diff --git a/src/main/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/KillProcessTask.groovy b/src/main/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/KillProcessTask.groovy
index 750be30..85555d7 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/KillProcessTask.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/KillProcessTask.groovy
@@ -5,13 +5,14 @@ import org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskAction
 
 class KillProcessTask extends DefaultTask {
 
-    public static final String LOCK_FILE = '.pid.lock'
+    public static final String DEFAULT_LOCK_FILE = '.pid.lock'
 
     String directory = '.'
+    String lockFile = DEFAULT_LOCK_FILE
 
     @TaskAction
     void kill() {
-        def pidFile = new File(directory, LOCK_FILE)
+        def pidFile = new File(directory, lockFile)
         if(!pidFile.exists()) throw new GradleException("No server running!")
 
         def pid = pidFile.text
diff --git a/src/main/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/SpawnProcessTask.groovy b/src/main/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/SpawnProcessTask.groovy
index dc72451..f5dd466 100644
--- a/src/main/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/SpawnProcessTask.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/SpawnProcessTask.groovy
@@ -6,12 +6,13 @@ import org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskAction
 
 class SpawnProcessTask extends DefaultTask {
 
-    public static final String LOCK_FILE = '.pid.lock'
+    public static final String DEFAULT_LOCK_FILE = '.pid.lock'
     public static final String PID_FIELD = 'pid'
 
     String command
     String ready
     String directory = '.'
+    String lockFile = DEFAULT_LOCK_FILE
 
     SpawnProcessTask(){
         description = "Spawn a new server process in the background."
@@ -23,18 +24,27 @@ class SpawnProcessTask extends DefaultTask {
             throw new GradleException("Ensure that mandatory fields command and ready are set.")
         }
 
-        def pidFile = new File(directory, LOCK_FILE)
+        def pidFile = new File(directory, lockFile)
         if(pidFile.exists()) throw new GradleException("Server already running!")
 
         Process process = buildProcess(directory, command)
         int pid = extractPidFromProcess(process)
         stampLockFile(pidFile, pid)
-        waitFor(process)
+
+        def reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(process.getInputStream()))
+        waitFor(reader)
+        def slurpThread = new Thread() {
+            void run() {
+                def line
+                while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        slurpThread.start()
     }
 
-    private waitFor(Process process) {
+    private waitFor(def reader) {
         def line
-        def reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(process.getInputStream()))
         while ((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
             logger.quiet line
             if (line.contains(ready)) {
diff --git a/src/test/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/KillProcessTaskSpec.groovy b/src/test/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/KillProcessTaskSpec.groovy
index 75cda20..2dc6b5f 100644
--- a/src/test/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/KillProcessTaskSpec.groovy
+++ b/src/test/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/KillProcessTaskSpec.groovy
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ import org.gradle.api.Project
 import org.gradle.testfixtures.ProjectBuilder
 import spock.lang.Specification
 
-import static com.wiredforcode.gradle.spawn.SpawnProcessTask.LOCK_FILE
-
 class KillProcessTaskSpec extends Specification {
 
     static final SPAWN_PROCESS_TASK_NAME = "spawnProcess"
@@ -48,7 +46,7 @@ class KillProcessTaskSpec extends Specification {
 
         when:
         spawnTask.spawn()
-        def lockFile = new File(directoryPath, LOCK_FILE)
+        def lockFile = new File(directoryPath, spawnTask.lockFile)
 
         then:
         lockFile.exists()
diff --git a/src/test/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/SpawnProcessTaskSpec.groovy b/src/test/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/SpawnProcessTaskSpec.groovy
index 6646b99..d5b3398 100644
--- a/src/test/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/SpawnProcessTaskSpec.groovy
+++ b/src/test/groovy/com/wiredforcode/gradle/spawn/SpawnProcessTaskSpec.groovy
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ import org.gradle.api.Project
 import org.gradle.testfixtures.ProjectBuilder
 import spock.lang.Specification
 
-import static com.wiredforcode.gradle.spawn.SpawnProcessTask.LOCK_FILE
-
 class SpawnProcessTaskSpec extends Specification {
 
     static final SPAWN_PROCESS_TASK_NAME = 'spawnProcess'
@@ -51,7 +49,7 @@ class SpawnProcessTaskSpec extends Specification {
         task.spawn()
 
         then:
-        new File(directory, LOCK_FILE).exists()
+        new File(directory, task.lockFile).exists()
     }
 
     void "should check if pid file already exists"() {
@@ -59,7 +57,7 @@ class SpawnProcessTaskSpec extends Specification {
         task.directory = directory.toString()
 
         and:
-        new File(directory, LOCK_FILE).createNewFile()
+        new File(directory, task.lockFile).createNewFile()
 
         when:
         task.spawn()