diff --git a/pyrepl/python_reader.py b/pyrepl/python_reader.py
index c3f4092..5e2d4e7 100644
--- a/pyrepl/python_reader.py
+++ b/pyrepl/python_reader.py
@@ -179,7 +179,8 @@ def run_user_init_file(self):
         else:
             return
         try:
-            execfile(initfile, self.locals, self.locals)
+            with open(initfile, "r") as f:
+                exec(compile(f.read(), initfile, "exec"), self.locals, self.locals)
         except:
             etype, value, tb = sys.exc_info()
             traceback.print_exception(etype, value, tb.tb_next)
diff --git a/pyrepl/unix_console.py b/pyrepl/unix_console.py
index 3ec9a7b..281c200 100644
--- a/pyrepl/unix_console.py
+++ b/pyrepl/unix_console.py
@@ -401,7 +401,8 @@ def restore(self):
     def __sigwinch(self, signum, frame):
         self.height, self.width = self.getheightwidth()
         self.event_queue.insert(Event('resize', None))
-        self.old_sigwinch(signum, frame)
+        if self.old_sigwinch != signal.SIG_DFL:
+            self.old_sigwinch(signum, frame)
 
     def push_char(self, char):
         trace('push char {char!r}', char=char)
diff --git a/testing/test_functional.py b/testing/test_functional.py
index 1e491ec..f1f555b 100644
--- a/testing/test_functional.py
+++ b/testing/test_functional.py
@@ -3,27 +3,98 @@
 # License: MIT
 # some functional tests, to see if this is really working
 
-import pytest
+import os
+import signal
 import sys
+import textwrap
+
+import pytest
+
+try:
+    import pexpect
+except ImportError as exc:
+    pytest.skip("could not import pexpect: {}".format(exc),
+                allow_module_level=True)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
-def child(request):
-    try:
-        pexpect = pytest.importorskip('pexpect')
-    except SyntaxError:
-        pytest.skip('pexpect wont work on py3k')
-    child = pexpect.spawn(sys.executable, ['-S'], timeout=10)
-    if sys.version_info >= (3, ):
-        child.logfile = sys.stdout.buffer
-    else:
-        child.logfile = sys.stdout
-    child.sendline('from pyrepl.python_reader import main')
-    child.sendline('main()')
+def start_child():
+    ret_childs = []
+
+    def start_child_func(env_update=None):
+        assert not ret_childs, "child started already"
+
+        env = {k: v for k, v in os.environ.items() if k in (
+            "TERM",
+        )}
+        if env_update:
+            env.update(env_update)
+        child = pexpect.spawn(sys.executable, timeout=5, env=env)
+        if sys.version_info >= (3, ):
+            child.logfile = sys.stdout.buffer
+        else:
+            child.logfile = sys.stdout
+        child.expect_exact(">>> ")
+        child.sendline('from pyrepl.python_reader import main')
+        ret_childs.append(child)
+        return child
+
+    yield start_child_func
+
+    assert ret_childs, "child was not started"
+    child = ret_childs[0]
+
+    child.sendeof()
+    child.expect_exact(">>> ")
+    # Verify there's no error, e.g. when signal.SIG_DFL would be called.
+    before = child.before.decode()
+    assert "Traceback (most recent call last):" not in before
+    child.sendeof()
+    assert child.wait() == 0
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def child(start_child):
+    child = start_child()
+    child.sendline("main()")
     return child
 
 
 def test_basic(child):
-    child.sendline('a = 3')
+    child.expect_exact("->> ")
+    child.sendline('a = 40 + 2')
+    child.expect_exact("->> ")
     child.sendline('a')
-    child.expect('3')
+    child.expect_exact('42')
+    child.expect_exact("->> ")
+
+
+def test_sigwinch_default(child):
+    child.expect_exact("->> ")
+    os.kill(child.pid, signal.SIGWINCH)
+
+
+def test_sigwinch_forwarded(start_child, tmpdir):
+    with open(str(tmpdir.join("initfile")), "w") as initfile:
+        initfile.write(textwrap.dedent(
+            """
+            import signal
+
+            called = []
+
+            def custom_handler(signum, frame):
+                called.append([signum, frame])
+
+            signal.signal(signal.SIGWINCH, custom_handler)
+
+            print("PYREPLSTARTUP called")
+            """
+        ))
+
+    child = start_child(env_update={"PYREPLSTARTUP": initfile.name})
+    child.sendline("main()")
+    child.expect_exact("PYREPLSTARTUP called")
+    child.expect_exact("->> ")
+    os.kill(child.pid, signal.SIGWINCH)
+    child.sendline('"called={}".format(len(called))')
+    child.expect_exact("called=1")