diff --git a/python/examples/test_examples.py b/python/examples/test_examples.py
index dc074db82..eaed592be 100644
--- a/python/examples/test_examples.py
+++ b/python/examples/test_examples.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 
-import threading
 import pytest
 import py
 import echo_and_quit
@@ -18,56 +17,32 @@ def datadir():
 
 
 def test_echo_quit_plugin(acfactory):
-    bot_ac, bot_cfg = acfactory.get_online_config()
-
-    def run_bot():
-        print("*"*20 + " starting bot")
-        echo_and_quit.main([
-            "echo",
-            "--show-ffi",
-            "--db", bot_ac.db_path,
-            "--email", bot_cfg["addr"],
-            "--password", bot_cfg["mail_pw"],
-        ])
-
-    t = threading.Thread(target=run_bot)
-    t.start()
+    botproc = acfactory.run_bot_process(echo_and_quit)
 
     ac1 = acfactory.get_one_online_account()
-    bot_contact = ac1.create_contact(bot_cfg["addr"])
+    bot_contact = ac1.create_contact(botproc.addr)
     ch1 = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(bot_contact)
     ch1.send_text("hello")
     reply = ac1._evtracker.wait_next_incoming_message()
     assert "hello" in reply.text
     assert reply.chat == ch1
     ch1.send_text("/quit")
-    t.join()
+    botproc.wait()
 
 
-@pytest.mark.skip(reason="not implemented")
+@pytest.mark.skip(reason="botproc-matching not implementing")
 def test_group_tracking_plugin(acfactory):
-    bot_ac, bot_cfg = acfactory.get_online_config()
-
-    def run_bot():
-        print("*"*20 + " starting bot")
-        print("*"*20 + " bot_ac.dbpath", bot_ac.db_path)
-        group_tracking.main([
-            "group-tracking",
-            "--show-ffi", bot_ac.db_path,
-            "--db", bot_ac.db_path,
-            "--email", bot_cfg["addr"],
-            "--password", bot_cfg["mail_pw"],
-        ])
-
-    t = threading.Thread(target=run_bot)
-    t.setDaemon(1)
-    t.start()
+    botproc = acfactory.run_bot_process(group_tracking)
 
     ac1 = acfactory.get_one_online_account()
-    bot_contact = ac1.create_contact(bot_cfg["addr"])
-    ch1 = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(bot_contact)
+    bot_contact = ac1.create_contact(botproc.addr)
+    ch1 = ac1.create_group_chat("bot test group")
+    ch1.add_contact(bot_contact)
     ch1.send_text("hello")
     ch1.add_contact(ac1.create_contact("x@example.org"))
 
-    # XXX wait for bot to receive things
-    t.join()
+    botproc.fnmatch_lines("""
+        *member_added x@example.org*
+    """)
+
+    botproc.kill()
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/testplugin.py b/python/src/deltachat/testplugin.py
index 8bfebc4b2..c065cae0a 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/testplugin.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/testplugin.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 import os
 import sys
+import subprocess
 import pytest
 import requests
 import time
@@ -241,11 +242,40 @@ def acfactory(pytestconfig, tmpdir, request, session_liveconfig, datadir):
             ac.start()
             return ac
 
+        def run_bot_process(self, module):
+            fn = module.__file__
+
+            bot_ac, bot_cfg = self.get_online_config()
+
+            popen = subprocess.Popen([
+                sys.executable,
+                fn,
+                "--show-ffi",
+                "--db", bot_ac.db_path,
+                "--email", bot_cfg["addr"],
+                "--password", bot_cfg["mail_pw"],
+            ])
+            bot = BotProcess(popen, bot_cfg)
+            self._finalizers.append(bot.kill)
+            return bot
+
     am = AccountMaker()
     request.addfinalizer(am.finalize)
     return am
 
 
+class BotProcess:
+    def __init__(self, popen, bot_cfg):
+        self.popen = popen
+        self.addr = bot_cfg["addr"]
+
+    def kill(self):
+        self.popen.kill()
+
+    def wait(self, timeout=30):
+        self.popen.wait(timeout=timeout)
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def tmp_db_path(tmpdir):
     return tmpdir.join("test.db").strpath