diff --git a/IPython/zmq/parallel/asyncresult.py b/IPython/zmq/parallel/asyncresult.py
index 0031ce1..2ff03c1 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/parallel/asyncresult.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/parallel/asyncresult.py
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ class AsyncResult(object):
     
     Provides the same interface as :py:class:`multiprocessing.AsyncResult`.
     """
-    def __init__(self, client, msg_ids):
+    def __init__(self, client, msg_ids, targets=None):
         self._client = client
         self.msg_ids = msg_ids
+        self._targets=targets
         self._ready = False
         self._success = None
     
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ class AsyncResult(object):
         """
         if len(res) == 1:
             return res[0]
+        elif self.targets is not None:
+            return dict(zip(self._targets, res))
         else:
             return res
         
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/parallel/client.py b/IPython/zmq/parallel/client.py
index 3b9df47..9eb3f22 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/parallel/client.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/parallel/client.py
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ class Client(object):
                 whether or not to wait until done
         
         """
-        result = self.apply(execute, (code,), targets=None, block=block, bound=False)
+        result = self.apply(_execute, (code,), targets=None, block=block, bound=False)
         return result
     
     def _maybe_raise(self, result):
@@ -721,6 +721,18 @@ class Client(object):
         if not isinstance(kwargs, dict):
             raise TypeError("kwargs must be dict, not %s"%type(kwargs))
             
+        if isinstance(after, Dependency):
+            after = after.as_dict()
+        elif isinstance(after, AsyncResult):
+            after=after.msg_ids
+        elif after is None:
+            after = []
+        if isinstance(follow, Dependency):
+            follow = follow.as_dict()
+        elif isinstance(follow, AsyncResult):
+            follow=follow.msg_ids
+        elif follow is None:
+            follow = []
         options  = dict(bound=bound, block=block, after=after, follow=follow)
             
         if targets is None:
@@ -732,18 +744,11 @@ class Client(object):
                             after=None, follow=None):
         """The underlying method for applying functions in a load balanced
         manner, via the task queue."""
-        if isinstance(after, Dependency):
-            after = after.as_dict()
-        elif after is None:
-            after = []
-        if isinstance(follow, Dependency):
-            follow = follow.as_dict()
-        elif follow is None:
-            follow = []
-        subheader = dict(after=after, follow=follow)
         
+        subheader = dict(after=after, follow=follow)
         bufs = ss.pack_apply_message(f,args,kwargs)
         content = dict(bound=bound)
+        
         msg = self.session.send(self._task_socket, "apply_request", 
                 content=content, buffers=bufs, subheader=subheader)
         msg_id = msg['msg_id']
@@ -761,17 +766,11 @@ class Client(object):
         via the MUX queue."""
         
         queues,targets = self._build_targets(targets)
-        bufs = ss.pack_apply_message(f,args,kwargs)
-        if isinstance(after, Dependency):
-            after = after.as_dict()
-        elif after is None:
-            after = []
-        if isinstance(follow, Dependency):
-            follow = follow.as_dict()
-        elif follow is None:
-            follow = []
+        
         subheader = dict(after=after, follow=follow)
         content = dict(bound=bound)
+        bufs = ss.pack_apply_message(f,args,kwargs)
+        
         msg_ids = []
         for queue in queues:
             msg = self.session.send(self._mux_socket, "apply_request", 
@@ -783,7 +782,7 @@ class Client(object):
         if block:
             self.barrier(msg_ids)
         else:
-            return AsyncResult(self, msg_ids)
+            return AsyncResult(self, msg_ids, targets=targets)
         if len(msg_ids) == 1:
             return self._maybe_raise(self.results[msg_ids[0]])
         else:
@@ -850,7 +849,7 @@ class Client(object):
             else:
                 r = self.push({key: partition}, targets=engineid, block=False)
             msg_ids.extend(r.msg_ids)
-        r = AsyncResult(self, msg_ids)
+        r = AsyncResult(self, msg_ids,targets)
         if block:
             return r.get()
         else:
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/parallel/view.py b/IPython/zmq/parallel/view.py
index 305c794..22cd46e 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/parallel/view.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/parallel/view.py
@@ -263,21 +263,19 @@ class DirectView(View):
         Partition a Python sequence and send the partitions to a set of engines.
         """
         block = block if block is not None else self.block
-        if targets is None:
-            targets = self.targets
+        targets = targets if targets is not None else self.targets
         
         return self.client.scatter(key, seq, dist=dist, flatten=flatten,
                     targets=targets, block=block)
     
     @sync_results
     @save_ids
-    def gather(self, key, dist='b', targets=None, block=True):
+    def gather(self, key, dist='b', targets=None, block=None):
         """
         Gather a partitioned sequence on a set of engines as a single local seq.
         """
         block = block if block is not None else self.block
-        if targets is None:
-            targets = self.targets
+        targets = targets if targets is not None else self.targets
         
         return self.client.gather(key, dist=dist, targets=targets, block=block)