diff --git a/looper/conductor.py b/looper/conductor.py
index ffbb1b547..1b08961d3 100644
--- a/looper/conductor.py
+++ b/looper/conductor.py
@@ -4,12 +4,15 @@
 import logging
 import os
 import subprocess
+import signal
+import psutil
+import sys
 import time
 import yaml
 from math import ceil
 from copy import copy, deepcopy
 from json import loads
-from subprocess import check_output
+from subprocess import check_output, PIPE
 from typing import *
 
 from eido import read_schema, get_input_files_size
@@ -189,6 +192,7 @@ def __init__(
             the project level, rather that on the sample level)
         """
         super(SubmissionConductor, self).__init__()
+
         self.collate = collate
         self.section_key = PROJECT_PL_KEY if self.collate else SAMPLE_PL_KEY
         self.pl_iface = pipeline_interface
@@ -210,6 +214,7 @@ def __init__(
         self._curr_size = 0
         self._failed_sample_names = []
         self._curr_skip_pool = []
+        self.process_id = None  # this is used for currently submitted subprocess
 
         if self.extra_pipe_args:
             _LOGGER.debug(
@@ -392,6 +397,10 @@ def submit(self, force=False):
             not for dry run)
         """
         submitted = False
+
+        # Override signal handler so that Ctrl+C can be used to gracefully terminate child process
+        signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, self._signal_int_handler)
+
         if not self._pool:
             _LOGGER.debug("No submission (no pooled samples): %s", self.pl_name)
             # submitted = False
@@ -420,9 +429,11 @@ def submit(self, force=False):
                 submission_command = "{} {}".format(sub_cmd, script)
                 # Capture submission command return value so that we can
                 # intercept and report basic submission failures; #167
-                try:
-                    subprocess.check_call(submission_command, shell=True)
-                except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+                process = subprocess.Popen(submission_command, stderr=PIPE, shell=True)
+                self.process_id = process.pid
+                output, errors = process.communicate()
+                _LOGGER.debug(msg=errors)
+                if process.returncode != 0:
                     fails = (
                         "" if self.collate else [s.sample_name for s in self._samples]
                     )
@@ -489,6 +500,87 @@ def _sample_lump_name(self, pool):
             # name concordant with 1-based, not 0-based indexing.
             return "lump{}".format(self._num_total_job_submissions + 1)
 
+    def _signal_int_handler(self, signal, frame):
+        """
+        For catching interrupt (Ctrl +C) signals. Fails gracefully.
+        """
+        signal_type = "SIGINT"
+        self._generic_signal_handler(signal_type)
+
+    def _generic_signal_handler(self, signal_type):
+        """
+        Function for handling both SIGTERM and SIGINT
+        """
+        message = "Received " + signal_type + ". Failing gracefully..."
+        _LOGGER.warning(msg=message)
+
+        self._terminate_current_subprocess()
+
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    def _terminate_current_subprocess(self):
+        """This terminates the current sub process associated with self.process_id"""
+
+        def pskill(proc_pid, sig=signal.SIGINT):
+            parent_process = psutil.Process(proc_pid)
+            for child_proc in parent_process.children(recursive=True):
+                child_proc.send_signal(sig)
+            parent_process.send_signal(sig)
+
+        if self.process_id is None:
+            return
+
+        # Gently wait for the subprocess before attempting to kill it
+        sys.stdout.flush()
+        still_running = self._attend_process(psutil.Process(self.process_id), 0)
+        sleeptime = 0.25
+        time_waiting = 0
+
+        while still_running and time_waiting < 3:
+            try:
+                if time_waiting > 2:
+                    pskill(self.process_id, signal.SIGKILL)
+                elif time_waiting > 1:
+                    pskill(self.process_id, signal.SIGTERM)
+                else:
+                    pskill(self.process_id, signal.SIGINT)
+
+            except OSError:
+                # This would happen if the child process ended between the check
+                # and the next kill step
+                still_running = False
+                time_waiting = time_waiting + sleeptime
+
+            # Now see if it's still running
+            time_waiting = time_waiting + sleeptime
+            if not self._attend_process(psutil.Process(self.process_id), sleeptime):
+                still_running = False
+
+        if still_running:
+            _LOGGER.warning(f"Unable to halt child process: {self.process_id}")
+        else:
+            if time_waiting > 0:
+                note = f"terminated after {time_waiting} sec"
+            else:
+                note = "was already terminated"
+            _LOGGER.warning(msg=f"Child process {self.process_id} {note}.")
+
+    def _attend_process(self, proc, sleeptime):
+        """
+        Waits on a process for a given time to see if it finishes, returns True
+        if it's still running after the given time or False as soon as it
+        returns.
+
+        :param psutil.Process proc: Process object opened by psutil.Popen()
+        :param float sleeptime: Time to wait
+        :return bool: True if process is still running; otherwise false
+        """
+        try:
+            proc.wait(timeout=int(sleeptime))
+        except psutil.TimeoutExpired:
+            return True
+        return False
+
     def _jobname(self, pool):
         """Create the name for a job submission."""
         return "{}_{}".format(self.pl_iface.pipeline_name, self._sample_lump_name(pool))
@@ -563,6 +655,7 @@ def _set_pipestat_namespace(
                 "results_file": psm.file,
                 "record_identifier": psm.record_identifier,
                 "config_file": psm.config_path,
+                "output_schema": psm.cfg["_schema_path"],
             }
             filtered_namespace = {k: v for k, v in full_namespace.items() if v}
             return YAMLConfigManager(filtered_namespace)
diff --git a/requirements/requirements-all.txt b/requirements/requirements-all.txt
index a78b632dd..bd28baa86 100644
--- a/requirements/requirements-all.txt
+++ b/requirements/requirements-all.txt
@@ -11,4 +11,5 @@ pyyaml>=3.12
 rich>=9.10.0
 ubiquerg>=0.5.2
 yacman==0.9.3
-pydantic2-argparse>=0.9.2
\ No newline at end of file
+pydantic2-argparse>=0.9.2
+psutil
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/requirements/requirements-test.txt b/requirements/requirements-test.txt
index 87d100866..f5579ebaf 100644
--- a/requirements/requirements-test.txt
+++ b/requirements/requirements-test.txt
@@ -4,4 +4,5 @@ pytest
 pytest-cov
 pytest-remotedata
 veracitools
-GitPython
\ No newline at end of file
+GitPython
+psutil
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/col_pipeline1.py b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/col_pipeline1.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/col_pipeline2.py b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/col_pipeline2.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/other_pipeline2.py b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/other_pipeline2.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline1.py b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline1.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface1_project.yaml b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface1_project.yaml
index cddc14b76..2a23d3214 100644
--- a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface1_project.yaml
+++ b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface1_project.yaml
@@ -2,10 +2,8 @@ pipeline_name: PIPELINE1
 pipeline_type: project
 output_schema: output_schema.yaml
 var_templates:
-  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/pipelines/col_pipeline1.py"
+  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/col_pipeline1.py"
 command_template: >
-  {pipeline.var_templates.path} --project-name {project.name}
+  python3 {pipeline.var_templates.path} --project-name {project.name}
+
 
-bioconductor:
-  readFunName: readData
-  readFunPath: readData.R
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface1_sample.yaml b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface1_sample.yaml
index 43638d923..8e79b7ae7 100644
--- a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface1_sample.yaml
+++ b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface1_sample.yaml
@@ -3,13 +3,11 @@ pipeline_type: sample
 input_schema: https://schema.databio.org/pep/2.0.0.yaml
 output_schema: output_schema.yaml
 var_templates:
-  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/pipelines/pipeline1.py"
+  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/pipeline1.py"
 pre_submit:
     python_functions:
       - looper.write_sample_yaml
 command_template: >
-  {pipeline.var_templates.path} --sample-name {sample.sample_name} --req-attr {sample.attr}
+  python3 {pipeline.var_templates.path} --sample-name {sample.sample_name} --req-attr {sample.attr}
+
 
-bioconductor:
-  readFunName: readData
-  readFunPath: readData.R
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface2_project.yaml b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface2_project.yaml
index 7c4a42238..824b7e09b 100644
--- a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface2_project.yaml
+++ b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface2_project.yaml
@@ -2,12 +2,10 @@ pipeline_name: OTHER_PIPELINE2
 pipeline_type: project
 output_schema: output_schema.yaml
 var_templates:
-  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/pipelines/col_pipeline2.py"
+  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/col_pipeline2.py"
 command_template: >
-  {pipeline.var_templates.path} --project-name {project.name}
+  python3 {pipeline.var_templates.path} --project-name {project.name}
 compute:
   size_dependent_variables: resources-project.tsv
 
-bioconductor:
-  readFunName: readData
-  readFunPath: readData.R
+
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface2_sample.yaml b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface2_sample.yaml
index 987f7873d..589aef6dc 100644
--- a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface2_sample.yaml
+++ b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipeline_interface2_sample.yaml
@@ -2,15 +2,12 @@ pipeline_name: OTHER_PIPELINE2
 pipeline_type: sample
 output_schema: output_schema.yaml
 var_templates:
-  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/pipelines/other_pipeline2.py"
+  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/other_pipeline2.py"
 pre_submit:
     python_functions:
       - looper.write_sample_yaml
 command_template: >
-  {pipeline.var_templates.path} --sample-name {sample.sample_name} --req-attr {sample.attr}
+  python3 {pipeline.var_templates.path} --sample-name {sample.sample_name} --req-attr {sample.attr}
 compute:
   size_dependent_variables: resources-sample.tsv
 
-bioconductor:
-  readFunName: readData
-  readFunPath: readData.R
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipestat_pipeline_interface1_sample.yaml b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipestat_pipeline_interface1_sample.yaml
index ff40c411a..e687ea0d3 100644
--- a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipestat_pipeline_interface1_sample.yaml
+++ b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipestat_pipeline_interface1_sample.yaml
@@ -3,13 +3,11 @@ pipeline_type: sample
 input_schema: https://schema.databio.org/pep/2.0.0.yaml
 output_schema: pipestat_output_schema.yaml
 var_templates:
-  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/pipelines/pipeline1.py"
+  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/pipeline1.py"
 pre_submit:
     python_functions:
       - looper.write_sample_yaml
 command_template: >
-  {pipeline.var_templates.path} --sample-name {sample.sample_name} --req-attr {sample.attr}
+  python3 {pipeline.var_templates.path} --sample-name {sample.sample_name} --req-attr {sample.attr}
+
 
-bioconductor:
-  readFunName: readData
-  readFunPath: readData.R
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipestat_pipeline_interface2_sample.yaml b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipestat_pipeline_interface2_sample.yaml
index 79dcf50f8..bac3ea3d4 100644
--- a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipestat_pipeline_interface2_sample.yaml
+++ b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/advanced/pipeline/pipestat_pipeline_interface2_sample.yaml
@@ -3,15 +3,13 @@ pipeline_type: sample
 input_schema: https://schema.databio.org/pep/2.0.0.yaml
 output_schema: pipestat_output_schema.yaml
 var_templates:
-  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/pipelines/other_pipeline2.py"
+  path: "{looper.piface_dir}/other_pipeline2.py"
 pre_submit:
     python_functions:
       - looper.write_sample_yaml
 command_template: >
-  {pipeline.var_templates.path} --sample-name {sample.sample_name} --req-attr {sample.attr}
+  python3 {pipeline.var_templates.path} --sample-name {sample.sample_name} --req-attr {sample.attr}
 compute:
   size_dependent_variables: resources-sample.tsv
 
-bioconductor:
-  readFunName: readData
-  readFunPath: readData.R
+
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/pipestat/pipeline_pipestat/count_lines.py b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/pipestat/pipeline_pipestat/count_lines.py
index 97e866ee4..6f6a4ab8f 100755
--- a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/pipestat/pipeline_pipestat/count_lines.py
+++ b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/pipestat/pipeline_pipestat/count_lines.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import os.path
+
 import pipestat
 import sys
 
@@ -8,14 +10,17 @@
 ]  # this is the sample we wish to process by reading the number of lines
 sample_name = sys.argv[2]
 results_file = sys.argv[3]
+schema_path = sys.argv[4]
 
 # Create pipestat manager and then report values
 psm = pipestat.PipestatManager(
-    schema_path="pipeline_pipestat/pipestat_output_schema.yaml",
+    schema_path=schema_path,
     results_file_path=results_file,
     record_identifier=sample_name,
 )
 
+
+text_file = os.path.abspath(text_file)
 # Read text file and count lines
 with open(text_file, "r") as f:
     result = {"number_of_lines": len(f.readlines())}
diff --git a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/pipestat/pipeline_pipestat/pipeline_interface.yaml b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/pipestat/pipeline_pipestat/pipeline_interface.yaml
index 1d26ac435..e5a144027 100644
--- a/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/pipestat/pipeline_pipestat/pipeline_interface.yaml
+++ b/tests/data/hello_looper-dev/pipestat/pipeline_pipestat/pipeline_interface.yaml
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@ pipeline_name: example_pipestat_pipeline
 pipeline_type: sample
 output_schema: pipestat_output_schema.yaml
 command_template: >
-  python {looper.piface_dir}/count_lines.py {sample.file} {sample.sample_name} {pipestat.results_file}
\ No newline at end of file
+  python3 {looper.piface_dir}/count_lines.py {sample.file} {sample.sample_name} {pipestat.results_file} {pipestat.output_schema}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/smoketests/test_other.py b/tests/smoketests/test_other.py
index 2527f4f25..b90e9b61b 100644
--- a/tests/smoketests/test_other.py
+++ b/tests/smoketests/test_other.py
@@ -95,6 +95,30 @@ def test_pipestat_rerun(self, prep_temp_pep_pipestat, pipeline_name, flags):
         """Verify that rerun works with either failed or waiting flags"""
         tp = prep_temp_pep_pipestat
         _make_flags_pipestat(tp, flags, pipeline_name)
+        path_to_looper_config = prep_temp_pep_pipestat
+        pipestat_dir = os.path.dirname(path_to_looper_config)
+
+        # open up the project config and replace the derived attributes with the path to the data. In a way, this simulates using the environment variables.
+        pipestat_project_file = get_project_config_path(path_to_looper_config)
+
+        pipestat_pipeline_interface_file = os.path.join(
+            pipestat_dir, "pipeline_pipestat/pipeline_interface.yaml"
+        )
+
+        with open(pipestat_project_file, "r") as f:
+            pipestat_project_data = safe_load(f)
+
+        pipestat_project_data["sample_modifiers"]["derive"]["sources"]["source1"] = (
+            os.path.join(pipestat_dir, "data/{sample_name}.txt")
+        )
+
+        with open(pipestat_pipeline_interface_file, "r") as f:
+            pipestat_piface_data = safe_load(f)
+
+        pipeline_name = pipestat_piface_data["pipeline_name"]
+
+        with open(pipestat_project_file, "w") as f:
+            dump(pipestat_project_data, f)
 
         x = ["rerun", "--looper-config", tp]
         try:
diff --git a/tests/test_comprehensive.py b/tests/test_comprehensive.py
index cce74ca54..9b857f8f7 100644
--- a/tests/test_comprehensive.py
+++ b/tests/test_comprehensive.py
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ def test_comprehensive_looper_pipestat(prep_temp_pep_pipestat):
     tsv_list = [os.path.join(sd, f) for f in os.listdir(sd) if f.endswith(".tsv")]
     assert len(tsv_list) == 0
     with pytest.raises(RecordNotFoundError):
+        psm = PipestatManager(config_file=path_to_pipestat_config)
         retrieved_result = psm.retrieve_one(record_identifier="frog_2")