diff --git a/tests/start-stop-agent b/tests/start-stop-agent
index ab47d8d9..e843ce5c 100755
--- a/tests/start-stop-agent
+++ b/tests/start-stop-agent
@@ -15,11 +15,12 @@ fi
 
 GPG_AGENT_INFO=
 export GPG_AGENT_INFO
+GPG_AGENT=$(which gpg-agent)
 
 token=$(echo "gpgme-$(pwd)" | tr ' ' '_')
 
 if [ "$1" = "--stop" ]; then
-  if [ "$(gpg-connect-agent getval\ $token /bye 2>/dev/null | head -1)" \
+  if [ "$(gpg-connect-agent --no-autostart getval\ $token /bye 2>/dev/null | head -1)" \
         != "D set" ]; then
     echo "gpg-agent not running" >&2
     exit 0
@@ -29,15 +30,16 @@ if [ "$1" = "--stop" ]; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
-if [ "$(gpg-connect-agent getval\ $token /bye 2>/dev/null | head -1)" \
+if [ "$(gpg-connect-agent --no-autostart getval\ $token /bye 2>/dev/null | head -1)" \
       = "D set" ]; then
   echo "gpg-agent already running" >&2
   exit 0
 fi
 
-echo "starting gpg-agent " >&2
-gpg-connect-agent putval\ $token\ set /bye >/dev/null 2>&1
-if [ "$(gpg-connect-agent getval\ $token /bye 2>/dev/null | head -1)" \
+echo "starting gpg-agent.." >&2
+
+gpg-connect-agent --agent-program="${GPG_AGENT}|--debug-quick-random" putval\ $token\ set /bye
+if [ $? -ne 0 -o "$(gpg-connect-agent getval\ $token /bye 2>/dev/null | head -1)" \
       != "D set" ]; then
   echo "error starting gpg-agent" >&2
   exit 1