diff --git a/alloy.py b/alloy.py
index 7ae972b4..6b55f85b 100755
--- a/alloy.py
+++ b/alloy.py
@@ -353,8 +353,12 @@ def validation_run(only, only_targets, reference_branch, number, notify, update,
         else:
             common.check_tools(1)
         if only_targets != "":
+            only_targets += " "
+            only_targets = only_targets.replace("generic "," generic-4 generic-16 ")
             only_targets_t = only_targets.split(" ")
             for i in only_targets_t:
+                if i == "":
+                    continue
                 err = True
                 for j in range(0,len(targets_t)):
                     if i in targets_t[j]:
diff --git a/common.py b/common.py
index 19d09e4d..be3e9526 100644
--- a/common.py
+++ b/common.py
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ def print_debug(line, silent, filename):
         sys.stdout.write(line)
         sys.stdout.flush()
         if os.environ.get("ISPC_HOME") != None:
-            write_to_file(os.environ["ISPC_HOME"] + os.sep + "notify_log.log", line)
+            if os.path.exists(os.environ.get("ISPC_HOME")):
+                write_to_file(os.environ["ISPC_HOME"] + os.sep + "notify_log.log", line)
     if filename != "":
         write_to_file(filename, line)
 
diff --git a/run_tests.py b/run_tests.py
index abc9b656..7b2f5f29 100755
--- a/run_tests.py
+++ b/run_tests.py
@@ -332,8 +332,6 @@ def run_tasks_from_queue(queue, queue_ret, queue_skip, total_tests_arg, max_test
             skip_files += [ filename ]
 
 
-task_threads = []
-
 def sigint(signum, frame):
     for t in task_threads:
         t.terminate()
@@ -423,6 +421,8 @@ def file_check(compfails, runfails):
         for i in range (0,len(new_compfails)):
             new_f_lines.append(new_compfails[i] + " compfail " + new_line)
             print_debug("\t" + new_compfails[i] + "\n", s, run_tests_log)
+    if len(new_runfails) == 0 and len(new_compfails) == 0:
+        print_debug("No new fails\n", s, run_tests_log)
     if len(new_passes_runfails) != 0:
         print_debug("NEW PASSES after RUNFAILS:\n", s, run_tests_log)
         for i in range (0,len(new_passes_runfails)):
@@ -561,7 +561,6 @@ def run_tests(options1, args, print_version):
     # failing_tests/, and tests_errors/
     if len(args) == 0:
         files = glob.glob(ispc_root + os.sep + "tests" + os.sep + "*ispc") + \
-            glob.glob(ispc_root + os.sep + "failing_tests" + os.sep + "*ispc") + \
             glob.glob(ispc_root + os.sep + "tests_errors" + os.sep + "*ispc")
     else:
         if is_windows:
@@ -622,12 +621,12 @@ def run_tests(options1, args, print_version):
     start_time = time.time()
     # launch jobs to run tests
     glob_var = [is_windows, options, s, ispc_exe, is_generic_target, run_tests_log]
+    global task_threads
+    task_threads = [0] * nthreads
     for x in range(nthreads):
-        t = multiprocessing.Process(target=run_tasks_from_queue, args=(q, qret, qskip, total_tests,
+        task_threads[x] = multiprocessing.Process(target=run_tasks_from_queue, args=(q, qret, qskip, total_tests,
             max_test_length, finished_tests_counter, finished_tests_counter_lock, glob_var))
-        task_threads.append(t)
-        t.start()
-
+        task_threads[x].start()
     # wait for them to all finish and then return the number that failed
     # (i.e. return 0 if all is ok)
     for t in task_threads:
@@ -660,6 +659,8 @@ def run_tests(options1, args, print_version):
         print_debug("%d / %d tests FAILED execution:\n" % (len(run_error_files), total_tests), s, run_tests_log)
         for f in run_error_files:
             print_debug("\t%s\n" % f, s, run_tests_log)
+    if len(compile_error_files) == 0 and len(run_error_files) == 0:
+        print_debug("No fails\n", s, run_tests_log)
 
     R = file_check(compile_error_files, run_error_files)