diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/sysds/api/PythonDMLScript.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/sysds/api/PythonDMLScript.java
index c4957d4e9f2..80f5ffcd755 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/sysds/api/PythonDMLScript.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/sysds/api/PythonDMLScript.java
@@ -21,17 +21,20 @@
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
+import org.apache.log4j.Level;
+import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 import org.apache.sysds.api.jmlc.Connection;
 
+import py4j.DefaultGatewayServerListener;
 import py4j.GatewayServer;
-import py4j.GatewayServerListener;
 import py4j.Py4JNetworkException;
-import py4j.Py4JServerConnection;
+
 
 public class PythonDMLScript {
 
 	private static final Log LOG = LogFactory.getLog(PythonDMLScript.class.getName());
 	final private Connection _connection;
+	public static GatewayServer GwS;
 
 	/**
 	 * Entry point for Python API.
@@ -42,7 +45,7 @@ public class PythonDMLScript {
 	public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
 		final DMLOptions dmlOptions = DMLOptions.parseCLArguments(args);
 		DMLScript.loadConfiguration(dmlOptions.configFile);
-		final GatewayServer GwS = new GatewayServer(new PythonDMLScript(), dmlOptions.pythonPort);
+		GwS = new GatewayServer(new PythonDMLScript(), dmlOptions.pythonPort);
 		GwS.addListener(new DMLGateWayListener());
 		try {
 			GwS.start();
@@ -67,38 +70,20 @@ private PythonDMLScript() {
 		_connection = new Connection();
 	}
 
+	public static void setDMLGateWayListenerLoggerLevel(Level l){
+		Logger.getLogger(DMLGateWayListener.class).setLevel(l);
+	}
+
 	public Connection getConnection() {
 		return _connection;
 	}
 
-	protected static class DMLGateWayListener implements GatewayServerListener {
+	protected static class DMLGateWayListener extends DefaultGatewayServerListener {
 		private static final Log LOG = LogFactory.getLog(DMLGateWayListener.class.getName());
 
-		@Override
-		public void connectionError(Exception e) {
-			LOG.warn("Connection error: " + e.getMessage());
-			System.exit(1);
-		}
-
-		@Override
-		public void connectionStarted(Py4JServerConnection gatewayConnection) {
-			LOG.debug("Connection Started: " + gatewayConnection.toString());
-		}
-
-		@Override
-		public void connectionStopped(Py4JServerConnection gatewayConnection) {
-			LOG.debug("Connection stopped: " + gatewayConnection.toString());
-		}
-
-		@Override
-		public void serverError(Exception e) {
-			LOG.error("Server Error " + e.getMessage());
-		}
-
 		@Override
 		public void serverPostShutdown() {
 			LOG.info("Shutdown done");
-			System.exit(0);
 		}
 
 		@Override
@@ -108,13 +93,12 @@ public void serverPreShutdown() {
 
 		@Override
 		public void serverStarted() {
-			LOG.info("GatewayServer Started");
+			LOG.info("GatewayServer started");
 		}
 
 		@Override
 		public void serverStopped() {
-			LOG.info("GatewayServer Stopped");
-			System.exit(0);
+			LOG.info("GatewayServer stopped");
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/sysds/test/usertest/pythonapi/StartupTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/sysds/test/usertest/pythonapi/StartupTest.java
index 4b8395107f7..9e7cda13ee8 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/sysds/test/usertest/pythonapi/StartupTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/sysds/test/usertest/pythonapi/StartupTest.java
@@ -19,11 +19,55 @@
 
 package org.apache.sysds.test.usertest.pythonapi;
 
+import org.apache.log4j.Level;
+import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
+import org.apache.log4j.spi.LoggingEvent;
 import org.apache.sysds.api.PythonDMLScript;
+import org.apache.sysds.test.LoggingUtils;
+import org.junit.After;
+import org.junit.Assert;
+import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
+import py4j.GatewayServer;
+
+import java.security.Permission;
+import java.util.List;
+
 
 /** Simple tests to verify startup of Python Gateway server happens without crashes */
 public class StartupTest {
+	private LoggingUtils.TestAppender appender;
+	private SecurityManager sm;
+
+	@Before
+	public void setUp() {
+		appender = LoggingUtils.overwrite();
+		sm = System.getSecurityManager();
+		System.setSecurityManager(new NoExitSecurityManager());
+		PythonDMLScript.setDMLGateWayListenerLoggerLevel(Level.ALL);
+		Logger.getLogger(PythonDMLScript.class.getName()).setLevel(Level.ALL);
+	}
+
+	@After
+	public void tearDown() {
+		LoggingUtils.reinsert(appender);
+		System.setSecurityManager(sm);
+	}
+
+	private void assertLogMessages(String... expectedMessages) {
+		List<LoggingEvent> log = LoggingUtils.reinsert(appender);
+		log.stream().forEach(l -> System.out.println(l.getMessage()));
+		Assert.assertEquals("Unexpected number of log messages", expectedMessages.length, log.size());
+
+		for (int i = 0; i < expectedMessages.length; i++) {
+			// order does not matter
+			boolean found = false;
+			for (String message : expectedMessages) {
+				found |= log.get(i).getMessage().toString().startsWith(message);
+			}
+			Assert.assertTrue("Unexpected log message: " + log.get(i).getMessage(),found);
+		}
+	}
 
 	@Test(expected = Exception.class)
 	public void testStartupIncorrect_1() throws Exception {
@@ -50,4 +94,48 @@ public void testStartupIncorrect_5() throws Exception {
 		// Number out of range
 		PythonDMLScript.main(new String[] {"-python", "918757"});
 	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testStartupIncorrect_6() throws Exception {
+		GatewayServer gws1 = null;
+		try {
+			PythonDMLScript.main(new String[]{"-python", "4001"});
+			gws1 = PythonDMLScript.GwS;
+			Thread.sleep(200);
+			PythonDMLScript.main(new String[]{"-python", "4001"});
+			Thread.sleep(200);
+		} catch (SecurityException e) {
+			assertLogMessages(
+					"GatewayServer started",
+					"failed startup"
+			);
+			gws1.shutdown();
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testStartupCorrect() throws Exception {
+		PythonDMLScript.main(new String[]{"-python", "4002"});
+		Thread.sleep(200);
+		PythonDMLScript script = (PythonDMLScript) PythonDMLScript.GwS.getGateway().getEntryPoint();
+		script.getConnection();
+		PythonDMLScript.GwS.shutdown();
+		Thread.sleep(200);
+		assertLogMessages(
+				"GatewayServer started",
+				"Starting JVM shutdown",
+				"Shutdown done",
+				"GatewayServer stopped"
+		);
+	}
+
+	class NoExitSecurityManager extends SecurityManager {
+		@Override
+		public void checkPermission(Permission perm) { }
+
+		@Override
+		public void checkExit(int status) {
+			throw new SecurityException("Intercepted exit()");
+		}
+	}
 }