diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index cab11cb..c77972e 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from setuptools import setup
 
 setup(
     name="pytest-xdist",
-    version='1.5a7',
+    version='1.5a8',
     description='py.test xdist plugin for distributed testing and loop-on-failing modes',
     long_description=__doc__,
     license='GPLv2 or later',
diff --git a/testing/acceptance_test.py b/testing/acceptance_test.py
index 7f5de0c..d097afa 100644
--- a/testing/acceptance_test.py
+++ b/testing/acceptance_test.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class TestDistribution:
         subdir.ensure("__init__.py")
         p = subdir.join("test_one.py")
         p.write("def test_5():\n  assert not __file__.startswith(%r)" % str(p))
-        result = testdir.runpytest("-v", "-d", 
+        result = testdir.runpytest("-v", "-d",
             "--rsyncdir=%(subdir)s" % locals(),
             "--tx=popen//chdir=%(dest)s" % locals(), p)
         assert result.ret == 0
@@ -394,3 +394,18 @@ def test_crashing_item(testdir):
 
 
 
+def test_skipping(testdir):
+    p = testdir.makepyfile("""
+        import pytest
+        def test_crash():
+            pytest.skip("hello")
+    """)
+    result = testdir.runpytest("-n1", '-rs', p)
+    assert result.ret == 0
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+        "*hello*",
+        "*1 skipped*"
+    ])
+
+
+
diff --git a/testing/test_remote.py b/testing/test_remote.py
index 60d0a24..ef5f0d2 100644
--- a/testing/test_remote.py
+++ b/testing/test_remote.py
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ class TestReportSerialization:
             assert newrep.passed == rep.passed
             assert newrep.failed == rep.failed
             assert newrep.skipped == rep.skipped
-            if newrep.skipped:
-                assert len(newrep.reprcrash) == 3
+            if newrep.skipped and 'xfail' not in newrep.keywords:
+                assert len(newrep.longrepr) == 3
             assert newrep.outcome == rep.outcome
             assert newrep.when == rep.when
             assert newrep.keywords == rep.keywords
diff --git a/xdist/__init__.py b/xdist/__init__.py
index ac59ec9..8b94661 100644
--- a/xdist/__init__.py
+++ b/xdist/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 #
-__version__ = '1.5a7'
+__version__ = '1.5a8'
diff --git a/xdist/dsession.py b/xdist/dsession.py
index 658c328..c6b1468 100644
--- a/xdist/dsession.py
+++ b/xdist/dsession.py
@@ -274,12 +274,12 @@ class DSession:
         if rep.when in ("setup", "call"):
             self.sched.remove_item(node, rep.nodeid)
         #self.report_line("testreport %s: %s" %(rep.id, rep.status))
-        enrich_report_with_platform_data(rep, node)
+        rep.node = node
         self.config.hook.pytest_runtest_logreport(report=rep)
         self._handlefailures(rep)
 
     def slave_teardownreport(self, node, rep):
-        enrich_report_with_platform_data(rep, node)
+        rep.node = node
         self.config.hook.pytest__teardown_final_logerror(report=rep)
 
     def slave_collectreport(self, node, rep):
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ class DSession:
         msg = "Slave %r crashed while running %r" %(slave.gateway.id, nodeid)
         rep = runner.TestReport(nodeid, (fspath, None, fspath), (),
             "failed", msg, "???")
-        enrich_report_with_platform_data(rep, slave)
+        rep.node = slave
         self.config.hook.pytest_runtest_logreport(report=rep)
 
 class TerminalDistReporter:
@@ -346,14 +346,3 @@ class TerminalDistReporter:
     #    targets = ", ".join(["[%s]" % gw.id for gw in gateways])
     #    self.write_line("rsyncfinish: %s -> %s" %(source, targets))
 
-
-def enrich_report_with_platform_data(rep, node):
-    rep.node = node
-    if hasattr(rep, 'node') and rep.longrepr:
-        d = node.slaveinfo
-        ver = "%s.%s.%s" % d['version_info'][:3]
-        infoline = "[%s] %s -- Python %s %s" % (
-            d['id'], d['sysplatform'], ver, d['executable'])
-        # XXX more structured longrepr?
-        rep.longrepr = infoline + "\n\n" + str(rep.longrepr)
-
diff --git a/xdist/remote.py b/xdist/remote.py
index 2f8a8d2..aa382b7 100644
--- a/xdist/remote.py
+++ b/xdist/remote.py
@@ -85,7 +85,10 @@ class SlaveInteractor:
 def serialize_report(rep):
     import py
     d = rep.__dict__.copy()
-    d['longrepr'] = rep.longrepr and str(rep.longrepr) or None
+    if hasattr(rep.longrepr, 'toterminal'):
+        d['longrepr'] = str(rep.longrepr)
+    else:
+        d['longrepr'] = rep.longrepr
     for name in d:
         if isinstance(d[name], py.path.local):
             d[name] = str(d[name])