ function startInstanceCluster(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
   response = download(coordinatorUrl + '/_admin/cluster/bootstrapDbServers', '{"isRelaunch":false}', httpOptions);
 
   while (response.code !== 200) {
-    console.log('bootstrap dbservers failed');
+    console.log('bootstrap dbservers failed', response);
     wait(1);
   }
   
@@ -1633,72 +1260,14 @@ function startInstanceCluster(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
   return true;
 }
 
-function startInstanceAgency(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
-  addArgs, testname, appDir, tmpDataDir) {
-  const N = options.agencySize;
-  const ports = [];
-  for (let i = 0; i < N; i++) {
-    ports.push(findFreePort());
-  }
-  instanceInfo.ports = ports;
-
-  const endpoints = ports.map(function(port) {
-    return protocol + "://127.0.0.1:" + port;
-  });
-  instanceInfo.endpoints = endpoints;
-
-  let td = ports.map(function(port) {
-    return fs.join(tmpDataDir, "data" + port);
-  });
-  for (let i = 0; i < N; i++) {
-    fs.makeDirectoryRecursive(td[i]);
-  }
-
-  let argss = [];
-  for (let i = 0; i < N; i++) {
-    let args = makeArgsArangod(options, appDir);
-    args["server.endpoint"] = endpoints[i];
-    args["database.directory"] = td[i];
-    args["log.file"] = fs.join(tmpDataDir, "log" + ports[i]);
-    args["agency.id"] = String(i);
-    args["agency.size"] = String(N);
-
-    if (protocol === "ssl") {
-      args["server.keyfile"] = fs.join("UnitTests", "server.pem");
-    }
-
-    args = _.extend(args, options.extraArgs);
-
-    if (addArgs !== undefined) {
-      args = _.extend(args, addArgs);
-    }
-
-    if (i === N - 1) {
-      let l = [];
-      for (let j = 0; j < N; j++) {
-        l.push("--agency.endpoint");
-        l.push(endpoints[j]);
-      }
-      l.push("--agency.notify");
-      l.push("true");
-      
-      args["flatCommands"] = l;
-    }
-    argss.push(args);
-  }
-
-  instanceInfo.pids = [];
-  for (let i = 0; i < N; i++) {
-    instanceInfo.pids[i] = executeValgrind(ARANGOD_BIN, toArgv(argss[i]), options, testname);
-  }
-
-  return true;
-}
-
-function startInstanceSingleServer(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
-  addArgs, testname, appDir, tmpDataDir) {
-  let args = makeArgsArangod(options, appDir);
+function startArango(protocol, options, addArgs, name, rootDir) {
+  const dataDir = fs.join(rootDir, "data");
+  const appDir = fs.join(rootDir, "apps");
   
+  fs.makeDirectoryRecursive(dataDir);
+  fs.makeDirectoryRecursive(appDir);
+
+  let args = makeArgsArangod(options, appDir);
   let endpoint;
   let port;
   if (!addArgs["server.endpoint"]) {
@@ -1708,15 +1277,14 @@ function startInstanceSingleServer(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
     endpoint = addArgs["server.endpoint"];
     port = endpoint.split(":").pop();
   }
+  let instanceInfo = {};
   instanceInfo.port = port;
   instanceInfo.endpoint = endpoint;
-
-  let td = fs.join(tmpDataDir, "data");
-  fs.makeDirectoryRecursive(td);
+  instanceInfo.rootDir = rootDir;
 
   args["server.endpoint"] = endpoint;
-  args["database.directory"] = td;
-  args["log.file"] = fs.join(tmpDataDir, "log");
+  args["database.directory"] = dataDir;
+  args["log.file"] = fs.join(rootDir, "log");
 
   if (protocol === "ssl") {
     args["server.keyfile"] = fs.join("UnitTests", "server.pem");
@@ -1727,67 +1295,16 @@ function startInstanceSingleServer(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
   if (addArgs !== undefined) {
     args = _.extend(args, addArgs);
   }
-  instanceInfo.pid = executeValgrind(ARANGOD_BIN, toArgv(args), options, testname);
-
-  return true;
-}
-
-function startInstance(protocol, options, addArgs, testname, tmpDir) {
+  instanceInfo.url = endpointToURL(instanceInfo.endpoint);
+  
   const startTime = time();
+  instanceInfo.pid = executeValgrind(ARANGOD_BIN, toArgv(args), options, name).pid;
 
-  let instanceInfo = {};
-  instanceInfo.topDir = TOP_DIR;
-
-  // create temporary directories
-  instanceInfo.flatTmpDataDir = tmpDir || fs.getTempFile();
-
-  const tmpDataDir = fs.join(instanceInfo.flatTmpDataDir, testname);
-  const appDir = fs.join(tmpDataDir, "apps");
-
-  fs.makeDirectoryRecursive(tmpDataDir);
-  instanceInfo.tmpDataDir = tmpDataDir;
-
-  // startup in cluster mode
-  let res = false;
-
-  if (options.cluster) {
-    res = startInstanceCluster(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
-      addArgs, testname, appDir, tmpDataDir);
-  }
-
-  // agency testing mode
-  else if (options.agency) {
-    res = startInstanceAgency(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
-      addArgs, testname, appDir, tmpDataDir);
-  }
-
-  // single instance mode
-  else {
-    res = startInstanceSingleServer(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
-      addArgs, testname, appDir, tmpDataDir);
-  }
-
-  if (!res) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  // wait until the server/coordinator is up:
   let count = 0;
-
-  let url;
-  if (instanceInfo.endpoint !== undefined) {
-    url = endpointToURL(instanceInfo.endpoint);
-    instanceInfo.url = url;
-  } else {
-    instanceInfo.urls = instanceInfo.endpoints.map(endpointToURL);
-    url = instanceInfo.urls[instanceInfo.urls.length - 1];
-    instanceInfo.url = url;
-  }
-
   while (true) {
     wait(0.5, false);
 
-    const reply = download(url + "/_api/version", "", makeAuthorizationHeaders(options));
+    const reply = download(instanceInfo.url + "/_api/version", "", makeAuthorizationHeaders(options));
 
     if (!reply.error && reply.code === 200) {
       break;
@@ -1797,21 +1314,17 @@ function startInstance(protocol, options, addArgs, testname, tmpDir) {
 
     if (count % 60 === 0) {
       if (!checkInstanceAlive(instanceInfo, options)) {
-        print("startup failed! bailing out!");
-        return false;
+        throw new Error("startup failed! bailing out!");
       }
     }
   }
-
-  print("up and running in " + (time() - startTime) + " seconds");
-
-  if (!options.cluster && (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win')) {
+  if (platform.substr(0, 3) === 'win') {
     const procdumpArgs = [
       '-accepteula',
       '-e',
       '-ma',
-      instanceInfo.pid.pid,
-      fs.join(tmpDataDir, 'core.dmp')
+      instanceInfo.pid,
+      fs.join(rootDir, 'core.dmp')
     ];
 
     try {
@@ -1821,6 +1334,76 @@ function startInstance(protocol, options, addArgs, testname, tmpDir) {
       throw x;
     }
   }
+  print("up and running in " + (time() - startTime) + " seconds");
+  return instanceInfo;
+}
+
+function startInstanceAgency(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
+  addArgs, testname, rootDir) {
+
+  const N = options.agencySize;
+  const ports = [];
+  
+  for (let i = 0; i < N; i++) {
+    let instanceArgs = _.clone(addArgs);
+    instanceArgs["agency.id"] = String(i);
+    instanceArgs["agency.size"] = String(N);
+    
+    if (i === N - 1) {
+      let l = [];
+      for (let j = 0; j < N; j++) {
+        instanceInfo.arangods.forEach(arangod => {
+          l.push("--agency.endpoint");
+          l.push(arangod.endpoint);
+        });
+      }
+      l.push("--agency.notify");
+      l.push("true");
+      
+      instanceArgs["flatCommands"] = l;
+    }
+    let dir = fs.join(rootDir, 'agency-' + i);
+    fs.makeDirectoryRecursive(dir);
+
+    instanceInfo.arangods.push(startArango(protocol, options, instanceArgs, testname, rootDir));
+  }
+
+  instanceInfo.endpoint = instanceInfo.arangods[instanceInfo.arangods.length - 1].endpoint;
+  instanceInfo.url = instanceInfo.arangods[instanceInfo.arangods.length - 1].url;
+  print("Agency Endpoint: " + instanceInfo.endpoint);
+
+  return instanceInfo;
+}
+
+function startInstanceSingleServer(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
+  addArgs, testname, rootDir) {
+
+  instanceInfo.arangods.push(startArango(protocol, options, addArgs, testname, rootDir));
+  instanceInfo.endpoint = instanceInfo.arangods[instanceInfo.arangods.length - 1].endpoint;
+  instanceInfo.url = instanceInfo.arangods[instanceInfo.arangods.length - 1].url;
+
+  return instanceInfo;
+}
+
+function startInstance(protocol, options, addArgs, testname, tmpDir) {
+  let rootDir = fs.join(tmpDir || fs.getTempFile(), testname);
+  let instanceInfo = {rootDir, arangods: []};
+
+  try {
+    if (options.cluster) {
+      startInstanceCluster(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
+          addArgs, testname, rootDir);
+    } else if (options.agency) {
+      startInstanceAgency(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
+          addArgs, testname, rootDir);
+    } else {
+      startInstanceSingleServer(instanceInfo, protocol, options,
+            addArgs, testname, rootDir);
+    }
+  } catch (e) {
+    print(e, e.stack);
+    return false;
+  }
 
   return instanceInfo;
 }
diff --git a/js/client/tests/agency/agency-test.js b/js/client/tests/agency/agency-test.js
index ef55726a7e..318723b507 100644
--- a/js/client/tests/agency/agency-test.js
+++ b/js/client/tests/agency/agency-test.js
@@ -40,8 +40,9 @@ function agencyTestSuite () {
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief the agency servers
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
+  
   var agencyServers = ARGUMENTS;
+  console.log(Array.prototype.slice.call(ARGUMENTS));
   var whoseTurn = 0;    // used to do round robin on agencyServers
 
   var request = require("@arangodb/request");
diff --git a/lib/V8/v8-utils.cpp b/lib/V8/v8-utils.cpp
index 843145891a..2d933f2fe6 100644
--- a/lib/V8/v8-utils.cpp
+++ b/lib/V8/v8-utils.cpp
@@ -3298,29 +3298,21 @@ static void JS_ExecuteExternal(
 static void JS_StatusExternal(v8::FunctionCallbackInfo<v8::Value> const& args) {
   TRI_V8_TRY_CATCH_BEGIN(isolate);
   v8::HandleScope scope(isolate);
-  v8::Handle<v8::String> pidname = TRI_V8_ASCII_STRING("pid");
 
   // extract the arguments
-  if (args.Length() < 1 || args.Length() > 2 || !args[0]->IsObject()) {
+  if (args.Length() < 1 || args.Length() > 2) {
     TRI_V8_THROW_EXCEPTION_USAGE(
         "statusExternal(<external-identifier>[, <wait>])");
   }
 
-  v8::Handle<v8::Object> obj = v8::Handle<v8::Object>::Cast(args[0]);
-
-  if (!obj->Has(pidname)) {
-    TRI_V8_THROW_EXCEPTION_MESSAGE(TRI_ERROR_BAD_PARAMETER,
-                                   "statusExternal: pid must be given");
-  }
-
   TRI_external_id_t pid;
   memset(&pid, 0, sizeof(TRI_external_id_t));
 
 #ifndef _WIN32
   pid._pid =
-      static_cast<TRI_pid_t>(TRI_ObjectToUInt64(obj->Get(pidname), true));
+      static_cast<TRI_pid_t>(TRI_ObjectToUInt64(args[0], true));
 #else
-  pid._pid = static_cast<DWORD>(TRI_ObjectToUInt64(obj->Get(pidname), true));
+  pid._pid = static_cast<DWORD>(TRI_ObjectToUInt64(args[0], true));
 #endif
   bool wait = false;
   if (args.Length() == 2) {