diff --git a/lib/logstash/filters/multiline.rb b/lib/logstash/filters/multiline.rb
index 55ad67b0330..2d6bf06a814 100644
--- a/lib/logstash/filters/multiline.rb
+++ b/lib/logstash/filters/multiline.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 require "set"
 #
 # This filter will collapse multiline messages from a single source into one Logstash event.
-# 
+#
 # The original goal of this filter was to allow joining of multi-line messages
 # from files into a single event. For example - joining java exception and
 # stacktrace messages into a single event.
@@ -19,20 +19,20 @@
 #         what => "previous" or "next"
 #       }
 #     }
-# 
+#
 # The `pattern` should be a regexp which matches what you believe to be an indicator
 # that the field is part of an event consisting of multiple lines of log data.
 #
 # The `what` must be "previous" or "next" and indicates the relation
 # to the multi-line event.
 #
-# The `negate` can be "true" or "false" (defaults to false). If "true", a 
+# The `negate` can be "true" or "false" (defaults to false). If "true", a
 # message not matching the pattern will constitute a match of the multiline
 # filter and the `what` will be applied. (vice-versa is also true)
 #
 # For example, Java stack traces are multiline and usually have the message
 # starting at the far-left, with each subsequent line indented. Do this:
-# 
+#
 #     filter {
 #       multiline {
 #         type => "somefiletype"
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 #         what => "next"
 #       }
 #     }
-#     
+#
 # This says that any line ending with a backslash should be combined with the
 # following line.
 #
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class LogStash::Filters::Multiline < LogStash::Filters::Base
 
   # Negate the regexp pattern ('if not matched')
   config :negate, :validate => :boolean, :default => false
-  
+
   # The stream identity is how the multiline filter determines which stream an
   # event belongs to. This is generally used for differentiating, say, events
   # coming from multiple files in the same file input, or multiple connections
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class LogStash::Filters::Multiline < LogStash::Filters::Base
   # may have occurred between the old and new connection. To solve this use
   # case, you can use "%{@source_host}.%{@type}" instead.
   config :stream_identity , :validate => :string, :default => "%{host}.%{path}.%{type}"
-  
+
   # Logstash ships by default with a bunch of patterns, so you don't
   # necessarily need to define this yourself unless you are adding additional
   # patterns.
@@ -97,6 +97,9 @@ class LogStash::Filters::Multiline < LogStash::Filters::Base
   #     NUMBER \d+
   config :patterns_dir, :validate => :array, :default => []
 
+  # for debugging & testing purposes, do not use in production. allows periodic flushing of pending events
+  config :enable_flush, :validate => :boolean, :default => false
+
   # Detect if we are running from a jarfile, pick the right path.
   @@patterns_path = Set.new
   if __FILE__ =~ /file:\/.*\.jar!.*/
@@ -215,8 +218,7 @@ def filter(event)
     end # case @what
 
     if !event.cancelled?
-      event["message"] = event["message"].join("\n") if event["message"].is_a?(Array)
-      event["@timestamp"] = event["@timestamp"].first if event["@timestamp"].is_a?(Array)
+      collapse_event!(event)
       filter_matched(event) if match
     end
   end # def filter
@@ -225,13 +227,23 @@ def filter(event)
   #
   # Note: flush is disabled now; it is preferable to use the multiline codec.
   public
-  def __flush
+  def flush
+    return [] unless @enable_flush
+
     events = []
     @pending.each do |key, value|
       value.uncancel
-      events << value
+      events << collapse_event!(value)
     end
     @pending.clear
     return events
   end # def flush
+
+  private
+
+  def collapse_event!(event)
+    event["message"] = event["message"].join("\n") if event["message"].is_a?(Array)
+    event["@timestamp"] = event["@timestamp"].first if event["@timestamp"].is_a?(Array)
+    event
+  end
 end # class LogStash::Filters::Multiline
diff --git a/spec/filters/multiline.rb b/spec/filters/multiline.rb
index d4fb15b5314..25fd4a0eb99 100644
--- a/spec/filters/multiline.rb
+++ b/spec/filters/multiline.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+
 require "test_utils"
 require "logstash/filters/multiline"
 
-puts "MULTILINE FILTER TEST DISABLED"
-describe LogStash::Filters::Multiline, :if => false do
+describe LogStash::Filters::Multiline do
 
   extend LogStash::RSpec
 
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@
     config <<-CONFIG
     filter {
       multiline {
+        enable_flush => true
         pattern => "^\\s"
         what => previous
       }
@@ -17,8 +19,8 @@
     CONFIG
 
     sample [ "hello world", "   second line", "another first line" ] do
-      p subject.to_hash
-      insist { subject.length } == 2
+      expect(subject).to be_a(Array)
+      insist { subject.size } == 2
       insist { subject[0]["message"] } == "hello world\n   second line"
       insist { subject[1]["message"] } == "another first line"
     end
@@ -28,6 +30,7 @@
     config <<-CONFIG
     filter {
       multiline {
+        enable_flush => true
         pattern => "^%{NUMBER} %{TIME}"
         negate => true
         what => previous
@@ -36,8 +39,7 @@
     CONFIG
 
     sample [ "120913 12:04:33 first line", "second line", "third line" ] do
-      insist { subject.length } == 1
-      insist { subject[0]["message"] } ==  "120913 12:04:33 first line\nsecond line\nthird line"
+      insist { subject["message"] } ==  "120913 12:04:33 first line\nsecond line\nthird line"
     end
   end
 
@@ -45,51 +47,46 @@
     config <<-CONFIG
       filter {
         multiline {
+          enable_flush => true
           pattern => "^\\s"
           what => previous
         }
       }
     CONFIG
 
-    multiline_event = [
-      "hello world",
-    ]
-
-    count = 20
-    stream_count = 2
-    id = 0
-    eventstream = count.times.collect do |i|
-      stream = "stream#{i % stream_count}"
-      (
-        [ "hello world #{stream}" ] \
-        + rand(5).times.collect { |n| id += 1; "   extra line #{n} in #{stream} event #{id}" }
-      ) .collect do |line|
-        LogStash::Event.new("message" => line,
-                            "host" => stream, "type" => stream,
-                            "event" => i)
+    count = 50
+    stream_count = 3
+
+    # first make sure to have starting lines for all streams
+    eventstream = stream_count.times.map do |i|
+      stream = "stream#{i}"
+      lines = [LogStash::Event.new("message" => "hello world #{stream}", "host" => stream, "type" => stream)]
+      lines += rand(5).times.map do |n|
+        LogStash::Event.new("message" => "   extra line in #{stream}", "host" => stream, "type" => stream)
       end
     end
 
-    alllines = eventstream.flatten
-
-    # Take whole events and mix them with other events (maintain order)
-    # This simulates a mixing of multiple streams being received 
-    # and processed. It requires that the multiline filter correctly partition
-    # by stream_identity
-    concurrent_stream = eventstream.flatten.count.times.collect do 
-      index = rand(eventstream.count)
-      event = eventstream[index].shift
-      eventstream.delete_at(index) if eventstream[index].empty?
-      event
+    # them add starting lines for random stream with sublines also for random stream
+    eventstream += (count - stream_count).times.map do |i|
+      stream = "stream#{rand(stream_count)}"
+      lines = [LogStash::Event.new("message" => "hello world #{stream}", "host" => stream, "type" => stream)]
+      lines += rand(5).times.map do |n|
+        stream = "stream#{rand(stream_count)}"
+        LogStash::Event.new("message" => "   extra line in #{stream}", "host" => stream, "type" => stream)
+      end
     end
 
-    sample concurrent_stream do 
-      insist { subject.count } == count
+    events = eventstream.flatten.map{|event| event.to_hash}
+
+    sample events do
+      expect(subject).to be_a(Array)
+      insist { subject.size } == count
+
       subject.each_with_index do |event, i|
-        #puts "#{i}/#{event["event"]}: #{event.to_json}"
-        #insist { event.type } == stream
-        #insist { event.source } == stream
+        insist { event["type"] == event["host"] } == true
+        stream = event["type"]
         insist { event["message"].split("\n").first } =~ /hello world /
+        insist { event["message"].scan(/stream\d/).all?{|word| word == stream} } == true
       end
     end
   end
@@ -101,6 +98,7 @@
           add_tag => "dummy"
         }
         multiline {
+          enable_flush => true
           add_tag => [ "nope" ]
           remove_tag => "dummy"
           add_field => [ "dummy2", "value" ]
@@ -111,9 +109,14 @@
     CONFIG
 
     sample [ "120913 12:04:33 first line", "120913 12:04:33 second line" ] do
+      expect(subject).to be_a(Array)
+      insist { subject.size } == 2
+
       subject.each do |s|
-        insist { s.tags.find_index("nope").nil? && s.tags.find_index("dummy") != nil && !s.fields.has_key?("dummy2") } == true
+        insist { s["tags"].include?("nope")  } == false
+        insist { s["tags"].include?("dummy") } == true
+        insist { s.include?("dummy2") } == false
       end
     end
-  end 
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/test_utils.rb b/spec/test_utils.rb
index 2469feffac4..830038ad044 100644
--- a/spec/test_utils.rb
+++ b/spec/test_utils.rb
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ def sample(sample_event, &block)
           results = []
           count = 0
           pipeline.instance_eval { @filters.each(&:register) }
+
           event.each do |e|
             extra = []
             pipeline.filter(e) do |new_event|
@@ -96,8 +97,10 @@ def sample(sample_event, &block)
             results += extra.reject(&:cancelled?)
           end
 
+          pipeline.instance_eval {@filters.each {|f| results += f.flush if f.respond_to?(:flush)}}
+
           # TODO(sissel): pipeline flush needs to be implemented.
-          #results += pipeline.flush
+          # results += pipeline.flush
           next results
         end