diff --git a/src/testdir/test_channel.py b/src/testdir/test_channel.py
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
index ee7a422..9d4c778 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 " This requires the Python command to run the test server.
 " This most likely only works on Unix and Windows console.
 if has('unix')
-  if !executable('python')
+  " We also need the pkill command to make sure the server can be stopped.
+  if !executable('python') || !executable('pkill')
     finish
   endif
 elseif has('win32') && !has('gui_win32')
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@
   if has('win32')
     silent !start cmd /c start "test_channel" py test_channel.py
   else
-    silent !./test_channel.py&
+    silent !python test_channel.py&
   endif
 endfunc
 
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@
   if has('win32')
     call system('taskkill /IM py.exe /T /F /FI "WINDOWTITLE eq test_channel"')
   else
-    call system("killall test_channel.py")
+    call system("pkill --full test_channel.py")
   endif
 endfunc
 
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 9417f5e..80abec4 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -743,6 +743,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1248,
+/**/
     1247,
 /**/
     1246,