diff --git a/IPython/testing/tests/test_tools.py b/IPython/testing/tests/test_tools.py
index 8245c99..5f594b0 100644
--- a/IPython/testing/tests/test_tools.py
+++ b/IPython/testing/tests/test_tools.py
@@ -21,13 +21,12 @@ import sys
 import nose.tools as nt
 
 from IPython.testing import decorators as dec
-from IPython.testing.tools import full_path
+from IPython.testing.tools import full_path, parse_test_output
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Tests
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-
 @dec.skip_win32
 def test_full_path_posix():
     spath = '/foo/bar.py'
@@ -49,4 +48,14 @@ def test_full_path_win32():
     result = full_path(spath,['a.txt','b.txt'])
     nt.assert_equal(result, ['c:\\a.txt', 'c:\\b.txt'])
     result = full_path(spath,'a.txt')
-    nt.assert_equal(result, ['c:\\a.txt'])
\ No newline at end of file
+    nt.assert_equal(result, ['c:\\a.txt'])
+
+
+def test_parser():
+    err = ("FAILED (errors=1)", 1, 0)
+    fail = ("FAILED (failures=1)", 0, 1)
+    both = ("FAILED (errors=1, failures=1)", 1, 1)
+    for txt, nerr, nfail in [err, fail, both]:
+        nerr1, nfail1 = parse_test_output(txt)
+        yield (nt.assert_equal, nerr, nerr1)
+        yield (nt.assert_equal, nfail, nfail1)
diff --git a/IPython/testing/tools.py b/IPython/testing/tools.py
index c43754c..c8c806f 100644
--- a/IPython/testing/tools.py
+++ b/IPython/testing/tools.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ Authors
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 import os
+import re
 import sys
 
 import nose.tools as nt
@@ -87,3 +88,46 @@ def full_path(startPath,files):
     files = utils.list_strings(files)
     base = os.path.split(startPath)[0]
     return [ os.path.join(base,f) for f in files ]
+
+
+def parse_test_output(txt):
+    """Parse the output of a test run and return errors, failures.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    txt : str
+      Text output of a test run, assumed to contain a line of one of the
+      following forms::
+        'FAILED (errors=1)'
+        'FAILED (failures=1)'
+        'FAILED (errors=1, failures=1)'
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    nerr, nfail: number of errors and failures.
+    """
+
+    err_m = re.search(r'^FAILED \(errors=(\d+)\)', txt, re.MULTILINE)
+    if err_m:
+        nerr = int(err_m.group(1))
+        nfail = 0
+        return  nerr, nfail
+    
+    fail_m = re.search(r'^FAILED \(failures=(\d+)\)', txt, re.MULTILINE)
+    if fail_m:
+        nerr = 0
+        nfail = int(fail_m.group(1))
+        return  nerr, nfail
+
+    both_m = re.search(r'^FAILED \(errors=(\d+), failures=(\d+)\)', txt,
+                       re.MULTILINE)
+    if both_m:
+        nerr = int(both_m.group(1))
+        nfail = int(both_m.group(2))
+        return  nerr, nfail
+    
+    # If the input didn't match any of these forms, assume no error/failures
+    return 0, 0
+
+# So nose doesn't think this is a test
+parse_test_output.__test__ = False