diff --git a/test/startup_v2.py b/test/startup_v2.py
index a4faf56de..ea4e39c4c 100644
--- a/test/startup_v2.py
+++ b/test/startup_v2.py
@@ -7,73 +7,53 @@
 
 import BoostBuild
 import os
+import os.path
 import re
 
 
-def match_re(actual,expected):
-    return re.match(expected,actual,re.DOTALL) != None
+def match_re(actual, expected):
+    return re.match(expected, actual, re.DOTALL) != None
+
 
-# Test the v1 startup behavior.
 t = BoostBuild.Tester(match=match_re, boost_build_path='', pass_toolset=0)
-
 t.set_tree('startup')
 
-t.run_build_system(
-    status=1, stdout=r'''Unable to load Boost\.Build: could not find "boost-build.jam"
-.*Attempted search from .* up to the root''', match = match_re)
+t.run_build_system(status=1, stdout=
+r'''Unable to load Boost\.Build: could not find "boost-build\.jam"
+.*Attempted search from .* up to the root''')
 
-os.chdir('no-bootstrap1')
+t.run_build_system(status=1, subdir='no-bootstrap1',
+    stdout=r'''Unable to load Boost\.Build: could not find build system\.'''
+    r'''.*attempted to load the build system by invoking'''
+    r'''.*'boost-build ;'.*'''
+    r'''but we were unable to find "bootstrap\.jam"''')
 
-t.run_build_system(
-    status=1
-    , stdout=r'''Unable to load Boost\.Build: could not find build system\.'''
-    + r'''.*attempted to load the build system by invoking'''
-    + r'''.*'boost-build ;'.*'''
-    + r'''but we were unable to find "bootstrap\.jam"'''
-    )
+# Descend to a subdirectory which /does not/ contain a boost-build.jam file,
+# and try again to test the crawl-up behavior.
+t.run_build_system(status=1, subdir=os.path.join('no-bootstrap1', 'subdir'),
+    stdout=r'''Unable to load Boost\.Build: could not find build system\.'''
+    r'''.*attempted to load the build system by invoking'''
+    r'''.*'boost-build ;'.*'''
+    r'''but we were unable to find "bootstrap\.jam"''')
 
-# Descend to a subdirectory which /doesn't/ contain a boost-build.jam file, and
-# try again to test the crawl-up behavior.
-os.chdir('subdir')
+t.run_build_system(status=1, subdir='no-bootstrap2',
+    stdout=r'''Unable to load Boost\.Build: could not find build system\.'''
+    r'''.*attempted to load the build system by invoking'''
+    r'''.*'boost-build \. ;'.*'''
+    r'''but we were unable to find "bootstrap\.jam"''')
 
-t.run_build_system(
-    status=1
-    , stdout=r'''Unable to load Boost\.Build: could not find build system\.'''
-    + r'''.*attempted to load the build system by invoking'''
-    + r'''.*'boost-build ;'.*'''
-    + r'''but we were unable to find "bootstrap\.jam"'''
-    )
-
-os.chdir('../../no-bootstrap2')
-
-t.run_build_system(
-    status=1
-    , stdout=r'''Unable to load Boost\.Build: could not find build system\.'''
-    + r'''.*attempted to load the build system by invoking'''
-    + r'''.*'boost-build \. ;'.*'''
-    + r'''but we were unable to find "bootstrap\.jam"'''
-    )
-
-os.chdir('../no-bootstrap3')
-
-t.run_build_system(
-    status=1
-    , stdout=r'''Unable to load Boost.Build
-.*boost-build.jam" was found.*
-However, it failed to call the "boost-build" rule'''
-    )
+t.run_build_system(status=1, subdir='no-bootstrap3', stdout=
+r'''Unable to load Boost.Build
+.*boost-build\.jam" was found.*
+However, it failed to call the "boost-build" rule''')
 
 # Test bootstrapping based on BOOST_BUILD_PATH.
-os.chdir('../bootstrap-env')
-t.run_build_system(
-    extra_args = '-sBOOST_BUILD_PATH=../boost-root/build'
-    , stdout = 'build system bootstrapped'
-    )
+t.run_build_system(subdir='bootstrap-env',
+    extra_args='-sBOOST_BUILD_PATH=../boost-root/build',
+    stdout='build system bootstrapped')
 
 # Test bootstrapping based on an explicit path in boost-build.jam.
-os.chdir('../bootstrap-explicit')
-t.run_build_system(
-    stdout = 'build system bootstrapped'
-    )
+t.run_build_system(subdir='bootstrap-explicit',
+    stdout='build system bootstrapped')
 
 t.cleanup()