diff --git a/test/functional/test_runner.py b/test/functional/test_runner.py
--- a/test/functional/test_runner.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_runner.py
@@ -341,6 +341,85 @@
     sys.exit(not all_passed)
 
 
+##
+# Define some helper functions we will need for threading.
+##
+
+def handle_message(message, running_jobs):
+    """
+    handle_message handles a single message from handle_test_cases
+    """
+    if isinstance(message, TestCase):
+        running_jobs.add(message.test_case)
+        print("{}{}{} started".format(BOLD[1], message.test_case, BOLD[0]))
+        return
+    if isinstance(message, TestResult):
+        test_result = message
+        running_jobs.remove(test_result.name)
+        test_results.append(test_result)
+        if test_result.status == "Passed":
+            print("%s%s%s passed, Duration: %s s" % (
+                BOLD[1], test_result.name, BOLD[0], test_result.time))
+        elif test_result.status == "Skipped":
+            print("%s%s%s skipped" %
+                  (BOLD[1], test_result.name, BOLD[0]))
+        else:
+            print("%s%s%s failed, Duration: %s s\n" %
+                  (BOLD[1], test_result.name, BOLD[0], test_result.time))
+            print(BOLD[1] + 'stdout:' + BOLD[0])
+            print(test_result.stdout)
+            print(BOLD[1] + 'stderr:' + BOLD[0])
+            print(test_result.stderr)
+        return
+    assert False, "we should not be here"
+
+
+def handle_update_messages():
+    """
+    handle_update_messages waits for messages to be sent from handle_test_cases via the
+    update_queue.  It serializes the results so we can print nice status update messages.
+    """
+    printed_status = False
+    running_jobs = set()
+    while True:
+        message = None
+        try:
+            message = update_queue.get(True, poll_timeout)
+            if message is None:
+                break
+            # We printed a status message, need to kick to the next line
+            # before printing more.
+            if printed_status:
+                print()
+                printed_status = False
+            handle_message(message, running_jobs)
+            update_queue.task_done()
+        except Empty as e:
+            if not on_ci():
+                print("Running jobs: {}".format(
+                    ", ".join(running_jobs)), end="\r")
+                sys.stdout.flush()
+                printed_status = True
+
+
+def handle_test_cases():
+    """
+    job_runner represents a single thread that is part of a worker pool.  
+    It waits for a test, then executes that test. 
+    It also reports start and result messages to handle_update_messages
+    """
+    while True:
+        test = job_queue.get()
+        if test is None:
+            break
+        # Signal that the test is starting to inform the poor waiting
+        # programmer
+        update_queue.put(test)
+        result = test.run(portseed_offset)
+        update_queue.put(result)
+        job_queue.task_done()
+
+
 def execute_test_processes(num_jobs, test_list, tests_dir, tmpdir, flags):
     update_queue = Queue()
     job_queue = Queue()
@@ -351,88 +430,6 @@
     # (625 is PORT_RANGE/MAX_NODES)
     portseed_offset = int(time.time() * 1000) % 625
 
-    ##
-    # Define some helper functions we will need for threading.
-    ##
-
-    def handle_message(message, running_jobs):
-        """
-        handle_message handles a single message from handle_test_cases
-        """
-        if isinstance(message, TestCase):
-            running_jobs.add(message.test_case)
-            print("{}{}{} started".format(BOLD[1], message.test_case, BOLD[0]))
-            return
-
-        if isinstance(message, TestResult):
-            test_result = message
-
-            running_jobs.remove(test_result.name)
-            test_results.append(test_result)
-
-            if test_result.status == "Passed":
-                print("%s%s%s passed, Duration: %s s" % (
-                    BOLD[1], test_result.name, BOLD[0], test_result.time))
-            elif test_result.status == "Skipped":
-                print("%s%s%s skipped" %
-                      (BOLD[1], test_result.name, BOLD[0]))
-            else:
-                print("%s%s%s failed, Duration: %s s\n" %
-                      (BOLD[1], test_result.name, BOLD[0], test_result.time))
-                print(BOLD[1] + 'stdout:' + BOLD[0])
-                print(test_result.stdout)
-                print(BOLD[1] + 'stderr:' + BOLD[0])
-                print(test_result.stderr)
-            return
-
-        assert False, "we should not be here"
-
-    def handle_update_messages():
-        """
-        handle_update_messages waits for messages to be sent from handle_test_cases via the
-        update_queue.  It serializes the results so we can print nice status update messages.
-        """
-        printed_status = False
-        running_jobs = set()
-
-        while True:
-            message = None
-            try:
-                message = update_queue.get(True, poll_timeout)
-                if message is None:
-                    break
-
-                # We printed a status message, need to kick to the next line
-                # before printing more.
-                if printed_status:
-                    print()
-                    printed_status = False
-
-                handle_message(message, running_jobs)
-                update_queue.task_done()
-            except Empty as e:
-                if not on_ci():
-                    print("Running jobs: {}".format(", ".join(running_jobs)), end="\r")
-                    sys.stdout.flush()
-                    printed_status = True
-
-    def handle_test_cases():
-        """
-        job_runner represents a single thread that is part of a worker pool.  
-        It waits for a test, then executes that test. 
-        It also reports start and result messages to handle_update_messages
-        """
-        while True:
-            test = job_queue.get()
-            if test is None:
-                break
-            # Signal that the test is starting to inform the poor waiting
-            # programmer
-            update_queue.put(test)
-            result = test.run(portseed_offset)
-            update_queue.put(result)
-            job_queue.task_done()
-
     ##
     # Setup our threads, and start sending tasks
     ##