diff --git a/IPython/zmq/parallel/client.py b/IPython/zmq/parallel/client.py
index 30ddee20942..7353d97b846 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/parallel/client.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/parallel/client.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 import os
 import time
+from getpass import getpass
 from pprint import pprint
 
 import zmq
@@ -86,7 +87,29 @@ def remote_function(f):
 #--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 class RemoteFunction(object):
-    """Turn an existing function into a remote function"""
+    """Turn an existing function into a remote function.
+    
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    
+    client : Client instance
+        The client to be used to connect to engines
+    f : callable
+        The function to be wrapped into a remote function
+    bound : bool [default: False]
+        Whether the affect the remote namespace when called
+    block : bool [default: None]
+        Whether to wait for results or not.  The default behavior is
+        to use the current `block` attribute of `client`
+    targets : valid target list [default: all]
+        The targets on which to execute.
+    """
+    
+    client = None # the remote connection
+    func = None # the wrapped function
+    block = None # whether to block
+    bound = None # whether to affect the namespace
+    targets = None # where to execute
     
     def __init__(self, client, f, bound=False, block=None, targets=None):
         self.client = client
@@ -106,6 +129,7 @@ def __init__(self, msg_id):
         self.msg_id = msg_id
 
 class ControllerError(Exception):
+    """Exception Class for errors in the controller (not the Engine)."""
     def __init__(self, etype, evalue, tb):
         self.etype = etype
         self.evalue = evalue
@@ -795,7 +819,7 @@ def pull(self, keys, targets=None, block=True):
         """Pull objects from `target`'s namespace by `keys`"""
         if isinstance(keys, str):
             pass
-        elif isistance(keys, (list,tuple,set)):
+        elif isinstance(keys, (list,tuple,set)):
             for key in keys:
                 if not isinstance(key, str):
                     raise TypeError
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/parallel/controller.py b/IPython/zmq/parallel/controller.py
index a7da3649f44..ab0fba37736 100755
--- a/IPython/zmq/parallel/controller.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/parallel/controller.py
@@ -495,29 +495,30 @@ def save_task_request(self, idents, msg):
         client_id = idents[0]
         
         try:
-            msg = self.session.unpack_message(msg, content=False, copy=False)
+            msg = self.session.unpack_message(msg, content=False)
         except:
             logger.error("task::client %r sent invalid task message: %s"%(
                     client_id, msg), exc_info=True)
             return
-        rec = init_record(msg)
+        record = init_record(msg)
         if MongoDB is not None and isinstance(self.db, MongoDB):
             record['buffers'] = map(Binary, record['buffers'])
-        rec['client_uuid'] = client_id
-        rec['queue'] = 'task'
+        record['client_uuid'] = client_id
+        record['queue'] = 'task'
         header = msg['header']
         msg_id = header['msg_id']
         self.pending.add(msg_id)
-        self.db.add_record(msg_id, rec)
+        self.db.add_record(msg_id, record)
     
     def save_task_result(self, idents, msg):
         """save the result of a completed task."""
         client_id = idents[0]
         try:
-            msg = self.session.unpack_message(msg, content=False, copy=False)
+            msg = self.session.unpack_message(msg, content=False)
         except:
             logger.error("task::invalid task result message send to %r: %s"%(
                     client_id, msg))
+            raise
             return
         
         parent = msg['parent_header']
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/parallel/streamsession.py b/IPython/zmq/parallel/streamsession.py
index 2c6ee85cf02..dd8768af35e 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/parallel/streamsession.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/parallel/streamsession.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def wrap_exception():
     tb = traceback.format_exception(etype, evalue, tb)
     exc_content = {
         'status' : 'error',
-        'traceback' : tb.encode('utf8'),
+        'traceback' : [ line.encode('utf8') for line in tb ],
         'etype' : etype.encode('utf8'),
         'evalue' : evalue.encode('utf8')
     }