diff --git a/IPython/parallel/tests/__init__.py b/IPython/parallel/tests/__init__.py
index 9f7f70e..188f897 100644
--- a/IPython/parallel/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/IPython/parallel/tests/__init__.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from subprocess import Popen, PIPE, STDOUT
 import nose
 
 from IPython.utils.path import get_ipython_dir
-from IPython.parallel import Client
+from IPython.parallel import Client, error
 from IPython.parallel.apps.launcher import (LocalProcessLauncher,
                                                   ipengine_cmd_argv,
                                                   ipcontroller_cmd_argv,
@@ -53,6 +53,15 @@ class TestProcessLauncher(LocalProcessLauncher):
 # nose setup/teardown
 
 def setup():
+    
+    # show tracebacks for RemoteErrors
+    class RemoteErrorWithTB(error.RemoteError):
+        def __str__(self):
+            s = super(RemoteErrorWithTB, self).__str__()
+            return '\n'.join([s, self.traceback or ''])
+    
+    error.RemoteError = RemoteErrorWithTB
+    
     cluster_dir = os.path.join(get_ipython_dir(), 'profile_iptest')
     engine_json = os.path.join(cluster_dir, 'security', 'ipcontroller-engine.json')
     client_json = os.path.join(cluster_dir, 'security', 'ipcontroller-client.json')