diff --git a/lib/test.js b/lib/test.js
index d594ba46..50b95c42 100644
--- a/lib/test.js
+++ b/lib/test.js
@@ -39,21 +39,6 @@ var getTestArgs = function (name_, opts_, cb_) {
     return { name: name, opts: opts, cb: cb };
 };
 
-var runProgeny = function () {
-    var self = this;
-    if (this._progeny.length) {
-        var t = this._progeny.shift();
-        t.on('end', function () { runProgeny.call(self) });
-        nextTick(function () {
-            t.run();
-        });
-        return;
-    }
-    if (this.calledEnd || this._plan) {
-        this._end();
-    }
-};
-
 function Test (name_, opts_, cb_) {
     if (! (this instanceof Test)) {
         return new Test(name_, opts_, cb_);
@@ -120,11 +105,19 @@ Test.prototype.test = function (name, opts, cb) {
     this.emit('test', t);
     t.on('prerun', function () {
         self.assertCount++;
-    });
+    })
 
-    if (!this._pendingAsserts()) {
-        runProgeny.call(this);
+    if (!self._pendingAsserts()) {
+        nextTick(function () {
+            self._end();
+        });
     }
+
+    nextTick(function() {
+        if (!self._plan && self.pendingCount == self._progeny.length) {
+            self._end();
+        }
+    });
 };
 
 Test.prototype.comment = function (msg) {
@@ -139,19 +132,20 @@ Test.prototype.plan = function (n) {
     this.emit('plan', n);
 };
 
-Test.prototype.timeoutAfter = function (ms) {
+Test.prototype.timeoutAfter = function(ms) {
     if (!ms) throw new Error('timeoutAfter requires a timespan');
     var self = this;
-    var timeout = safeSetTimeout(function () {
+    var timeout = safeSetTimeout(function() {
         self.fail('test timed out after ' + ms + 'ms');
         self.end();
     }, ms);
-    this.once('end', function () {
+    this.once('end', function() {
         safeClearTimeout(timeout);
     });
 }
 
 Test.prototype.end = function (err) {
+    var self = this;
     if (arguments.length >= 1 && !!err) {
         this.ifError(err);
     }
@@ -160,10 +154,18 @@ Test.prototype.end = function (err) {
         this.fail('.end() called twice');
     }
     this.calledEnd = true;
-    runProgeny.call(this);
+    this._end();
 };
 
 Test.prototype._end = function (err) {
+    var self = this;
+    if (this._progeny.length) {
+        var t = this._progeny.shift();
+        t.on('end', function () { self._end() });
+        t.run();
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (!this.ended) this.emit('end');
     var pendingAsserts = this._pendingAsserts();
     if (!this._planError && this._plan !== undefined && pendingAsserts) {
@@ -298,7 +300,9 @@ Test.prototype._assert = function assert (ok, opts) {
         if (extra.exiting) {
             self._end();
         } else {
-            runProgeny.call(self);
+            nextTick(function () {
+                self._end();
+            });
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/test/add-subtest-async.js b/test/add-subtest-async.js
index efb89060..51a9d0b6 100644
--- a/test/add-subtest-async.js
+++ b/test/add-subtest-async.js
@@ -7,6 +7,5 @@ test('parent', function (t) {
             st.pass('child');
             st.end();
         });
-        t.end();
     }, 100);
 })
diff --git a/test/async_end.js b/test/async_end.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 2e47e60c..00000000
--- a/test/async_end.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-var test = require('../');
-
-test('async end', function (t) {
-    setTimeout(function () {
-        t.assert(!t.ended, '!t.ended');
-        t.end();
-    }, 200);
-});
-
-test('async end with subtest', function (t) {
-    setTimeout(function () {
-        t.assert(!t.ended, '!t.ended');
-        t.end();
-    }, 200);
-
-    t.test('subtest', function (g) {
-        g.assert(!t.ended, 'subtest !t.ended');
-        g.end();
-    });
-});
-
diff --git a/test/nested-sync-noplan-noend.js b/test/nested-sync-noplan-noend.js
index aeb920d1..42735a80 100644
--- a/test/nested-sync-noplan-noend.js
+++ b/test/nested-sync-noplan-noend.js
@@ -1,32 +1,25 @@
 var tape = require('../');
 var tap = require('tap');
 var concat = require('concat-stream');
-var stripFullStack = require('./common').stripFullStack;
 
 tap.test('nested sync test without plan or end', function (tt) {
     tt.plan(1);
 
     var test = tape.createHarness();
     var tc = function (rows) {
-        tt.same(stripFullStack(rows.toString('utf8')), [
+        tt.same(rows.toString('utf8'), [
             'TAP version 13',
             '# nested without plan or end',
-            'not ok 1 test timed out after 100ms',
-            '  ---',
-            '    operator: fail',
-            '    stack: |-',
-            '      Error: test timed out after 100ms',
-            '          [... stack stripped ...]',
-            '  ...',
             '# first',
-            'ok 2 should be truthy',
+            'ok 1 should be truthy',
             '# second',
-            'ok 3 should be truthy',
+            'ok 2 should be truthy',
             '',
-            '1..3',
-            '# tests 3',
+            '1..2',
+            '# tests 2',
             '# pass  2',
-            '# fail  1',
+            '',
+            '# ok'
         ].join('\n') + '\n');
     };
 
@@ -45,7 +38,6 @@ tap.test('nested sync test without plan or end', function (tt) {
                 q.end()
             }, 10);
         });
-
-        t.timeoutAfter(100);
     });
+
 });
diff --git a/test/nested_test_ordering.js b/test/nested_test_ordering.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 5abd4c3f..00000000
--- a/test/nested_test_ordering.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,98 +0,0 @@
-
-var tape = require('../');
-var tap = require('tap');
-var concat = require('concat-stream');
-
-var stripFullStack = require('./common').stripFullStack;
-
-tap.test('plan vs end: plan', function (tt) {
-    tt.plan(1);
-
-    var test = tape.createHarness();
-    test.createStream().pipe(concat(function (rows) {
-        tt.same(rows.toString('utf8'), [
-            'TAP version 13',
-            '# first',
-            'ok 1 first test',
-            'ok 2 t not ended',
-            'ok 3 t has progeny',
-            '# second',
-            'ok 4 second test',
-            '# third',
-            'ok 5 third test',
-            '',
-            '1..5',
-            '# tests 5',
-            '# pass  5',
-            '',
-            '# ok'
-        ].join('\n') + '\n');
-    }));
-
-    test('first', function (t) {
-        t.plan(4);
-        setTimeout(function () {
-            t.ok(1, 'first test');
-            t.ok(!t.ended, 't not ended');
-            t.ok(t._progeny.length, 't has progeny');
-        }, 200);
-
-        t.test('second', function (t) {
-            t.plan(1);
-            t.ok(1, 'second test');
-        });
-    });
-
-    test('third', function (t) {
-        t.plan(1);
-        setTimeout(function () {
-            t.ok(1, 'third test');
-        }, 100);
-    });
-});
-
-tap.test('plan vs end: end', function (tt) {
-    tt.plan(1);
-
-    var test = tape.createHarness();
-    test.createStream().pipe(concat(function (rows) {
-        tt.same(rows.toString('utf8'), [
-            'TAP version 13',
-            '# first',
-            'ok 1 first test',
-            'ok 2 t not ended',
-            'ok 3 t has progeny',
-            '# second',
-            'ok 4 second test',
-            '# third',
-            'ok 5 third test',
-            '',
-            '1..5',
-            '# tests 5',
-            '# pass  5',
-            '',
-            '# ok'
-        ].join('\n') + '\n');
-    }));
-
-    test('first', function (t) {
-        setTimeout(function () {
-            t.ok(1, 'first test');
-            t.ok(!t.ended, 't not ended');
-            t.ok(t._progeny.length, 't has progeny');
-            t.end();
-        }, 200);
-
-        t.test('second', function (t) {
-            t.ok(1, 'second test');
-            t.end();
-        });
-    });
-
-    test('third', function (t) {
-        setTimeout(function () {
-            t.ok(1, 'third test');
-            t.end();
-        }, 100);
-    });
-});