diff --git a/src/MQTT.jl b/src/MQTT.jl
index 0c87a8a..5535be6 100644
--- a/src/MQTT.jl
+++ b/src/MQTT.jl
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 module MQTT
 
-import Base: connect, ReentrantLock, lock, unlock
-using Base.Threads, Base.Dates
+import Base: ReentrantLock, lock, unlock
+import Sockets: connect
+
+using Base.Threads
+using Dates
+using Distributed
+using Random
+using Sockets
 
 include("utils.jl")
 include("client.jl")
diff --git a/src/client.jl b/src/client.jl
index f268073..a367479 100644
--- a/src/client.jl
+++ b/src/client.jl
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@ struct Message
     payload::Array{UInt8}
 
     function Message(qos::QOS, topic::String, payload...)
-        return Message(false, convert(UInt8, qos), false, topic, payload...)
+        return Message(false, UInt8(qos), false, topic, payload...)
     end
 
     function Message(dup::Bool, qos::QOS, retain::Bool, topic::String, payload...)
-        return Message(dup, convert(UInt8, qos), retain, topic, payload...)
+        return Message(dup, UInt8(qos), retain, topic, payload...)
     end
 
     function Message(dup::Bool, qos::UInt8, retain::Bool, topic::String, payload...)
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ function handle_publish(client::Client, s::IO, cmd::UInt8, flags::UInt8)
     end
 
     payload = take!(s)
-    @schedule client.on_msg(topic, payload)
+    @async client.on_msg(topic, payload)
 end
 
 function handle_ack(client::Client, s::IO, cmd::UInt8, flags::UInt8)
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ function keep_alive_loop(client::Client)
     else
       check_interval = client.keep_alive / 2
     end
-    timer = Timer(0, check_interval)
+    timer = Timer(0, interval = check_interval)
 
     while true
       if time() - client.last_sent[] >= client.keep_alive || time() - client.last_received[] >= client.keep_alive
@@ -339,14 +339,14 @@ end
        will::Message=Message(false, 0x00, false, "", Array{UInt8}()),
        clean_session::Bool=true)
 
-Connects the `Client` instance to the specified broker. 
+Connects the `Client` instance to the specified broker.
 Returns a `Future` object that contains a session_present bit from the broker on success and an exception on failure.
 
 # Arguments
 - `keep_alive::Int64=0`: Time in seconds to wait before sending a ping to the broker if no other packets are being sent or received.
 - `client_id::String=randstring(8)`: The id of the client.
 - `user::User=User("", "")`: The MQTT authentication.
-- `will::Message=Message(false, 0x00, false, "", Array{UInt8}())`: The MQTT will to send to all other clients when this client disconnects.  
+- `will::Message=Message(false, 0x00, false, "", Array{UInt8}())`: The MQTT will to send to all other clients when this client disconnects.
 - `clean_session::Bool=true`: Flag to resume a session with the broker if present.
 """
 function connect_async(client::Client, host::AbstractString, port::Integer=1883;
@@ -363,11 +363,11 @@ function connect_async(client::Client, host::AbstractString, port::Integer=1883;
         error("Could not convert keep_alive to UInt16")
     end
     client.socket = connect(host, port)
-    @schedule write_loop(client)
-    @schedule read_loop(client)
+    @async write_loop(client)
+    @async read_loop(client)
 
     if client.keep_alive > 0x0000
-      @schedule keep_alive_loop(client)
+      @async keep_alive_loop(client)
     end
 
     #TODO reset client on clean_session = true
@@ -415,22 +415,24 @@ end
         will::Message=Message(false, 0x00, false, "", Array{UInt8}()),
         clean_session::Bool=true)
 
-Connects the `Client` instance to the specified broker. 
+Connects the `Client` instance to the specified broker.
 Waits until the connect is done. Returns the session_present bit from the broker on success and an exception on failure.
 
 # Arguments
 - `keep_alive::Int64=0`: Time in seconds to wait before sending a ping to the broker if no other packets are being sent or received.
 - `client_id::String=randstring(8)`: The id of the client.
 - `user::User=User("", "")`: The MQTT authentication.
-- `will::Message=Message(false, 0x00, false, "", Array{UInt8}())`: The MQTT will to send to all other clients when this client disconnects.  
+- `will::Message=Message(false, 0x00, false, "", Array{UInt8}())`: The MQTT will to send to all other clients when this client disconnects.
 - `clean_session::Bool=true`: Flag to resume a session with the broker if present.
 """
 connect(client::Client, host::AbstractString, port::Integer=1883;
-keep_alive::Int64=0,
-client_id::String=randstring(8),
-user::User=User("", ""),
-will::Message=Message(false, 0x00, false, "", Array{UInt8}()),
-clean_session::Bool=true) = get(connect_async(client, host, port, keep_alive=keep_alive, client_id=client_id, user=user, will=will, clean_session=clean_session))
+        keep_alive::Int64=0,
+        client_id::String=randstring(8),
+        user::User=User("", ""),
+        will::Message=Message(false, 0x00, false, "", Array{UInt8}(undef)),
+        clean_session::Bool=true) =
+    get(connect_async(client, host, port, keep_alive=keep_alive, client_id=client_id,
+                      user=user, will=will, clean_session=clean_session))
 
 """
     disconnect(client::Client)
@@ -466,7 +468,7 @@ end
 """
     subscribe(client::Client, topics::Tuple{String, QOS}...)
 
-Waits until the subscribe is fully acknowledged. Returns the actually received QOS levels for each topic on success. 
+Waits until the subscribe is fully acknowledged. Returns the actually received QOS levels for each topic on success.
 Contains an exception on failure.
 """
 subscribe(client::Client, topics::Tuple{String, QOS}...) = get(subscribe_async(client, topics...))
@@ -475,7 +477,7 @@ subscribe(client::Client, topics::Tuple{String, QOS}...) = get(subscribe_async(c
     unsubscribe_async(client::Client, topics::String...)
 
 Unsubscribes the `Client` instance from the supplied topic names.
-Returns a `Future` object that contains `nothing` on success and an exception on failure. 
+Returns a `Future` object that contains `nothing` on success and an exception on failure.
 """
 function unsubscribe_async(client::Client, topics::String...)
     future = Future()
@@ -487,7 +489,7 @@ function unsubscribe_async(client::Client, topics::String...)
 end
 
 """
-    unsubscribe(client::Client, topics::String...) 
+    unsubscribe(client::Client, topics::String...)
 
 Unsubscribes the `Client` instance from the supplied topic names.
 Waits until the unsubscribe is fully acknowledged. Returns `nothing` on success and an exception on failure.
@@ -497,7 +499,7 @@ unsubscribe(client::Client, topics::String...) = get(unsubscribe_async(client, t
 """
    publish_async(client::Client, message::Message)
 
-Publishes the message. Returns a `Future` object that contains `nothing` on success and an exception on failure. 
+Publishes the message. Returns a `Future` object that contains `nothing` on success and an exception on failure.
 """
 function publish_async(client::Client, message::Message)
     future = Future()
@@ -524,12 +526,11 @@ end
        qos::QOS=QOS_0,
        retain::Bool=false)
 
-Pulishes a message with the specified parameters. Returns a `Future` object that contains `nothing` on success and an exception on failure.  
+Pulishes a message with the specified parameters. Returns a `Future` object that contains `nothing` on success and an exception on failure.
 """
 publish_async(client::Client, topic::String, payload...;
-    dup::Bool=false,
-    qos::QOS=QOS_0,
-    retain::Bool=false) = publish_async(client, Message(dup, convert(UInt8, qos), retain, topic, payload...))
+              dup::Bool=false, qos::QOS=QOS_0, retain::Bool=false) =
+    publish_async(client, Message(dup, UInt8(qos), retain, topic, payload...))
 
 """
    publish(client::Client, topic::String, payload...;
@@ -547,7 +548,7 @@ publish(client::Client, topic::String, payload...;
 # Helper method to check if it is possible to subscribe to a topic
 function filter_wildcard_len_check(sub)
     #Regex: matches any valid topic, + and # are not in allowed in strings, + is only allowed as a single symbol between two /, # is only allowed at the end
-    if !(ismatch(r"(^[^#+]+|[+])(/([^#+]+|[+]))*(/#)?$", sub)) || length(sub) > 65535
+    if !(occursin(r"(^[^#+]+|[+])(/([^#+]+|[+]))*(/#)?$", sub)) || length(sub) > 65535
         throw(MQTTException("Invalid topic"))
     end
 end
@@ -557,7 +558,7 @@ function topic_wildcard_len_check(topic)
     # Search for + or # in a topic. Return MQTT_ERR_INVAL if found.
      # Also returns MQTT_ERR_INVAL if the topic string is too long.
      # Returns MQTT_ERR_SUCCESS if everything is fine.
-    if !(ismatch(r"^[^#+]+$", topic)) || length(topic) > 65535
+    if !(occursin(r"^[^#+]+$", topic)) || length(topic) > 65535
         throw(MQTTException("Invalid topic"))
     end
 end
diff --git a/test/mocksocket.jl b/test/mocksocket.jl
index 76712b8..0b7fd4b 100644
--- a/test/mocksocket.jl
+++ b/test/mocksocket.jl
@@ -121,6 +121,6 @@ end
 
 function connect(host::AbstractString, port::Integer)
     th = TestFileHandler(Channel{UInt8}(256), Channel{UInt8}(256), Condition(), Condition(), false)
-    put_from_file(th, "data/input/connack.dat")
+    put_from_file(th, joinpath(datadir, "input", "connack.dat"))
     return th
 end
diff --git a/test/packet.jl b/test/packet.jl
index 8ba39a8..613c8b9 100644
--- a/test/packet.jl
+++ b/test/packet.jl
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-info("Running packet tests")
+@info "Running packet tests"
 
 function on_msg(topic, payload)
-    info("Received message topic: [", topic, "] payload: [", String(payload), "]")
+    @info "Received message topic: [", topic, "] payload: [", String(copy(payload)), "]"
     @test topic == "abc"
-    @test String(payload)== "qwerty"
+    @test String(copy(payload)) == "qwerty"
 end
 
 function is_out_correct(filename_expected::AbstractString, actual::Channel{UInt8}, mid::UInt16)
@@ -51,79 +51,82 @@ function test()
     client = Client(on_msg)
     last_id::UInt16 = 0x0001
 
-    info("Testing connect")
+    inputdir = joinpath(datadir, "input")
+    outputdir = joinpath(datadir, "output")
+
+    @info "Testing connect"
     connect(client, "test.mosquitto.org", client_id="TestID")
     tfh::TestFileHandler = client.socket
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/connect.dat", tfh.out_channel)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "connect.dat"), tfh.out_channel)
     # CONNACK is automatically being sent in connect call
 
-    info("Testing subscribe")
+    @info "Testing subscribe"
     subscribe_async(client, ("abc", QOS_1), ("cba", QOS_0))
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/suback.dat", client.last_id)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/subreq.dat", tfh.out_channel, client.last_id)
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "suback.dat"), client.last_id)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "subreq.dat"), tfh.out_channel, client.last_id)
 
-    info("Testing unsubscribe")
+    @info "Testing unsubscribe"
     unsubscribe_async(client, "abc", "cba")
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/unsuback.dat", client.last_id)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/unsubreq.dat", tfh.out_channel, client.last_id)
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "unsuback.dat"), client.last_id)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "unsubreq.dat"), tfh.out_channel, client.last_id)
 
-    info("Testing receive publish QOS 0")
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/qos0pub.dat")
+    @info "Testing receive publish QOS 0"
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "qos0pub.dat"))
 
-    info("Testing receive publish QOS 1")
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/qos1pub.dat", last_id)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/puback.dat", tfh.out_channel, last_id)
+    @info "Testing receive publish QOS 1"
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "qos1pub.dat"), last_id)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "puback.dat"), tfh.out_channel, last_id)
     #last_id += 1
 
-    info("Testing receive publish QOS 2")
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/qos2pub.dat", last_id)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/pubrec.dat", tfh.out_channel, last_id)
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/pubrel.dat", last_id)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/pubcomp.dat", tfh.out_channel, last_id)
+    @info "Testing receive publish QOS 2"
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "qos2pub.dat"), last_id)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "pubrec.dat"), tfh.out_channel, last_id)
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "pubrel.dat"), last_id)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "pubcomp.dat"), tfh.out_channel, last_id)
     #last_id += 1
 
-    info("Testing send publish QOS 0")
+    @info "Testing send publish QOS 0"
     publish_async(client, "test1", "QOS_0", qos=QOS_0)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/qos0pub.dat", tfh.out_channel)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "qos0pub.dat"), tfh.out_channel)
 
-    info("Testing send publish QOS 1")
+    @info "Testing send publish QOS 1"
     publish_async(client, "test2", "QOS_1", qos=QOS_1)
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/puback.dat", client.last_id)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/qos1pub.dat", tfh.out_channel, client.last_id)
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "puback.dat"), client.last_id)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "qos1pub.dat"), tfh.out_channel, client.last_id)
 
 
-    info("Testing send publish QOS 2")
+    @info "Testing send publish QOS 2"
     publish_async(client, "test3", "test", qos=QOS_2)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/qos2pub.dat", tfh.out_channel, client.last_id)
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/pubrec.dat", client.last_id)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/pubrel.dat", tfh.out_channel, client.last_id)
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/pubcomp.dat", client.last_id)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "qos2pub.dat"), tfh.out_channel, client.last_id)
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "pubrec.dat"), client.last_id)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "pubrel.dat"), tfh.out_channel, client.last_id)
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "pubcomp.dat"), client.last_id)
 
-    info("Testing disconnect")
+    @info "Testing disconnect"
     disconnect(client)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/disco.dat", tfh.out_channel)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "disco.dat"), tfh.out_channel)
 
     #This has to be in it's own connect flow to not interfere with other messages
-    info("Testing keep alive with response")
+    @info "Testing keep alive with response"
     client = Client(on_msg)
 
     client.ping_timeout = 1
     connect(client, "test.mosquitto.org", client_id="TestID", keep_alive=1)
     tfh = client.socket
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/connect_keep_alive1s.dat", tfh.out_channel) # Consume output
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/pingreq.dat", tfh.out_channel)
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/pingresp.dat")
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "connect_keep_alive1s.dat"), tfh.out_channel) # Consume output
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "pingreq.dat"), tfh.out_channel)
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "pingresp.dat"))
 
-    info("Testing keep alive without response")
+    @info "Testing keep alive without response"
     sleep(1.1)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/pingreq.dat", tfh.out_channel)
-    @test is_out_correct("data/output/disco.dat", tfh.out_channel)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "pingreq.dat"), tfh.out_channel)
+    @test is_out_correct(joinpath(outputdir, "disco.dat"), tfh.out_channel)
 
-    info("Testing unwanted pingresp")
+    @info "Testing unwanted pingresp"
     client = Client(on_msg)
     connect(client, "test.mosquitto.org", client_id="TestID", keep_alive=15)
     tfh = client.socket
-    put_from_file(tfh, "data/input/pingresp.dat")
+    put_from_file(tfh, joinpath(inputdir, "pingresp.dat"))
     sleep(0.1)
     @test tfh.closed
 end
diff --git a/test/runtests.jl b/test/runtests.jl
index 7c1d90f..b55cb58 100644
--- a/test/runtests.jl
+++ b/test/runtests.jl
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
-using Base.Test, MQTT
+using Test
+using MQTT
+using Random
 
-import Base: connect, read, write, close
+import Base: read, write, close
 import MQTT: read_len, Message
+import Sockets: connect
 
+const datadir = joinpath(dirname(@__FILE__), "data")
 
 include("smoke.jl")
 include("mocksocket.jl")
diff --git a/test/smoke.jl b/test/smoke.jl
index cca219d..43b72f0 100644
--- a/test/smoke.jl
+++ b/test/smoke.jl
@@ -1,41 +1,41 @@
 import MQTT.User
 
-info("Running smoke tests")
+@info "Running smoke tests"
 
 condition = Condition()
 topic = "foo"
 payload = randstring(20)
 
 function on_msg(t, p)
-    info("Received message topic: [", t, "] payload: [", String(p), "]")
+    @info "Received message topic: [", t, "] payload: [", String(copy(p)), "]"
     @test t == topic
-    @test String(p)== payload
+    @test String(copy(p))== payload
 
     notify(condition)
 end
 
 client = Client(on_msg)
 
-info("Testing reconnect")
+@info "Testing reconnect"
 connect(client, "test.mosquitto.org")
 disconnect(client)
 connect(client, "test.mosquitto.org")
 
 subscribe(client, (topic, QOS_0))
 
-info("Testing publish qos 0")
+@info "Testing publish qos 0"
 publish(client, topic, payload, qos=QOS_0)
 wait(condition)
 
-info("Testing publish qos 1")
+@info "Testing publish qos 1"
 publish(client, topic, payload, qos=QOS_1)
 wait(condition)
 
-info("Testing publish qos 2")
+@info "Testing publish qos 2"
 publish(client, topic, payload, qos=QOS_2)
 wait(condition)
 
-info("Testing connect will")
+@info "Testing connect will"
 disconnect(client)
 connect(client, "test.mosquitto.org", will=Message(false, 0x00, false, topic, payload))