diff --git a/spec/notifier_application_spec.rb b/spec/notifier_application_spec.rb
index 2401772b1..8b2655546 100644
--- a/spec/notifier_application_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/notifier_application_spec.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
   it "should have a simple interface to start the notifier" do 
     options = { :notifiers => {},
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :persistence => {:backend => :mock_persistence_backend, 
                                    :basedir => File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'persistence')} }
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@
 
   it "should log when loading a notifier" do 
     options = { :notifiers => {:testmailer => {}}, 
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :notifier_directories => [File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__),'notifier-directories', 'spoons')],
                 :persistence => {:backend => :mock_persistence_backend, 
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@
 
   it "should warn if a specified notifier doesn't exist" do 
     options = { :notifiers => {:nonexistant => {}}, 
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :persistence => {:backend => :mock_persistence_backend, 
                                    :basedir => File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'persistence')} }
@@ -36,6 +39,7 @@
 
   it "should give precedence to notifiers in user-specified notifier directories" do 
     options = { :notifiers => {:testmailer => {}}, 
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :notifier_directories => [File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__),'notifier-directories', 'spoons')],
                 :persistence => {:backend => :mock_persistence_backend, 
@@ -50,6 +54,7 @@
 
   it "should setup recipients from a list" do
     options = { :notifiers => {},
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :recipients => [{:name => "Spoons McDoom"}],
                 :persistence => {:backend => :mock_persistence_backend, 
@@ -65,6 +70,7 @@
 
   it "should use beanstalkd as the default transport" do 
     options = { :notifiers => {}, 
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :persistence => {:backend => :mock_persistence_backend, 
                                    :basedir => File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'persistence')} }
@@ -74,6 +80,7 @@
 
   it "should use a transport as specified in options" do 
     options = { :notifiers => {},
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :transport => {:backend => :beanstalkd},
                 :persistence => {:backend => :mock_persistence_backend, 
@@ -84,6 +91,7 @@
 
   it "should error if the specified transport doesn't exist" do
     options = { :notifiers => {}, 
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :transport => {:backend => :nonexistant} }
     lambda {
@@ -100,6 +108,7 @@
     #
 
     options = { :notifiers => {}, 
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :transport => {:backend => :mock_transport, 
                                    :basedir => File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'transports')},
@@ -129,6 +138,7 @@
     #
 
     options = { :notifiers => {}, 
+                :filters => ['ok'],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :transport => {:backend => :mock_transport, 
                                    :basedir => File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'transports')},
@@ -158,6 +168,7 @@
     #
 
     options = { :notifiers => {}, 
+                :filters => ['any_parents_failed'],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :transport => {:backend => :mock_transport, 
                                    :basedir => File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'transports')},
@@ -188,6 +199,7 @@
 
   it "should load a persistence backend as specified in options" do 
     options = { :notifiers => {},
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :persistence => {:backend => :mock_persistence_backend, 
                                    :basedir => File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'persistence')} }
@@ -197,6 +209,7 @@
 
   it "should raise if the specified persistence backend doesn't exist" do
     options = { :notifiers => {}, 
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :persistence => {:backend => :nonexistant} }
     lambda {
diff --git a/spec/notifier_spec.rb b/spec/notifier_spec.rb
index 47bfb5c6d..3b205661d 100644
--- a/spec/notifier_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/notifier_spec.rb
@@ -13,12 +13,6 @@
     }.should raise_error(RuntimeError)
   end
   
-  it "should have a blank recipients list if none specified" do 
-    n = Flapjack::NotifierEngine.new(:log => MockLogger.new)
-    n.recipients.should_not be_nil
-    n.recipients.size.should == 0
-  end
-
   it "should warn if no notifiers have been specified" do 
     n = Flapjack::NotifierEngine.new(:log => MockLogger.new)
     n.log.messages.last.should =~ /no notifiers/
@@ -38,9 +32,10 @@
     result = Flapjack::Transport::Result.new(:result => {:check_id => 12345})
 
     n = Flapjack::NotifierEngine.new(:log => MockLogger.new, 
-                     :notifiers => [mock_notifier],
-                     :recipients => [OpenStruct.new({:name => "John Doe"})])
-    n.notify!(:result => result, :event => true)
+                                     :notifiers => [mock_notifier])
+    n.notify!(:result => result, 
+              :event => true, 
+              :recipients => [OpenStruct.new({:name => "John Doe"})])
   end
 
   it "should log notification on each notifier" do 
@@ -50,9 +45,10 @@
     result = Flapjack::Transport::Result.new(:result => {:check_id => 12345})
 
     n = Flapjack::NotifierEngine.new(:log => MockLogger.new, 
-                                     :notifiers => [mock_notifier],
-                                     :recipients => [OpenStruct.new({:name => "John Doe"})])
-    n.notify!(:result => result, :event => true)
+                                     :notifiers => [mock_notifier])
+    n.notify!(:result => result, 
+              :event => true,
+              :recipients => [OpenStruct.new({:name => "John Doe"})])
     n.log.messages.last.should =~ /12345/
     n.log.messages.last.should =~ /John Doe/
   end
diff --git a/spec/transports/beanstalkd_spec.rb b/spec/transports/beanstalkd_spec.rb
index 2fd7a2dee..41b902ad8 100644
--- a/spec/transports/beanstalkd_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/transports/beanstalkd_spec.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
         @beanstalk = Beanstalk::Connection.new('localhost:11300', 'results')
       rescue => e
         # give helpful error messages to people unfamiliar with the test suite
+        puts
         puts "You need to have an instance of beanstalkd running locally to run these tests!"
+        puts
         raise
       end
     }.should_not raise_error
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@
     end
 
     options = { :notifiers => {},
+                :filters => [],
                 :log => MockLogger.new,
                 :transport => {:backend => :beanstalkd},
                 :persistence => {:backend => :mock_persistence_backend,