diff --git a/tests/test_sendrecvpipes.py b/tests/test_sendrecvpipes.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3becf83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_sendrecvpipes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+from basetest import *
+import time
+
+class TestSendRecvPipes(unittest2.TestCase):
+    """test input/output pipes for zfs send and recv"""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        prepare_zpools()
+        self.longMessage=True
+
+
+
+    def test_send_basics(self):
+        """send basics (remote/local send pipe)"""
+
+        with patch('time.strftime', return_value="20101111000000"):
+            self.assertFalse(ZfsAutobackup(["test", "test_target1", "--no-progress", "--send-pipe=dd bs=1M",  "--send-pipe=dd bs=2M"]).run())
+
+        with patch('time.strftime', return_value="20101111000001"):
+            self.assertFalse(ZfsAutobackup(["test", "test_target1", "--no-progress", "--ssh-source=localhost", "--send-pipe=dd bs=1M",  "--send-pipe=dd bs=2M"]).run())
+
+#             r=shelltest("zfs list -H -o name -r -t snapshot test_target1")
+#             #NOTE: it wont backup test_target1/a/test_source2/fs2/sub to test_target1/b since it doesnt have the zfs_autobackup property anymore.
+#             self.assertMultiLineEqual(r,"""
+# test_target1/a/test_source1/fs1@test-20101111000000
+# test_target1/a/test_source1/fs1/sub@test-20101111000000
+# test_target1/a/test_source2/fs2/sub@test-20101111000000
+# test_target1/b/test_source1/fs1@test-20101111000000
+# test_target1/b/test_source1/fs1/sub@test-20101111000000
+# test_target1/b/test_source2/fs2/sub@test-20101111000000
+# test_target1/b/test_target1/a/test_source1/fs1@test-20101111000000
+# test_target1/b/test_target1/a/test_source1/fs1/sub@test-20101111000000
+# """)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_zfsautobackup31.py b/tests/test_zfsautobackup31.py
index 11b6437..c66301e 100644
--- a/tests/test_zfsautobackup31.py
+++ b/tests/test_zfsautobackup31.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from basetest import *
 import time
 
 class TestZfsAutobackup31(unittest2.TestCase):
+    """various new 3.1 features"""
 
     def setUp(self):
         prepare_zpools()
diff --git a/zfs_autobackup/ZfsDataset.py b/zfs_autobackup/ZfsDataset.py
index 91b7e8b..0c4f4b7 100644
--- a/zfs_autobackup/ZfsDataset.py
+++ b/zfs_autobackup/ZfsDataset.py
@@ -557,20 +557,19 @@ class ZfsDataset:
             cmd.append(self.name)
 
         # #add custom output pipes?
-        # if output_pipes:
-        #     #local so do our own piping
-        #     if self.zfs_node.is_local():
-        #         output_pipe = self.zfs_node.run(cmd)
-        #         for pipe_cmd in output_pipes:
-        #             output_pipe=self.zfs_node.run(pipe_cmd, inp=output_pipe, )
-        #         return output_pipe
-        #     #remote, so add with actual | and let remote shell handle it
-        #     else:
-        #         for pipe_cmd in output_pipes:
-        #             cmd.append("|")
-        #             cmd.extend(pipe_cmd)
+        #local so do our own piping
+        if self.zfs_node.is_local():
+            output_pipe = self.zfs_node.run(cmd, pipe=True, readonly=True)
+            for pipe_cmd in output_pipes:
+                output_pipe=self.zfs_node.run(pipe_cmd.split(" "), inp=output_pipe, pipe=True, readonly=False)
+        #remote, so add with actual | and let remote shell handle it
+        else:
+            for pipe_cmd in output_pipes:
+                cmd.append("|")
+                cmd.extend(pipe_cmd.split(" "))
+            output_pipe = self.zfs_node.run(cmd, pipe=True, readonly=True)
 
-        return self.zfs_node.run(cmd, pipe=True, readonly=True)
+        return output_pipe
 
     def recv_pipe(self, pipe, features, filter_properties=None, set_properties=None, ignore_exit_code=False):
         """starts a zfs recv for this snapshot and uses pipe as input