diff --git a/pkg/framework/test/apiserver.go b/pkg/framework/test/apiserver.go
index 785c5cc14..d6c8ada2f 100644
--- a/pkg/framework/test/apiserver.go
+++ b/pkg/framework/test/apiserver.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"time"
 
+	"io"
+
 	"github.com/onsi/gomega"
 	"github.com/onsi/gomega/gbytes"
 	"github.com/onsi/gomega/gexec"
@@ -15,10 +17,11 @@ type APIServer struct {
 	// The path to the apiserver binary
 	Path           string
 	EtcdURL        string
-	session        *gexec.Session
+	ProcessStarter simpleSessionStarter
+	CertDirManager certDirManager
+	session        SimpleSession
 	stdOut         *gbytes.Buffer
 	stdErr         *gbytes.Buffer
-	certDirManager certDirManager
 }
 
 type certDirManager interface {
@@ -26,13 +29,29 @@ type certDirManager interface {
 	Destroy() error
 }
 
+//go:generate counterfeiter . certDirManager
+
+func NewAPIServer(pathToAPIServer, etcdURL string) *APIServer {
+	starter := func(command *exec.Cmd, out, err io.Writer) (SimpleSession, error) {
+		return gexec.Start(command, out, err)
+	}
+
+	apiserver := &APIServer{
+		Path:           pathToAPIServer,
+		EtcdURL:        etcdURL,
+		ProcessStarter: starter,
+		CertDirManager: NewTempDirManager(),
+	}
+
+	return apiserver
+}
+
 // Start starts the apiserver, waits for it to come up, and returns an error, if occoured.
 func (s *APIServer) Start() error {
-	s.certDirManager = NewTempDirManager()
 	s.stdOut = gbytes.NewBuffer()
 	s.stdErr = gbytes.NewBuffer()
 
-	certDir, err := s.certDirManager.Create()
+	certDir, err := s.CertDirManager.Create()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -55,7 +74,7 @@ func (s *APIServer) Start() error {
 	timedOut := time.After(20 * time.Second)
 
 	command := exec.Command(s.Path, args...)
-	s.session, err = gexec.Start(command, s.stdOut, s.stdErr)
+	s.session, err = s.ProcessStarter(command, s.stdOut, s.stdErr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -71,8 +90,9 @@ func (s *APIServer) Start() error {
 // Stop stops this process gracefully, waits for its termination, and cleans up the cert directory.
 func (s *APIServer) Stop() {
 	if s.session != nil {
-		s.session.Terminate().Wait(20 * time.Second)
-		err := s.certDirManager.Destroy()
+		s.session.Terminate()
+		s.session.Wait(20 * time.Second)
+		err := s.CertDirManager.Destroy()
 		gomega.Expect(err).NotTo(gomega.HaveOccurred())
 	}
 }
diff --git a/pkg/framework/test/apiserver_test.go b/pkg/framework/test/apiserver_test.go
index 2efcf50e1..090c1b77a 100644
--- a/pkg/framework/test/apiserver_test.go
+++ b/pkg/framework/test/apiserver_test.go
@@ -1,62 +1,106 @@
 package test_test
 
 import (
+	"io"
+	"os/exec"
+
 	. "k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/framework/test"
 
+	"fmt"
+
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 	"github.com/onsi/gomega/gbytes"
 	"github.com/onsi/gomega/gexec"
+	"k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/framework/test/testfakes"
 )
 
 var _ = Describe("Apiserver", func() {
+	var (
+		fakeSession        *testfakes.FakeSimpleSession
+		fakeCertDirManager *testfakes.FakeCertDirManager
+		apiServer          *APIServer
+	)
+
+	BeforeEach(func() {
+		fakeSession = &testfakes.FakeSimpleSession{}
+		fakeCertDirManager = &testfakes.FakeCertDirManager{}
+
+		apiServer = &APIServer{
+			Path:           "",
+			EtcdURL:        "the etcd url",
+			CertDirManager: fakeCertDirManager,
+		}
+	})
 
 	Context("when given a path to a binary that runs for a long time", func() {
 		It("can start and stop that binary", func() {
-			pathToFakeAPIServer, err := gexec.Build("k8s.io/kubectl/pkg/framework/test/assets/fakeapiserver")
-			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-			apiServer := &APIServer{
-				Path:    pathToFakeAPIServer,
-				EtcdURL: "the etcd url",
+			sessionBuffer := gbytes.NewBuffer()
+			fmt.Fprint(sessionBuffer, "Everything is fine")
+			fakeSession.BufferReturns(sessionBuffer)
+
+			fakeSession.ExitCodeReturnsOnCall(0, -1)
+			fakeSession.ExitCodeReturnsOnCall(1, 143)
+
+			apiServer.ProcessStarter = func(command *exec.Cmd, out, err io.Writer) (SimpleSession, error) {
+				fmt.Fprint(err, "Serving insecurely on 127.0.0.1:8080")
+				return fakeSession, nil
 			}
 
 			By("Starting the API Server")
-			err = apiServer.Start()
+			err := apiServer.Start()
 			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
 			Eventually(apiServer).Should(gbytes.Say("Everything is fine"))
+			Expect(fakeSession.ExitCodeCallCount()).To(Equal(0))
 			Expect(apiServer).NotTo(gexec.Exit())
+			Expect(fakeSession.ExitCodeCallCount()).To(Equal(1))
+			Expect(fakeCertDirManager.CreateCallCount()).To(Equal(1))
 
 			By("Stopping the API Server")
 			apiServer.Stop()
 			Expect(apiServer).To(gexec.Exit(143))
-		})
-
-	})
-
-	Context("when no path is given", func() {
-		It("fails with a helpful error", func() {
-			apiServer := &APIServer{}
-			err := apiServer.Start()
-			Expect(err).To(MatchError(ContainSubstring("no such file or directory")))
+			Expect(fakeSession.TerminateCallCount()).To(Equal(1))
+			Expect(fakeSession.WaitCallCount()).To(Equal(1))
+			Expect(fakeSession.ExitCodeCallCount()).To(Equal(2))
+			Expect(fakeCertDirManager.DestroyCallCount()).To(Equal(1))
 		})
 	})
 
-	Context("when given a path to a non-executable", func() {
-		It("fails with a helpful error", func() {
-			apiServer := &APIServer{
-				Path:    "./apiserver.go",
-				EtcdURL: "the etcd url",
+	Context("when the certificate directory cannot be created", func() {
+		It("propagates the error, and does not start the process", func() {
+			fakeCertDirManager.CreateReturnsOnCall(0, "", fmt.Errorf("Error on cert directory creation."))
+
+			processStarterCounter := 0
+			apiServer.ProcessStarter = func(Command *exec.Cmd, out, err io.Writer) (SimpleSession, error) {
+				processStarterCounter += 1
+				return fakeSession, nil
 			}
+
 			err := apiServer.Start()
-			Expect(err).To(MatchError(ContainSubstring("./apiserver.go: permission denied")))
+			Expect(err).To(MatchError(ContainSubstring("Error on cert directory creation.")))
+			Expect(processStarterCounter).To(Equal(0))
+		})
+	})
+
+	Context("when  the starter returns an error", func() {
+		It("propagates the error", func() {
+			apiServer.ProcessStarter = func(command *exec.Cmd, out, err io.Writer) (SimpleSession, error) {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Some error in the apiserver starter.")
+			}
+
+			err := apiServer.Start()
+			Expect(err).To(MatchError(ContainSubstring("Some error in the apiserver starter.")))
 		})
 	})
 
 	Context("when we try to stop a server that hasn't been started", func() {
-		It("does not panic", func() {
-			server := &APIServer{}
-			server.Stop()
+		It("is a noop and does not call exit on the session", func() {
+			apiServer.ProcessStarter = func(command *exec.Cmd, out, err io.Writer) (SimpleSession, error) {
+				return fakeSession, nil
+			}
+			apiServer.Stop()
+			Expect(fakeSession.ExitCodeCallCount()).To(Equal(0))
 		})
 	})
 })
diff --git a/pkg/framework/test/assets/fakeapiserver/apiserver.go b/pkg/framework/test/assets/fakeapiserver/apiserver.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 47bbf8b7e..000000000
--- a/pkg/framework/test/assets/fakeapiserver/apiserver.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-package main
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"os"
-	"regexp"
-	"time"
-)
-
-func main() {
-	expectedArgs := []*regexp.Regexp{
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--authorization-mode=Node,RBAC$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--runtime-config=admissionregistration.k8s.io/v1alpha1$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--v=3$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--vmodule=$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--admission-control=Initializers,NamespaceLifecycle,LimitRanger,ServiceAccount,SecurityContextDeny,DefaultStorageClass,DefaultTolerationSeconds,GenericAdmissionWebhook,ResourceQuota$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--admission-control-config-file=$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--bind-address=0.0.0.0$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--insecure-bind-address=127.0.0.1$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--insecure-port=8080$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--storage-backend=etcd3$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--etcd-servers=the etcd url$"),
-		regexp.MustCompile("^--cert-dir=.*"),
-	}
-	numExpectedArgs := len(expectedArgs)
-	numGivenArgs := len(os.Args) - 1
-
-	if numGivenArgs < numExpectedArgs {
-		fmt.Printf("Expected at least %d args, only got %d\n", numExpectedArgs, numGivenArgs)
-		os.Exit(2)
-	}
-
-	for i, argRegexp := range expectedArgs {
-		givenArg := os.Args[i+1]
-		if !argRegexp.MatchString(givenArg) {
-			fmt.Printf("Expected arg '%s' to match '%s'\n", givenArg, argRegexp.String())
-			os.Exit(1)
-		}
-	}
-	fmt.Println("Everything is fine")
-	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Serving insecurely on 127.0.0.1:8080")
-
-	time.Sleep(10 * time.Minute)
-}
diff --git a/pkg/framework/test/fixtures.go b/pkg/framework/test/fixtures.go
index 59182f98a..9ba0487a1 100644
--- a/pkg/framework/test/fixtures.go
+++ b/pkg/framework/test/fixtures.go
@@ -22,13 +22,9 @@ type FixtureProcess interface {
 func NewFixtures(pathToEtcd, pathToAPIServer string) *Fixtures {
 	etcdURL := "http://127.0.0.1:2379"
 
-	etcd := NewEtcd(pathToEtcd, etcdURL)
 	return &Fixtures{
-		Etcd: etcd,
-		APIServer: &APIServer{
-			Path:    pathToAPIServer,
-			EtcdURL: etcdURL,
-		},
+		Etcd:      NewEtcd(pathToEtcd, etcdURL),
+		APIServer: NewAPIServer(pathToAPIServer, etcdURL),
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/framework/test/testfakes/fake_cert_dir_manager.go b/pkg/framework/test/testfakes/fake_cert_dir_manager.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5e288112b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/framework/test/testfakes/fake_cert_dir_manager.go
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+// Code generated by counterfeiter. DO NOT EDIT.
+package testfakes
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+)
+
+type FakeCertDirManager struct {
+	CreateStub        func() (string, error)
+	createMutex       sync.RWMutex
+	createArgsForCall []struct{}
+	createReturns     struct {
+		result1 string
+		result2 error
+	}
+	createReturnsOnCall map[int]struct {
+		result1 string
+		result2 error
+	}
+	DestroyStub        func() error
+	destroyMutex       sync.RWMutex
+	destroyArgsForCall []struct{}
+	destroyReturns     struct {
+		result1 error
+	}
+	destroyReturnsOnCall map[int]struct {
+		result1 error
+	}
+	invocations      map[string][][]interface{}
+	invocationsMutex sync.RWMutex
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeCertDirManager) Create() (string, error) {
+	fake.createMutex.Lock()
+	ret, specificReturn := fake.createReturnsOnCall[len(fake.createArgsForCall)]
+	fake.createArgsForCall = append(fake.createArgsForCall, struct{}{})
+	fake.recordInvocation("Create", []interface{}{})
+	fake.createMutex.Unlock()
+	if fake.CreateStub != nil {
+		return fake.CreateStub()
+	}
+	if specificReturn {
+		return ret.result1, ret.result2
+	}
+	return fake.createReturns.result1, fake.createReturns.result2
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeCertDirManager) CreateCallCount() int {
+	fake.createMutex.RLock()
+	defer fake.createMutex.RUnlock()
+	return len(fake.createArgsForCall)
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeCertDirManager) CreateReturns(result1 string, result2 error) {
+	fake.CreateStub = nil
+	fake.createReturns = struct {
+		result1 string
+		result2 error
+	}{result1, result2}
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeCertDirManager) CreateReturnsOnCall(i int, result1 string, result2 error) {
+	fake.CreateStub = nil
+	if fake.createReturnsOnCall == nil {
+		fake.createReturnsOnCall = make(map[int]struct {
+			result1 string
+			result2 error
+		})
+	}
+	fake.createReturnsOnCall[i] = struct {
+		result1 string
+		result2 error
+	}{result1, result2}
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeCertDirManager) Destroy() error {
+	fake.destroyMutex.Lock()
+	ret, specificReturn := fake.destroyReturnsOnCall[len(fake.destroyArgsForCall)]
+	fake.destroyArgsForCall = append(fake.destroyArgsForCall, struct{}{})
+	fake.recordInvocation("Destroy", []interface{}{})
+	fake.destroyMutex.Unlock()
+	if fake.DestroyStub != nil {
+		return fake.DestroyStub()
+	}
+	if specificReturn {
+		return ret.result1
+	}
+	return fake.destroyReturns.result1
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeCertDirManager) DestroyCallCount() int {
+	fake.destroyMutex.RLock()
+	defer fake.destroyMutex.RUnlock()
+	return len(fake.destroyArgsForCall)
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeCertDirManager) DestroyReturns(result1 error) {
+	fake.DestroyStub = nil
+	fake.destroyReturns = struct {
+		result1 error
+	}{result1}
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeCertDirManager) DestroyReturnsOnCall(i int, result1 error) {
+	fake.DestroyStub = nil
+	if fake.destroyReturnsOnCall == nil {
+		fake.destroyReturnsOnCall = make(map[int]struct {
+			result1 error
+		})
+	}
+	fake.destroyReturnsOnCall[i] = struct {
+		result1 error
+	}{result1}
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeCertDirManager) Invocations() map[string][][]interface{} {
+	fake.invocationsMutex.RLock()
+	defer fake.invocationsMutex.RUnlock()
+	fake.createMutex.RLock()
+	defer fake.createMutex.RUnlock()
+	fake.destroyMutex.RLock()
+	defer fake.destroyMutex.RUnlock()
+	copiedInvocations := map[string][][]interface{}{}
+	for key, value := range fake.invocations {
+		copiedInvocations[key] = value
+	}
+	return copiedInvocations
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeCertDirManager) recordInvocation(key string, args []interface{}) {
+	fake.invocationsMutex.Lock()
+	defer fake.invocationsMutex.Unlock()
+	if fake.invocations == nil {
+		fake.invocations = map[string][][]interface{}{}
+	}
+	if fake.invocations[key] == nil {
+		fake.invocations[key] = [][]interface{}{}
+	}
+	fake.invocations[key] = append(fake.invocations[key], args)
+}