diff --git a/openstack/common/service.py b/openstack/common/service.py
index e929462b1..f7e6f8b95 100644
--- a/openstack/common/service.py
+++ b/openstack/common/service.py
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class ServiceLauncher(Launcher):
     def handle_signal(self):
         _set_signals_handler(self._handle_signal)
 
-    def _wait_for_exit_or_signal(self):
+    def _wait_for_exit_or_signal(self, ready_callback=None):
         status = None
         signo = 0
 
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ class ServiceLauncher(Launcher):
         CONF.log_opt_values(LOG, std_logging.DEBUG)
 
         try:
+            if ready_callback:
+                ready_callback()
             super(ServiceLauncher, self).wait()
         except SignalExit as exc:
             signame = _signo_to_signame(exc.signo)
@@ -156,10 +158,10 @@ class ServiceLauncher(Launcher):
 
         return status, signo
 
-    def wait(self):
+    def wait(self, ready_callback=None):
         while True:
             self.handle_signal()
-            status, signo = self._wait_for_exit_or_signal()
+            status, signo = self._wait_for_exit_or_signal(ready_callback)
             if not _is_sighup(signo):
                 return status
             self.restart()
diff --git a/tests/unit/deprecated/test_wsgi.py b/tests/unit/deprecated/test_wsgi.py
index a3076d170..f5975e88b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/deprecated/test_wsgi.py
+++ b/tests/unit/deprecated/test_wsgi.py
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ class ServerTest(test.BaseTestCase):
 class WSGIServerTest(test.BaseTestCase):
 
     def test_pool(self):
-        server = wsgi.Service('fake', 9000)
+        server = wsgi.Service('fake', 9001)
         self.assertTrue(server.tg)
         self.assertTrue(server.tg.pool)
         self.assertEqual(server.tg.pool.free(), 1000)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_service.py b/tests/unit/test_service.py
index 134b506c9..4a1a9baa5 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_service.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_service.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 import errno
 import eventlet
 import mox
+import multiprocessing
 import os
 import signal
 import socket
@@ -230,17 +231,8 @@ class ServiceLauncherTest(ServiceTestBase):
 
 class ServiceRestartTest(ServiceTestBase):
 
-    def _check_process_alive(self):
-        f = os.popen('ps ax -o pid,stat,cmd')
-        f.readline()
-        pid_stat = [tuple(p for p in line.strip().split()[:2])
-                    for line in f.readlines()]
-        for p, stat in pid_stat:
-            if int(p) == self.pid:
-                return stat not in ['Z', 'T', 'Z+']
-        return False
-
     def _spawn_service(self):
+        ready_event = multiprocessing.Event()
         pid = os.fork()
         status = 0
         if pid == 0:
@@ -248,33 +240,30 @@ class ServiceRestartTest(ServiceTestBase):
                 serv = ServiceWithTimer()
                 launcher = service.ServiceLauncher()
                 launcher.launch_service(serv)
-                launcher.wait()
+                launcher.wait(ready_callback=ready_event.set)
             except SystemExit as exc:
                 status = exc.code
             os._exit(status)
         self.pid = pid
+        return ready_event
 
     def test_service_restart(self):
-        self._spawn_service()
+        ready = self._spawn_service()
 
-        cond = self._check_process_alive
         timeout = 5
-        self._wait(cond, timeout)
-
-        ret = self._check_process_alive()
-        self.assertTrue(ret)
+        ready.wait(timeout)
+        self.assertTrue(ready.is_set(), 'Service never became ready')
+        ready.clear()
 
         os.kill(self.pid, signal.SIGHUP)
-        self._wait(cond, timeout)
-
-        ret_restart = self._check_process_alive()
-        self.assertTrue(ret_restart)
+        ready.wait(timeout)
+        self.assertTrue(ready.is_set(), 'Service never back after SIGHUP')
 
     def test_terminate_sigterm(self):
-        self._spawn_service()
-        cond = self._check_process_alive
+        ready = self._spawn_service()
         timeout = 5
-        self._wait(cond, timeout)
+        ready.wait(timeout)
+        self.assertTrue(ready.is_set(), 'Service never became ready')
 
         os.kill(self.pid, signal.SIGTERM)