diff --git a/features/interactive.feature b/features/interactive.feature
index 1ec6b3fb8..9cab7dc77 100644
--- a/features/interactive.feature
+++ b/features/interactive.feature
@@ -29,13 +29,11 @@ Feature: Interactive process control
       7
       """
 
-  @wip
-  Scenario: Filesystem checks
+  Scenario: Stop processes before checking for filesystem changes 
     See: http://github.com/aslakhellesoy/aruba/issues#issue/17 for context
 
     Given a directory named "rename_me"
     When I run "mv rename_me renamed" interactively
-    And sleep 1
     Then the following directories should exist:
       | renamed |
     And the following directories should not exist:
diff --git a/lib/aruba/api.rb b/lib/aruba/api.rb
index b36f4efd5..14944d1e7 100644
--- a/lib/aruba/api.rb
+++ b/lib/aruba/api.rb
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ def check_exact_file_content(file, exact_content)
     end
   
     def check_directory_presence(paths, expect_presence)
+      stop_processes!
+
       in_current_dir do
         paths.each do |path|
           if expect_presence
@@ -143,37 +145,46 @@ def install_gems(gemfile)
       end
     end
 
-    def run_simple(cmd, fail_on_error=true)
-      @last_exit_status = run(cmd) do |process|
-        announce_or_puts(process.stdout) if @announce_stdout
-        announce_or_puts(process.stderr) if @announce_stderr
-        process.stop
-      end
-
-      if(@last_exit_status != 0 && fail_on_error)
-        fail("Exit status was #{@last_exit_status}. Output:\n#{all_output}")
-      end
+    def processes
+      @processes ||= {}
     end
 
-    def run_interactive(cmd)
-      @interactive = run(cmd)
+    def stop_processes!
+      processes.each do |_, process|
+        process.stop
+      end
     end
 
     def run(cmd)
       cmd = detect_ruby(cmd)
-      @processes ||= {}
 
       in_current_dir do
         announce_or_puts("$ cd #{Dir.pwd}") if @announce_dir
         announce_or_puts("$ #{cmd}") if @announce_cmd
         
-        process = @processes[cmd] = Process.new(cmd)
+        process = processes[cmd] = Process.new(cmd)
         process.run!
 
         block_given? ? yield(process) : process
       end
     end
 
+    def run_simple(cmd, fail_on_error=true)
+      @last_exit_status = run(cmd) do |process|
+        announce_or_puts(process.stdout) if @announce_stdout
+        announce_or_puts(process.stderr) if @announce_stderr
+        process.stop
+      end
+
+      if(@last_exit_status != 0 && fail_on_error)
+        fail("Exit status was #{@last_exit_status}. Output:\n#{all_output}")
+      end
+    end
+
+    def run_interactive(cmd)
+      @interactive = run(cmd)
+    end
+
     def write_interactive(input)
       @interactive.stdin.write(input)
     end