diff --git a/cassandra/files/backup/cassandra-backup-client-runner-call.sh b/cassandra/files/backup/cassandra-backup-client-runner-call.sh
index e507f56..79805d2 100644
--- a/cassandra/files/backup/cassandra-backup-client-runner-call.sh
+++ b/cassandra/files/backup/cassandra-backup-client-runner-call.sh
@@ -125,13 +125,13 @@
     ssh-keygen -R {{ backup.client.target.host }} 2>&1 | > $RSYNCLOG
     ssh-keyscan {{ backup.client.target.host }} >> ~/.ssh/known_hosts  2>&1 | >> $RSYNCLOG
     echo "Rsyncing files to remote host"
-    /usr/bin/rsync -rhtPv --rsync-path=rsync --progress $BACKUPDIR/* -e ssh cassandra@{{ backup.client.target.host }}:$SERVERBACKUPDIR >> $RSYNCLOG
+    /usr/bin/rsync -rhtPv --rsync-path="mkdir -p $SERVERBACKUPDIR && rsync" --progress $BACKUPDIR/* -e ssh cassandra@{{ backup.client.target.host }}:$SERVERBACKUPDIR >> $RSYNCLOG 2>&1
 
     # Check if the rsync succeeded or failed
     if [ -s $RSYNCLOG ] && ! grep -q "rsync error: " $RSYNCLOG; then
             echo "Rsync to remote host completed OK"
     else
-            echo "Rsync to remote host FAILED"
+            echo "Rsync to remote host FAILED. Check $RSYNCLOG for details"
             exit 1
     fi
     {%- endif %}
diff --git a/tests/run_tests.sh b/tests/run_tests.sh
index 9761585..6542700 100755
--- a/tests/run_tests.sh
+++ b/tests/run_tests.sh
@@ -37,9 +37,13 @@
 
 setup_virtualenv() {
     log_info "Setting up Python virtualenv"
+    dependency_check virtualenv
     virtualenv $VENV_DIR
     source ${VENV_DIR}/bin/activate
     python -m pip install salt${PIP_SALT_VERSION}
+    if [[ -f ${CURDIR}/test-requirements.txt ]]; then
+       python -m pip install -r ${CURDIR}/test-requirements.txt
+    fi
 }
 
 setup_mock_bin() {
@@ -145,14 +149,14 @@
         salt_run grains.set 'noservices' False force=True
 
         echo "Checking state ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name} ..."
-        salt_run --id=${state_name} state.show_sls ${FORMULA_NAME} || (log_err "Execution of ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name} failed"; exit 1)
+        salt_run --id=${state_name} state.show_sls ${FORMULA_NAME} || { log_err "Execution of ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name} failed"; exit 1; }
 
         # Check that all files in 'meta' folder can be rendered using any valid pillar
         for meta in `find ${FORMULA_META_DIR} -type f`; do
             meta_name=$(basename ${meta})
             echo "Checking meta ${meta_name} ..."
             salt_run --out=quiet --id=${state_name} cp.get_template ${meta} ${SALT_CACHE_DIR}/${meta_name} \
-              || (log_err "Failed to render meta ${meta} using pillar ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name}"; exit 1)
+              || { log_err "Failed to render meta ${meta} using pillar ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name}"; exit 1; }
             cat ${SALT_CACHE_DIR}/${meta_name}
         done
     done
@@ -161,10 +165,18 @@
 real_run() {
     for pillar in ${PILLARDIR}/*.sls; do
         state_name=$(basename ${pillar%.sls})
-        salt_run --id=${state_name} state.sls ${FORMULA_NAME} || (log_err "Execution of ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name} failed"; exit 1)
+        salt_run --id=${state_name} state.sls ${FORMULA_NAME} || { log_err "Execution of ${FORMULA_NAME}.${state_name} failed"; exit 1; }
     done
 }
 
+dependency_check() {
+  local DEPENDENCY_COMMANDS=$*
+
+  for DEPENDENCY_COMMAND in $DEPENDENCY_COMMANDS; do
+    which $DEPENDENCY_COMMAND > /dev/null || ( log_err "Command \"$DEPENDENCY_COMMAND\" can not be found in default path."; exit 1; )
+  done
+}
+
 _atexit() {
     RETVAL=$?
     trap true INT TERM EXIT
diff --git a/tests/test-requirements.txt b/tests/test-requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bc7dc7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test-requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+jsonschema
+reno
+setuptools<45.0.0
+msgpack<1.0.0