diff --git a/IPython/frontend/piped_process.py b/IPython/frontend/piped_process.py
index 297ef18..94b8ed4 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/piped_process.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/piped_process.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ __docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
 from threading import Thread
-
+from time import sleep
 
 class PipedProcess(Thread):
 
@@ -38,9 +38,16 @@ class PipedProcess(Thread):
         self.process = process
         while True:
             out_char = process.stdout.read(1)
-            if out_char == '' and process.poll() is not None:
-                break
-            self.out_callback(out_char)
+            if out_char == '':
+                if process.poll() is not None:
+                    # The process has finished
+                    break
+                else:
+                    # The process is not giving any interesting
+                    # output. No use polling it immediatly.
+                    sleep(0.1)
+            else:
+                self.out_callback(out_char)
 
         if self.end_callback is not None:
             self.end_callback()
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/prefilterfrontend.py b/IPython/frontend/prefilterfrontend.py
index 9ef2089..d22bb40 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/prefilterfrontend.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/prefilterfrontend.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ from IPython.kernel.core.redirector_output_trap import RedirectorOutputTrap
 
 from IPython.kernel.core.sync_traceback_trap import SyncTracebackTrap
 
-from IPython.ultraTB import ColorTB
 from IPython.genutils import Term
 import pydoc
 
@@ -68,7 +67,7 @@ class PrefilterFrontEnd(LineFrontEndBase):
                             err_callback=self.write,
                                             )
         self.shell.traceback_trap = SyncTracebackTrap(
-                        formatters=[ColorTB(color_scheme='LightBG'), ]
+                        formatters=self.shell.traceback_trap.formatters
                             )
         # Capture and release the outputs, to make sure all the
         # shadow variables are set
diff --git a/IPython/kernel/core/sync_traceback_trap.py b/IPython/kernel/core/sync_traceback_trap.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c0c5b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/kernel/core/sync_traceback_trap.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+
+"""Object to manage sys.excepthook().
+
+Synchronous version: prints errors when called.
+"""
+
+__docformat__ = "restructuredtext en"
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#  Copyright (C) 2008  The IPython Development Team
+#
+#  Distributed under the terms of the BSD License.  The full license is in
+#  the file COPYING, distributed as part of this software.
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Imports
+#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+from traceback_trap import TracebackTrap
+from IPython.ultraTB import ColorTB
+
+class SyncTracebackTrap(TracebackTrap):
+
+    def __init__(self, sync_formatter=None, formatters=None):
+        TracebackTrap.__init__(self, formatters=formatters)
+        if sync_formatter is None:
+            sync_formatter = ColorTB(color_scheme='LightBG')
+        self.sync_formatter = sync_formatter
+
+
+    def hook(self, *args):
+        """ This method actually implements the hook.
+        """
+        self.args = args
+        
+        print self.sync_formatters(*self.args)
+
+
+        
+