diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index dea30a7a9..fa4e84eef 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@
     <property name="queue.test.classes" value="${build.dir}/scala/testclasses"/>
     <property name="queue.test.sources" value="scala/test"/>
     <!-- provide a ceiling on the memory that unit/integration tests can consume. -->
-    <property name="test.maxmemory" value="5g"/>
+    <property name="test.maxmemory" value="4g"/>
 
     <!-- TEST -->
     <macrodef name="run-test">
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/CommandLineProgram.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/CommandLineProgram.java
index a83d173bc..47a4db9ef 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/CommandLineProgram.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/CommandLineProgram.java
@@ -134,19 +134,6 @@ public abstract class CommandLineProgram {
      */
     protected String getArgumentSourceName( Class source ) { return source.toString(); }
 
-    /**
-     * The command-line argument system allows free-form String tags to accompany each
-     * object.  However, there's no way for the clp to push these tags into the fields
-     * themselves, so we just provide a callback so that the clp can push tags into the
-     * argument system.
-     * @param key Key to use, created by the command-line argument system.
-     * @param tags List of freeform tags. 
-     */
-    protected void addTags(Object key, List<String> tags) {
-        // NO-OP by default.
-    }
-
-
     /**
      * this is the function that the inheriting class can expect to have called
      * when all the argument processing is done
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ParsingEngine.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ParsingEngine.java
index b2c20e511..e1dbe3d35 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ParsingEngine.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/ParsingEngine.java
@@ -41,11 +41,6 @@ import java.util.*;
  * A parser for Sting command-line arguments.
  */
 public class ParsingEngine {
-    /**
-     * The command-line program at the heart of this parsing engine.
-     */
-    CommandLineProgram clp = null;
-
     /**
      * A list of defined arguments against which command lines are matched.
      * Package protected for testing access.
@@ -74,14 +69,17 @@ public class ParsingEngine {
 
     private Set<ArgumentTypeDescriptor> argumentTypeDescriptors = new LinkedHashSet<ArgumentTypeDescriptor>();
 
+    /**
+     * List of tags associated with the given instantiation of the command-line argument.
+     */
+    private final Map<Object,List<String>> tags = new IdentityHashMap<Object,List<String>>();    
+
     /**
      * our log, which we want to capture anything from org.broadinstitute.sting
      */
     protected static Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(ParsingEngine.class);
 
     public ParsingEngine( CommandLineProgram clp ) {
-        this.clp = clp;
-
         parsingMethods.add( ParsingMethod.FullNameParsingMethod );
         parsingMethods.add( ParsingMethod.ShortNameParsingMethod );
 
@@ -294,9 +292,20 @@ public class ParsingEngine {
      * @param tags List of tags, or empty list if no tags are present.
      */
     public void addTags(Object key, List<String> tags) {
-        if(clp!=null) clp.addTags(key,tags);
+        this.tags.put(key,tags);        
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Gets the tags associated with a given object.
+     * @param key Key for which to find a tag.
+     * @return List of tags associated with this key.
+     */
+    public List<String> getTags(Object key)  {
+        if(!tags.containsKey(key))
+            return Collections.emptyList();
+        return tags.get(key);
+    }    
+
     /**
      * Notify the user that a deprecated command-line argument has been used.
      * @param argumentSource Deprecated argument source specified by user.
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/AbstractGenomeAnalysisEngine.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/AbstractGenomeAnalysisEngine.java
index 53a39116c..d4f29ba47 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/AbstractGenomeAnalysisEngine.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/AbstractGenomeAnalysisEngine.java
@@ -111,11 +111,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractGenomeAnalysisEngine {
      */
     private Collection<Stub<?>> outputs = new ArrayList<Stub<?>>();
 
-    /**
-     * List of tags associated with the given instantiation of the command-line argument.
-     */
-    private final Map<Object,List<String>> tags = new IdentityHashMap<Object,List<String>>();
-
     /**
      * Collection of the filters applied to the input data.
      */
@@ -273,25 +268,13 @@ public abstract class AbstractGenomeAnalysisEngine {
         outputs.add(stub);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Adds an association between a object created by the
-     * command-line argument system and a freeform list of tags.
-     * @param key Object created by the command-line argument system.
-     * @param tags List of tags to use when reading arguments.
-     */
-    public void addTags(Object key, List<String> tags) {
-        this.tags.put(key,tags);
-    }
-
     /**
      * Gets the tags associated with a given object.
      * @param key Key for which to find a tag.
      * @return List of tags associated with this key.
      */
     public List<String> getTags(Object key)  {
-        if(!tags.containsKey(key))
-            return Collections.emptyList();
-        return tags.get(key);
+        return parsingEngine.getTags(key);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineExecutable.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineExecutable.java
index 36e42adbe..57d20b155 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineExecutable.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineExecutable.java
@@ -182,14 +182,4 @@ public abstract class CommandLineExecutable extends CommandLineProgram {
     protected String getArgumentSourceName( Class argumentSource ) {
         return engine.getWalkerName((Class<Walker>)argumentSource);
     }
-
-    /**
-     * Supply command-line argument tags to the GATK engine.
-     * @param key Key to use, created by the command-line argument system.
-     * @param tags List of freeform tags.
-     */
-    @Override
-    protected void addTags(Object key, List<String> tags) {
-        engine.addTags(key,tags);
-    }
-        }
+}
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/executive/HierarchicalMicroScheduler.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/executive/HierarchicalMicroScheduler.java
index 09b5af034..863b5c0a7 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/executive/HierarchicalMicroScheduler.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/executive/HierarchicalMicroScheduler.java
@@ -94,6 +94,12 @@ public class HierarchicalMicroScheduler extends MicroScheduler implements Hierar
         super(engine, walker, reads, reference, rods);
 
         this.threadPool = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(nThreadsToUse);
+    }
+
+    public Object execute( Walker walker, ShardStrategy shardStrategy ) {
+        // Fast fail for walkers not supporting TreeReducible interface.
+        if (!( walker instanceof TreeReducible ))
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("The GATK can currently run in parallel only with TreeReducible walkers");
 
         // JMX does not allow multiple instances with the same ObjectName to be registered with the same platform MXBean.
         // To get around this limitation and since we have no job identifier at this point, register a simple counter that
@@ -101,22 +107,16 @@ public class HierarchicalMicroScheduler extends MicroScheduler implements Hierar
         int thisInstance;
         synchronized(HierarchicalMicroScheduler.class) {
             thisInstance = instanceNumber++;
-        }
-
+        }        
+        MBeanServer mbs = ManagementFactory.getPlatformMBeanServer();
+        ObjectName name = null;
         try {
-            MBeanServer mbs = ManagementFactory.getPlatformMBeanServer();
-            ObjectName name = new ObjectName("org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.executive:type=HierarchicalMicroScheduler,instanceNumber="+thisInstance);
+            name = new ObjectName("org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.executive:type=HierarchicalMicroScheduler,instanceNumber="+thisInstance);
             mbs.registerMBean(this, name);
         }
         catch (JMException ex) {
             throw new ReviewedStingException("Unable to register microscheduler with JMX", ex);
         }
-    }
-
-    public Object execute( Walker walker, ShardStrategy shardStrategy ) {
-        // Fast fail for walkers not supporting TreeReducible interface.
-        if (!( walker instanceof TreeReducible ))
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("The GATK can currently run in parallel only with TreeReducible walkers");
 
         traversalEngine.startTimers();
         ReduceTree reduceTree = new ReduceTree(this);
@@ -163,6 +163,13 @@ public class HierarchicalMicroScheduler extends MicroScheduler implements Hierar
 
         outputTracker.close();
 
+        try {
+            mbs.unregisterMBean(name);
+        }
+        catch (JMException ex) {
+            throw new ReviewedStingException("Unable to unregister microscheduler with JMX", ex);
+        }
+
         return result;
     }
 
diff --git a/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/varianteval/VariantEvalIntegrationTest.java b/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/varianteval/VariantEvalIntegrationTest.java
index 3ba01f1d5..929122885 100755
--- a/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/varianteval/VariantEvalIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/varianteval/VariantEvalIntegrationTest.java
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ public class
         for (String tests : testsEnumerations) {
             WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(withSelect(tests, "DP < 50", "DP50") + " " + extraArgs + " -o %s",
                     1, Arrays.asList("158ac8e6d32eb2ea1bbeebfa512965de"));
-            //executeTestParallel("testSelect1", spec);
-            executeTest("testSelect1", spec);
+            executeTestParallel("testSelect1", spec);
         }
     }
 
@@ -40,8 +39,7 @@ public class
         String extraArgs = "-L 1:1-10,000,000";
         WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec( withSelect(withSelect(root, "DP < 50", "DP50"), "set==\"Intersection\"", "intersection") + " " + extraArgs + " -o %s",
                 1, Arrays.asList("cee96f61ffa1d042fe0c63550c508ec9"));
-        //executeTestParallel("testSelect2", spec);
-        executeTest("testSelect2", spec);
+        executeTestParallel("testSelect2", spec);
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -51,8 +49,7 @@ public class
             WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(cmdRoot + " -B:eval,VCF " + validationDataLocation + vcfFile + " -B:comp,VCF " + validationDataLocation + "GenotypeConcordanceComp.vcf -noStandard -E GenotypeConcordance -reportType CSV -o %s",
                     1,
                     Arrays.asList("7e9ce1b26cdeaa50705f5de163847638"));
-            //executeTestParallel("testVEGenotypeConcordance" + vcfFile, spec);
-            executeTest("testVEGenotypeConcordance" + vcfFile, spec);
+            executeTestParallel("testVEGenotypeConcordance" + vcfFile, spec);
         }
 
     }
@@ -70,8 +67,7 @@ public class
                 WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec( tests + " " + extraArgs + " -o %s",
                     1, // just one output file
                     Arrays.asList(md5));
-                //executeTestParallel("testVESimple", spec);
-                executeTest("testVESimple", spec);
+                executeTestParallel("testVESimple", spec);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -96,8 +92,7 @@ public class
                 WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(tests + " " + extraArgs1 + extraArgs2 + " -o %s",
                         1, // just one output file
                         Arrays.asList(md5));
-                //executeTestParallel("testVEComplex", spec);
-                executeTest("testVEComplex", spec);
+                executeTestParallel("testVEComplex", spec);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -114,8 +109,7 @@ public class
         String md5 = "d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e";
 
         WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(vecmd, 1, Arrays.asList(md5));
-        //executeTestParallel("testVEGenomicallyAnnotated", spec);
-        executeTest("testVEGenomicallyAnnotated", spec);
+        executeTestParallel("testVEGenomicallyAnnotated", spec);
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -125,8 +119,7 @@ public class
             WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(tests + " " + extraArgs + " -o %s -outputVCF %s -NO_HEADER",
                     2,
                     Arrays.asList("6b97a019402b3984fead9a4e8b7c7c2a", "989bc30dea6c8a4cf771cd1b9fdab488"));
-            //executeTestParallel("testVEWriteVCF", spec);
-            executeTest("testVEWriteVCF", spec);
+            executeTestParallel("testVEWriteVCF", spec);
         }
     }
 
@@ -134,8 +127,7 @@ public class
     public void testCompVsEvalAC() {
         String extraArgs = "-T VariantEval -R "+b36KGReference+" -o %s -E GenotypeConcordance -B:evalYRI,VCF /humgen/gsa-hpprojects/GATK/data/Validation_Data/yri.trio.gatk.ug.very.few.lines.vcf -B:compYRI,VCF /humgen/gsa-hpprojects/GATK/data/Validation_Data/yri.trio.gatk.fake.genotypes.ac.test.vcf -reportType CSV";
         WalkerTestSpec spec = new WalkerTestSpec(extraArgs,1,Arrays.asList("25a681855cb26e7380fbf1a93de0a41f"));
-        //executeTestParallel("testACDiscordanceAtAC1EvalAC2Comp",spec);
-        executeTest("testACDiscordanceAtAC1EvalAC2Comp",spec);
+        executeTestParallel("testACDiscordanceAtAC1EvalAC2Comp",spec);
     }
 
     private static String withSelect(String cmd, String select, String name) {