diff --git a/nodepool/stats.py b/nodepool/stats.py
index b9464f12f..bdb27c18f 100755
--- a/nodepool/stats.py
+++ b/nodepool/stats.py
@@ -79,9 +79,11 @@ class StatsReporter(object):
             keys.append('nodepool.launch.requestor.%s.%s' %
                         (requestor, subkey))
 
+        pipeline = self._statsd.pipeline()
         for key in keys:
-            self._statsd.timing(key, dt)
-            self._statsd.incr(key)
+            pipeline.timing(key, dt)
+            pipeline.incr(key)
+        pipeline.send()
 
     def updateNodeStats(self, zk_conn, provider):
         '''
@@ -123,11 +125,13 @@ class StatsReporter(object):
             else:
                 states[key] = 1
 
+        pipeline = self._statsd.pipeline()
         for key, count in states.items():
-            self._statsd.gauge(key, count)
+            pipeline.gauge(key, count)
 
         # nodepool.provider.PROVIDER.max_servers
         key = 'nodepool.provider.%s.max_servers' % provider.name
         max_servers = sum([p.max_servers for p in provider.pools.values()
                            if p.max_servers])
-        self._statsd.gauge(key, max_servers)
+        pipeline.gauge(key, max_servers)
+        pipeline.send()
diff --git a/nodepool/tests/__init__.py b/nodepool/tests/__init__.py
index 6cae2fc16..8ad99671d 100644
--- a/nodepool/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/nodepool/tests/__init__.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 """Common utilities used in testing"""
 
 import glob
+import itertools
 import logging
 import os
 import random
@@ -235,19 +236,63 @@ class BaseTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
             time.sleep(0.1)
 
     def assertReportedStat(self, key, value=None, kind=None):
+        """Check statsd output
+
+        Check statsd return values.  A ``value`` should specify a
+        ``kind``, however a ``kind`` may be specified without a
+        ``value`` for a generic match.  Leave both empy to just check
+        for key presence.
+
+        :arg str key: The statsd key
+        :arg str value: The expected value of the metric ``key``
+        :arg str kind: The expected type of the metric ``key``  For example
+
+          - ``c`` counter
+          - ``g`` gauge
+          - ``ms`` timing
+          - ``s`` set
+        """
+
+        if value:
+            self.assertNotEqual(kind, None)
+
         start = time.time()
         while time.time() < (start + 5):
-            for stat in self.statsd.stats:
-                k, v = stat.decode('utf8').split(':')
+            # Note our fake statsd just queues up results in a queue.
+            # We just keep going through them until we find one that
+            # matches, or fail out.  If statsd pipelines are used,
+            # large single packets are sent with stats separated by
+            # newlines; thus we first flatten the stats out into
+            # single entries.
+            stats = itertools.chain.from_iterable(
+                [s.decode('utf-8').split('\n') for s in self.statsd.stats])
+            for stat in stats:
+                k, v = stat.split(':')
                 if key == k:
-                    if value is None and kind is None:
-                        return
-                    elif value:
-                        if value == v:
-                            return
-                    elif kind:
-                        if v.endswith('|' + kind):
-                            return
+                    if kind is None:
+                        # key with no qualifiers is found
+                        return True
+
+                    s_value, s_kind = v.split('|')
+
+                    # if no kind match, look for other keys
+                    if kind != s_kind:
+                        continue
+
+                    if value:
+                        # special-case value|ms because statsd can turn
+                        # timing results into float of indeterminate
+                        # length, hence foiling string matching.
+                        if kind == 'ms':
+                            if float(value) == float(s_value):
+                                return True
+                        if value == s_value:
+                            return True
+                        # otherwise keep looking for other matches
+                        continue
+
+                    # this key matches
+                    return True
             time.sleep(0.1)
 
         raise Exception("Key %s not found in reported stats" % key)
diff --git a/nodepool/tests/test_launcher.py b/nodepool/tests/test_launcher.py
index 92c60d2d7..4b8981748 100644
--- a/nodepool/tests/test_launcher.py
+++ b/nodepool/tests/test_launcher.py
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ class TestLauncher(tests.DBTestCase):
         )
         self.zk.deleteNodeRequest(req)
         self.waitForNodeRequestLockDeletion(req.id)
-        self.assertReportedStat('nodepool.nodes.ready', '1|g')
-        self.assertReportedStat('nodepool.nodes.building', '0|g')
+        self.assertReportedStat('nodepool.nodes.ready', value='1', kind='g')
+        self.assertReportedStat('nodepool.nodes.building', value='0', kind='g')
 
     def test_node_assignment_order(self):
         """Test that nodes are assigned in the order requested"""