diff --git a/tests/openpgp/conventional-mdc.test b/tests/openpgp/conventional-mdc.test
index a5e5c4e44..15b525fa7 100755
--- a/tests/openpgp/conventional-mdc.test
+++ b/tests/openpgp/conventional-mdc.test
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 #info Checking conventional encryption
 for ciph in `all_cipher_algos`; do
-  echo_n "$ciph "
+  progress "$ciph"
   for i in 0 1 2 3 9 10 11 19 20 21 22 23 39 40 41 8192 32000 ; do
     # *BSD's dd can't cope with a count of 0
     if test "$i" = "0"; then
@@ -27,4 +27,5 @@ for ciph in `all_cipher_algos`; do
     cmp z y || error "$ciph/$i: mismatch"
   done
 done
-echo_n "| "
+
+progress_end
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/conventional.test b/tests/openpgp/conventional.test
index 1464ee229..5028b2934 100755
--- a/tests/openpgp/conventional.test
+++ b/tests/openpgp/conventional.test
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ for i in plain-2 data-32000 ; do
 done
 
 for a in `all_cipher_algos`; do
-    echo_n "$a "
+    progress "$a"
     for i in plain-1 data-80000 ; do
       echo "Hier spricht HAL" | $GPG --passphrase-fd 0 \
 					  --cipher-algo $a -c -o x --yes $i
@@ -26,4 +26,5 @@ for a in `all_cipher_algos`; do
       cmp $i y || error "$i: ($a) mismatch"
     done
 done
-echo_n "| "
+
+progress_end
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/defs.inc b/tests/openpgp/defs.inc
index 12e1b808e..b0115498f 100755
--- a/tests/openpgp/defs.inc
+++ b/tests/openpgp/defs.inc
@@ -42,18 +42,28 @@ LC_MESSAGES=
 # Internal use.
 defs_stop_on_error=no
 defs_error_seen=no
+defs_progress_active=no
 
 #--------------------------------
 #------ utility functions -------
 #--------------------------------
 
+progress_cancel () {
+    if [ x$defs_progress_active = xyes ]; then
+        echo
+        defs_progress_active=no
+    fi
+}
+
 fatal () {
+    progress_cancel
     echo "$pgmname: fatal:" $* >&2
     echo "$pgmname: fatal:" $* >&5
     exit 1;
 }
 
 error () {
+    progress_cancel
     echo "$pgmname:" $* >&2
     defs_error_seen=yes
     echo "$pgmname:" $* >&5
@@ -77,6 +87,7 @@ resume_error () {
 }
 
 info () {
+    progress_cancel
     echo "$pgmname:" $* >&2
     if [ -n "${verbose+set}" ]; then
       echo "$pgmname:" $* >&5
@@ -87,7 +98,6 @@ linefeed () {
     echo >&2
 }
 
-
 echo_n_init=no
 echo_n () {
   if test "$echo_n_init" = "no"; then
@@ -110,6 +120,23 @@ echo_n () {
 }
 
 
+progress_end () {
+    if [ x$defs_progress_active = xyes ]; then
+        echo "<"
+        defs_progress_active=no
+    fi
+}
+
+progress () {
+    if [ x$defs_progress_active != xyes ]; then
+        echo_n "    > "
+        defs_progress_active=yes
+    fi
+    echo_n "$* "
+}
+
+
+
 #cleanup () {
 #    rm $cleanup_files 2>/dev/null || true
 #    echo "#empty" >./gpg.conf
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/encrypt-dsa.test b/tests/openpgp/encrypt-dsa.test
index 01fe33aa8..320fbd871 100755
--- a/tests/openpgp/encrypt-dsa.test
+++ b/tests/openpgp/encrypt-dsa.test
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ for i in $plain_files $data_files ; do
 done
 
 for ca in `all_cipher_algos` ; do
-    echo_n "$ca "
+    progress "$ca"
     for i in $plain_files $data_files ; do
 	$GPG $dsa_keyrings --always-trust --cipher-algo $ca -e \
 	    -o x --yes -r "$dsa_usrname2" $i
@@ -26,4 +26,5 @@ for ca in `all_cipher_algos` ; do
 	cmp $i y || error "$i: mismatch"
     done
 done
-echo_n "| "
+
+progress_end
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/encrypt.test b/tests/openpgp/encrypt.test
index c50c66c12..5ef5196d8 100755
--- a/tests/openpgp/encrypt.test
+++ b/tests/openpgp/encrypt.test
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ for i in $plain_files $data_files ; do
     cmp $i y || error "$i: mismatch"
 done
 
+echo_n "    > "
 for ca in `all_cipher_algos` ; do
     echo_n "$ca "
     for i in $plain_files $data_files ; do
@@ -25,4 +26,4 @@ for ca in `all_cipher_algos` ; do
 	cmp $i y || error "$i: mismatch"
     done
 done
-echo_n "| "
+echo "<"
diff --git a/tests/openpgp/sigs.test b/tests/openpgp/sigs.test
index 86b0cdc7b..a4bf76c8b 100755
--- a/tests/openpgp/sigs.test
+++ b/tests/openpgp/sigs.test
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ for i in $plain_files $data_files; do
 done
 
 for da in `all_hash_algos` ; do
-    echo_n "$da "
+    progress "$da"
 
     # RSA key, so any hash is okay
     if have_pubkey_algo "RSA"; then
@@ -42,4 +42,5 @@ for da in `all_hash_algos` ; do
         done
     fi
 done
-echo_n "| "
+
+progress_end