diff --git a/test/test_player.py b/test/test_player.py
index fa9385722..5a375f6b7 100644
--- a/test/test_player.py
+++ b/test/test_player.py
@@ -13,25 +13,36 @@
 # The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
 # included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
 
-"""Tests for BPD and music playing.
+"""Tests for BPD's implementation of the MPD protocol.
 """
 from __future__ import division, absolute_import, print_function
 
 import unittest
-import os
 import sys
-import subprocess
+import multiprocessing as mp
 import socket
 import time
 import yaml
 import tempfile
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 
-from test import _common
+from beets.util import confit, py3_path
+from beetsplug import bpd
+
 from test.helper import TestHelper
 
-from beets.util import confit
-from beetsplug import bpd
+# Mock GstPlayer so that the forked process doesn't attempt to import gi:
+import mock
+import imp
+gstplayer = imp.new_module("beetsplug.bpg.gstplayer")
+gstplayer._GstPlayer = mock.MagicMock(spec_set=[
+    "time", "volume", "playing", "run", "play_file", "pause", "stop", "seek"])
+gstplayer._GstPlayer.time.return_value = (0, 0)
+gstplayer._GstPlayer.volume = 0.0
+gstplayer._GstPlayer.playing = False
+gstplayer.GstPlayer = lambda _: gstplayer._GstPlayer
+sys.modules["beetsplug.bpd.gstplayer"] = gstplayer
+bpd.gstplayer = gstplayer
 
 
 class CommandParseTest(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -193,6 +204,11 @@ class MPCClient(object):
                 return line
 
 
+def start_beets(*args):
+    import beets.ui
+    beets.ui.main(list(args))
+
+
 def implements(commands, expectedFailure=False):  # noqa: N803
     def _test(self):
         with self.run_bpd() as client:
@@ -202,7 +218,6 @@ def implements(commands, expectedFailure=False):  # noqa: N803
     return unittest.expectedFailure(_test) if expectedFailure else _test
 
 
-@_common.slow_test()
 class BPDTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
     def setUp(self):
         self.setup_beets(disk=True)
@@ -215,23 +230,6 @@ class BPDTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
                                    track=2)
         self.lib.add_album([self.item1, self.item2])
 
-        with open(os.path.join(self.temp_dir, b'bpd_mock.py'), 'wb') as f:
-            f.write(b'import mock\n')
-            f.write(b'import sys, imp\n')
-            f.write(b'gstplayer = imp.new_module("beetsplug.bpg.gstplayer")\n')
-            f.write(b'gstplayer._GstPlayer = mock.MagicMock(spec_set=["time",')
-            f.write(b'"volume", "playing", "run", "play_file", "pause", "stop')
-            f.write(b'", "seek"])\n')
-            f.write(b'gstplayer._GstPlayer.time.return_value = (0, 0)\n')
-            f.write(b'gstplayer._GstPlayer.volume = 0.0\n')
-            f.write(b'gstplayer._GstPlayer.playing = False\n')
-            f.write(b'gstplayer.GstPlayer = lambda _: gstplayer._GstPlayer\n')
-            f.write(b'sys.modules["beetsplug.bpd.gstplayer"] = gstplayer\n')
-            f.write(b'import beetsplug, beetsplug.bpd\n')
-            f.write(b'beetsplug.bpd.gstplayer = gstplayer\n')
-            f.write(b'sys.modules["beetsplug.bpd_mock"] = beetsplug.bpd\n')
-            f.write(b'beetsplug.bpd_mock = beetsplug.bpd\n')
-
     def tearDown(self):
         self.teardown_beets()
         self.unload_plugins()
@@ -246,7 +244,7 @@ class BPDTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
         # Create a config file:
         config = {
                 'pluginpath': [self.temp_dir.decode('utf-8')],
-                'plugins': 'bpd_mock',
+                'plugins': 'bpd',
                 'bpd': {'host': host, 'port': port},
         }
         if password:
@@ -257,19 +255,16 @@ class BPDTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
                 yaml.dump(config, Dumper=confit.Dumper, encoding='utf-8'))
         config_file.close()
 
-        # Launch BPD in a new process:
-        env = dict(os.environ.items())
-        env['PYTHONPATH'] = ':'.join(
-                [self.temp_dir.decode('utf-8')] + sys.path[1:]).encode('utf-8')
-        beet = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), '..', 'beet')
-        server = subprocess.Popen([
-            beet,
+        # Fork and launch BPD in the new process:
+        args = (
             '--library', self.config['library'].as_filename(),
-            '--directory', self.libdir,
-            '--config', config_file.name,
+            '--directory', py3_path(self.libdir),
+            '--config', py3_path(config_file.name),
             '--verbose', '--verbose',
-            'bpd', '--debug',
-        ], env=env)
+            'bpd', '--debug'
+        )
+        server = mp.Process(target=start_beets, args=args)
+        server.start()
 
         # Wait until the socket is bound:
         self.sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
@@ -286,7 +281,7 @@ class BPDTest(unittest.TestCase, TestHelper):
             yield MPCClient(host, port, do_hello)
         finally:
             server.terminate()
-            server.wait(timeout=0.1)
+            server.join(timeout=0.1)
             server.kill()
 
     def test_server_hello(self):