diff --git a/tests/test_notify.py b/tests/test_notify.py
index 2af77736..8793aa21 100755
--- a/tests/test_notify.py
+++ b/tests/test_notify.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from psycopg2 import extensions
 import time
 import select
 import signal
-from subprocess import Popen
+from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
 
 import sys
 if sys.version_info < (3,):
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import psycopg2
 import psycopg2.extensions
 conn = psycopg2.connect(%(dsn)r)
 conn.set_isolation_level(psycopg2.extensions.ISOLATION_LEVEL_AUTOCOMMIT)
+print conn.get_backend_pid()
 curs = conn.cursor()
 curs.execute("NOTIFY " %(name)r)
 curs.close()
@@ -50,22 +51,24 @@ conn.close()
 """
             % { 'dsn': tests.dsn, 'sec': sec, 'name': name})
 
-        return Popen([sys.executable, '-c', script])
+        return Popen([sys.executable, '-c', script], stdout=PIPE)
 
     def test_notifies_received_on_poll(self):
         self.autocommit(self.conn)
         self.listen('foo')
 
-        self.notify('foo', 1);
+        proc = self.notify('foo', 1)
 
         t0 = time.time()
         ready = select.select([self.conn], [], [], 5)
         t1 = time.time()
         self.assert_(0.99 < t1 - t0 < 4, t1 - t0)
 
+        pid = int(proc.communicate()[0])
         self.assertEqual(0, len(self.conn.notifies))
         self.assertEqual(extensions.POLL_OK, self.conn.poll())
         self.assertEqual(1, len(self.conn.notifies))
+        self.assertEqual(pid, self.conn.notifies[0][0])
         self.assertEqual('foo', self.conn.notifies[0][1])
 
     def test_many_notifies(self):
@@ -73,23 +76,27 @@ conn.close()
         for name in ['foo', 'bar', 'baz']:
             self.listen(name)
 
+        pids = {}
         for name in ['foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'qux']:
-            self.notify(name).wait()
+            pids[name] = int(self.notify(name).communicate()[0])
 
         self.assertEqual(0, len(self.conn.notifies))
         self.assertEqual(extensions.POLL_OK, self.conn.poll())
         self.assertEqual(3, len(self.conn.notifies))
-        names = [n[1] for n in self.conn.notifies]
-        for name in ['foo', 'bar', 'baz']:
-            self.assert_(name in names, name)
+
+        names = dict.fromkeys(['foo', 'bar', 'baz'])
+        for (pid, name) in self.conn.notifies:
+            self.assertEqual(pids[name], pid)
+            names.pop(name) # raise if name found twice
 
     def test_notifies_received_on_execute(self):
         self.autocommit(self.conn)
         self.listen('foo')
-        self.notify('foo').wait()
+        pid = int(self.notify('foo').communicate()[0])
         self.assertEqual(0, len(self.conn.notifies))
         self.conn.cursor().execute('select 1;')
         self.assertEqual(1, len(self.conn.notifies))
+        self.assertEqual(pid, self.conn.notifies[0][0])
         self.assertEqual('foo', self.conn.notifies[0][1])
 
 def test_suite():