diff --git a/lib/agent/plugins/control-panel/sender.js b/lib/agent/plugins/control-panel/sender.js
index 002d8ce4c..7d4be44df 100644
--- a/lib/agent/plugins/control-panel/sender.js
+++ b/lib/agent/plugins/control-panel/sender.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ var make_request = function(what, data, opts, cb) {
     // if there was an error, lets try connecting via a proxy if possible
     if (err && !opts.proxy && (try_proxy || '').match('.')) {
       opts.proxy = try_proxy;
-      return make_request(what, data, opts, callback);
+      return make_request(what, data, opts, cb);
     }
 
     bus.emit('response', what, err, resp);
@@ -33,22 +33,18 @@ var make_request = function(what, data, opts, cb) {
   });
 };
 
-var send = function(what, data, opts, callback) {
+var send = function(what, data, opts, cb) {
   var opts = opts || {};
 
-  if (!send_status_info || what == 'response')
-    return make_request(what, data, opts, callback);
-
   var done = function(err, resp) {
-    if (err) {
-      var str = 'Got error: ' + err.message;
-    } else {
-      var str = 'Got status ' + resp.statusCode + ' from server: ' + resp.body.toString();
-    }
-
+    var str = err ? 'Got error: ' + err.message : 'Got ' + resp.statusCode + ' response: ' + resp.body.toString();
     logger.info(str);
+    cb && cb(err, resp);
   }
 
+  if (!send_status_info || what == 'response')
+    return make_request(what, data, opts, done);
+
   get_status_info(function(err, status) {
     opts.status = status;
     make_request(what, data, opts, done);
diff --git a/lib/agent/triggers.js b/lib/agent/triggers.js
index b5c8f870b..4df3126b3 100644
--- a/lib/agent/triggers.js
+++ b/lib/agent/triggers.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 var fs       = require('fs'),
     join     = require('path').join,
     actions  = require('./actions'),
+    hooks    = require('./hooks'),
     logger   = require('./common').logger.prefix('triggers');
 
 var watchers = [],
diff --git a/lib/conf/tasks/index.js b/lib/conf/tasks/index.js
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 53c36da6b..86c4d2a61
--- a/lib/conf/tasks/index.js
+++ b/lib/conf/tasks/index.js
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ var fs         = require('fs'),
     async      = require('async'),
     shared     = require('./../shared'),
     common     = require('./../../common'),
+    join       = require('path').join,
     paths      = common.system.paths,
-    os_name    = process.platform.replace('win32', 'windows').replace('darwin', 'mac');
+    os_name    = process.platform.replace('win32', 'windows').replace('darwin', 'mac'),
+    chela      = require('chela');
 
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // local requires
@@ -40,16 +42,30 @@ var set_up_config = function(cb) {
 }
 
 var set_up_version = function(version, cb) {
+
+  function finish() {
+    // first, ensure that /current path is readable by non-prey users
+    // so that impersonated commands within path work as expected.
+    log('Setting permissions on ' + paths.current);
+    chela.mod(paths.current, '0755', function(err) {
+      if (err) return cb(err);
+
+      // call post_activation hooks (e.g. firewall toggling in Windows)
+      log('Running post_activate hooks...');
+      os_hooks.post_activate(cb);
+    });
+  }
+
   set_up_config(function(err) {
     if (err) return cb(err);
 
     if (!paths.versions) { // no version support, so cannot set version as current
       log('No versions support.');
-      return os_hooks.post_activate(cb);
+      return finish();
     }
 
     log('Setting up ' + version + ' as current...');
-    shared.version_manager.set_current(version, function(err){
+    shared.version_manager.set_current(version, function(err) {
       if (err) {
         if (err.code == 'ALREADY_CURRENT')
           log('Warning: This version is already set as current.');
@@ -57,10 +73,9 @@ var set_up_version = function(version, cb) {
           return cb(err);
       }
 
-      log('Version set. Running post_activate hooks.');
-      // call post_activation hooks (e.g. firewall toggling in Windows)
-      os_hooks.post_activate(cb);
+      finish();
     });
+
   })
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/conf/tasks/utils/create_user.sh b/lib/conf/tasks/utils/create_user.sh
index 08da75e05..5c72e05d7 100755
--- a/lib/conf/tasks/utils/create_user.sh
+++ b/lib/conf/tasks/utils/create_user.sh
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ create_user() {
     useradd -r -M -U -G ${ADMIN_GROUP} -s $SHELL $USER_NAME
 
     for group in $groups; do
-      adduser $USER_NAME $group 2> /dev/null || true
+      usermod -a -G $group $USER_NAME 2> /dev/null || true
     done
 
   else
diff --git a/lib/system/windows/index.js b/lib/system/windows/index.js
index 48f05c884..7ee272ab2 100644
--- a/lib/system/windows/index.js
+++ b/lib/system/windows/index.js
@@ -55,5 +55,5 @@ exports.get_os_name = function(callback) {
 
 exports.reconnect = function(cb) {
   var cmd_path = path.join(__dirname, 'bin', 'autowc.exe');
-  exec(cmd_path + ' -connect', cb);
+  exec('"' + cmd_path + '" -connect', cb);
 };
diff --git a/npm-shrinkwrap.json b/npm-shrinkwrap.json
index b825040ed..f6d298f1b 100644
--- a/npm-shrinkwrap.json
+++ b/npm-shrinkwrap.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "prey",
-  "version": "1.3.5",
+  "version": "1.3.6",
   "dependencies": {
     "async": {
       "version": "0.9.0",
@@ -102,14 +102,14 @@
       "resolved": "git://github.com/tomas/node-campfire#c4b0517ce0e49000a14ba3cedcbd9b8df2d2f8d4"
     },
     "chela": {
-      "version": "0.0.3",
-      "from": "chela@0.0.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/chela/-/chela-0.0.3.tgz",
+      "version": "0.0.5",
+      "from": "chela@0.0.5",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/chela/-/chela-0.0.5.tgz",
       "dependencies": {
         "graceful-fs": {
-          "version": "3.0.4",
-          "from": "graceful-fs@3.0.4",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/graceful-fs/-/graceful-fs-3.0.4.tgz"
+          "version": "3.0.5",
+          "from": "graceful-fs@3.0.5",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/graceful-fs/-/graceful-fs-3.0.5.tgz"
         }
       }
     },
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 82901ed35..6ddb099e9 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     "async": "",
     "buckle": "0.0.3",
     "campfire": "git://github.com/tomas/node-campfire",
-    "chela": "0.0.3",
+    "chela": "0.0.5",
     "clean-exit": "0.0.3",
     "colors": "^0.6.2",
     "commander": "",
diff --git a/test/lib/conf/tasks.js b/test/lib/conf/tasks.js
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index a9389e73f..f407b2766
--- a/test/lib/conf/tasks.js
+++ b/test/lib/conf/tasks.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ var fs      = require('fs'),
     getset  = require('getset'),
     rimraf  = require('rimraf'),
     helpers = require('./../../helpers'),
+    chela   = require('chela'),
     tmpdir  = require('os').tmpdir();
 
 var os_name = process.platform.replace('win32', 'windows').replace('darwin', 'mac');
@@ -23,7 +24,8 @@ var firewall  = require('firewall');
 describe('tasks', function() {
 
     var old_config,
-        old_versions_path;
+        old_versions_path,
+        chmod_stub;
 
     before(function() {
       process.stdout.writable = false;
@@ -34,30 +36,40 @@ describe('tasks', function() {
       // disable version paths for these tests
       old_versions_path = common.system.paths.versions;
       common.system.paths.versions = null;
-    })
+
+      stub_chmod();
+    });
 
     after(function() {
       process.stdout.writable = true;
 
       common.config = old_config;
       common.system.paths.versions = old_versions_path;
+
+      // release the chela.mod stub
+      chmod_stub.restore();
     })
 
-  if (os_name == 'windows') {
+    function stub_chmod() {
+      // stub out chela.mod so we don't accidentally chmod the source dir
+      chmod_stub = sinon.stub(chela, 'mod', function(path, octal, cb) { cb() });
+    }
 
-    var firewall_stubs = {};
+    if (os_name == 'windows') {
 
-    before(function() {
-      firewall_stubs.add = sinon.stub(firewall, 'add_rule', function(obj, cb) { cb() })
-      firewall_stubs.del = sinon.stub(firewall, 'remove_rule', function(obj, cb) { cb() })
-    })
+      var firewall_stubs = {};
 
-    after(function() {
-      firewall_stubs.add.restore()
-      firewall_stubs.del.restore();
-    })
+      before(function() {
+        firewall_stubs.add = sinon.stub(firewall, 'add_rule', function(obj, cb) { cb() })
+        firewall_stubs.del = sinon.stub(firewall, 'remove_rule', function(obj, cb) { cb() })
+      })
+
+      after(function() {
+        firewall_stubs.add.restore()
+        firewall_stubs.del.restore();
+      })
 
-  }
+    }
 
   describe('activate', function() {
 
@@ -303,11 +315,62 @@ describe('tasks', function() {
           })
         })
 
+        it('calls chela.mod', function(done) {
+          tasks.activate({}, function(err) {
+            chmod_stub.called.should.be.true;
+            done();
+          });
+        })
+
+        describe('with write access to paths.current', function() {
+
+          before(function(done) {
+            chmod_stub.restore();
+            fs.chmod(common.system.paths.current, '0755', done);
+          })
+
+          after(stub_chmod);
+
+          it('chmods files to 33261 (0755)', function(done) {
+            tasks.activate({}, function(err) {
+              should.not.exist(err);
+              fs.readdir(common.system.paths.current, function(err, list) {
+                var stat = fs.lstatSync(list[0]);
+                stat.mode.should.eql(33261);
+                done();
+              })
+            });
+          })
+
+        })
+
+        describe('with NO write access to paths.current', function() {
+
+          before(function(done) {
+            chmod_stub.restore();
+            fs.chmod(common.system.paths.current, '0200', done);
+          })
+
+          after(function(done) {
+            stub_chmod();
+            fs.chmod(common.system.paths.current, '0755', done);
+          })
+
+          it('returns a EPERM error', function(done) {
+            tasks.activate({}, function(err) {
+              should.exist(err);
+              err.code.should.eql('EACCES');
+              done();
+            });
+          })
+
+        })
+
       })
 
       describe('with versions support', function() {
 
-        var dir = tmpdir + '/versions';
+        var dir = join(tmpdir, 'versions');
 
         before(function() {
           common.system.paths.versions = dir;
@@ -386,10 +449,13 @@ describe('tasks', function() {
 
             describe('and specific version dir is found', function() {
 
-              var version_dir = join(dir, '/2.3.4');
-              var install_dir = join(tmpdir, 'install');
+              var version_dir, install_dir;
 
               before(function(done) {
+
+                version_dir = join(dir, '2.3.4');
+                install_dir = join(tmpdir, 'install');
+
                 fs.mkdir(version_dir, function(err) {
                   if (err) return done(err);
 
@@ -427,13 +493,23 @@ describe('tasks', function() {
                   })
                 })
 
+                it('does not chmod anything', function(done) {
+                  chmod_stub.reset();
+                  tasks.activate({}, function(err) {
+                    chmod_stub.called.should.be.false;
+                    done();
+                  })
+                })
+
               })
 
               describe('with write access to install path', function() {
 
-                var current_dir = install_dir + '/current';
+                var current_dir;
 
                 before(function(done) {
+                  current_dir = join(install_dir, 'current');
+
                   common.system.paths.current = current_dir;
                   fs.existsSync(current_dir).should.be.false;
 
@@ -456,6 +532,22 @@ describe('tasks', function() {
 
                 })
 
+                it('chmods files to 33261 (0755)', function(done) {
+
+                  chmod_stub.restore();
+
+                  tasks.activate({}, function(err) {
+                    should.not.exist(err);
+                    fs.readdir(common.system.paths.current, function(err, list) {
+                      var stat = fs.lstatSync(list[0]);
+                      stat.mode.should.eql(33261);
+                      stub_chmod();
+                      done();
+                    })
+                  });
+
+                })
+
               })
 
             })
@@ -484,7 +576,7 @@ describe('tasks', function() {
         // let's assume we have a versions path and that config.sync works
         // we're already testing the versions/no versions logic in .activate()
         old_versions_path = common.system.paths.versions;
-        common.system.paths.versions = tmpdir + '/versions';
+        common.system.paths.versions = join(tmpdir, 'versions');
 
         sync_stub = sinon.stub(common.config, 'sync', function(other_file, method, cb) { cb() } )
       })
diff --git a/tools/build.sh b/tools/build.sh
index bbaf1962f..0868a6dae 100755
--- a/tools/build.sh
+++ b/tools/build.sh
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ cleanup() {
 run_specs(){
   echo "Ensuring we have the latest packages..."
   BUNDLE_ONLY=1 npm install
-  bin/prey test --recursive --bail --reporter dot
+  bin/prey test lib/agent/plugins --recursive --bail --reporter dot
 }
 
 create_release() {