diff --git a/IPython/zmq/kernel.py b/IPython/zmq/kernel.py
index 2688816..285fd66 100755
--- a/IPython/zmq/kernel.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/kernel.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ Things to do:
 # Standard library imports.
 import __builtin__
 from code import CommandCompiler
+from cStringIO import StringIO
 import os
 import sys
 from threading import Thread
@@ -126,14 +127,15 @@ class InStream(object):
 class OutStream(object):
     """A file like object that publishes the stream to a 0MQ PUB socket."""
 
-    def __init__(self, session, pub_socket, name, max_buffer=200):
+    # The time interval between automatic flushes, in seconds.
+    flush_interval = 0.05
+
+    def __init__(self, session, pub_socket, name):
         self.session = session
         self.pub_socket = pub_socket
         self.name = name
-        self._buffer = []
-        self._buffer_len = 0
-        self.max_buffer = max_buffer
         self.parent_header = {}
+        self._new_buffer()
 
     def set_parent(self, parent):
         self.parent_header = extract_header(parent)
@@ -145,15 +147,16 @@ class OutStream(object):
         if self.pub_socket is None:
             raise ValueError(u'I/O operation on closed file')
         else:
-            if self._buffer:
-                data = ''.join(self._buffer)
+            data = self._buffer.getvalue()
+            if data:
                 content = {u'name':self.name, u'data':data}
                 msg = self.session.msg(u'stream', content=content,
                                        parent=self.parent_header)
                 print>>sys.__stdout__, Message(msg)
                 self.pub_socket.send_json(msg)
-                self._buffer_len = 0
-                self._buffer = []
+                
+                self._buffer.close()
+                self._new_buffer()
 
     def isatty(self):
         return False
@@ -161,31 +164,33 @@ class OutStream(object):
     def next(self):
         raise IOError('Read not supported on a write only stream.')
 
-    def read(self, size=None):
+    def read(self, size=-1):
         raise IOError('Read not supported on a write only stream.')
 
-    readline=read
+    def readline(self, size=-1):
+        raise IOError('Read not supported on a write only stream.')
 
-    def write(self, s):
+    def write(self, string):
         if self.pub_socket is None:
             raise ValueError('I/O operation on closed file')
         else:
-            self._buffer.append(s)
-            self._buffer_len += len(s)
-            self._maybe_send()
-
-    def _maybe_send(self):
-        if '\n' in self._buffer[-1]:
-            self.flush()
-        if self._buffer_len > self.max_buffer:
-            self.flush()
+            self._buffer.write(string)
+            current_time = time.time()
+            if self._start <= 0:
+                self._start = current_time
+            elif current_time - self._start > self.flush_interval:
+                self.flush()
 
     def writelines(self, sequence):
         if self.pub_socket is None:
             raise ValueError('I/O operation on closed file')
         else:
-            for s in sequence:
-                self.write(s)
+            for string in sequence:
+                self.write(string)
+
+    def _new_buffer(self):
+        self._buffer = StringIO()
+        self._start = -1
 
 
 class DisplayHook(object):
@@ -257,6 +262,7 @@ class Kernel(object):
             return
         pyin_msg = self.session.msg(u'pyin',{u'code':code}, parent=parent)
         self.pub_socket.send_json(pyin_msg)
+
         try:
             comp_code = self.compiler(code, '<zmq-kernel>')
             sys.displayhook.set_parent(parent)
@@ -276,6 +282,12 @@ class Kernel(object):
             reply_content = exc_content
         else:
             reply_content = {'status' : 'ok'}
+            
+        # Flush output before sending the reply.
+        sys.stderr.flush()
+        sys.stdout.flush()
+
+        # Send the reply.
         reply_msg = self.session.msg(u'execute_reply', reply_content, parent)
         print>>sys.__stdout__, Message(reply_msg)
         self.reply_socket.send(ident, zmq.SNDMORE)