diff --git a/IPython/core/tests/test_ultratb.py b/IPython/core/tests/test_ultratb.py
index 2d0a493..5f5dec0 100644
--- a/IPython/core/tests/test_ultratb.py
+++ b/IPython/core/tests/test_ultratb.py
@@ -2,10 +2,14 @@
 """Tests for IPython.core.ultratb
 """
 import io
+import sys
 import os.path
 from textwrap import dedent
+import traceback
 import unittest
 
+from ..ultratb import ColorTB, VerboseTB
+
 
 from IPython.testing import tools as tt
 from IPython.testing.decorators import onlyif_unicode_paths
@@ -220,3 +224,48 @@ except Exception:
             with tt.AssertNotPrints("ZeroDivisionError"), \
                     tt.AssertPrints("ValueError", suppress=False):
                 ip.run_cell(self.SUPPRESS_CHAINING_CODE)
+
+
+#----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# module testing (minimal)
+def test_handlers():
+    def spam(c, d_e):
+        (d, e) = d_e
+        x = c + d
+        y = c * d
+        foo(x, y)
+
+    def foo(a, b, bar=1):
+        eggs(a, b + bar)
+
+    def eggs(f, g, z=globals()):
+        h = f + g
+        i = f - g
+        return h / i
+    
+    buff = io.StringIO()
+
+    buff.write(u'')
+    buff.write(u'*** Before ***')
+    try:
+        buff.write(spam(1, (2, 3)))
+    except:
+        traceback.print_exc(file=buff)
+
+    handler = ColorTB(ostream=buff)
+    buff.write(u'*** ColorTB ***')
+    try:
+        buff.write(spam(1, (2, 3)))
+    except:
+        handler(*sys.exc_info())
+    buff.write(u'')
+
+    handler = VerboseTB(ostream=buff)
+    buff.write(u'*** VerboseTB ***')
+    try:
+        buff.write(spam(1, (2, 3)))
+    except:
+        handler(*sys.exc_info())
+    buff.write(u'')
+
diff --git a/IPython/core/ultratb.py b/IPython/core/ultratb.py
index 639635e..52656a1 100644
--- a/IPython/core/ultratb.py
+++ b/IPython/core/ultratb.py
@@ -1326,9 +1326,9 @@ class AutoFormattedTB(FormattedTB):
 class ColorTB(FormattedTB):
     """Shorthand to initialize a FormattedTB in Linux colors mode."""
 
-    def __init__(self, color_scheme='Linux', call_pdb=0):
+    def __init__(self, color_scheme='Linux', call_pdb=0, **kwargs):
         FormattedTB.__init__(self, color_scheme=color_scheme,
-                             call_pdb=call_pdb)
+                             call_pdb=call_pdb, **kwargs)
 
 
 class SyntaxTB(ListTB):
@@ -1405,47 +1405,3 @@ def eqrepr(value, repr=text_repr):
 
 def nullrepr(value, repr=text_repr):
     return ''
-
-
-#----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-# module testing (minimal)
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-    def spam(c, d_e):
-        (d, e) = d_e
-        x = c + d
-        y = c * d
-        foo(x, y)
-
-    def foo(a, b, bar=1):
-        eggs(a, b + bar)
-
-    def eggs(f, g, z=globals()):
-        h = f + g
-        i = f - g
-        return h / i
-
-    print('')
-    print('*** Before ***')
-    try:
-        print(spam(1, (2, 3)))
-    except:
-        traceback.print_exc()
-    print('')
-
-    handler = ColorTB()
-    print('*** ColorTB ***')
-    try:
-        print(spam(1, (2, 3)))
-    except:
-        handler(*sys.exc_info())
-    print('')
-
-    handler = VerboseTB()
-    print('*** VerboseTB ***')
-    try:
-        print(spam(1, (2, 3)))
-    except:
-        handler(*sys.exc_info())
-    print('')
-