diff --git a/src/python/devtest/os/test/test.py b/src/python/devtest/os/test/test.py
index eabb2a4..0166a15 100644
--- a/src/python/devtest/os/test/test.py
+++ b/src/python/devtest/os/test/test.py
@@ -39,20 +39,45 @@ async def expect(conn, regex=None, subject=None, act_timeout=0.1, total_timeout=
             return buf
     raise Exception("never reached")
 
-async def cmd_expect(conn, cmd, subject=None, regex=None, act_timeout=0.1): # export
+async def cmd_expect(conn, cmd, subject=None, regex=None, log_act=None, act_timeout=0.1): # export
     slog(NOTICE, 'sending command "{}"'.format(str(cmd).rstrip("\n")))
     res = await cmd_exec(conn, cmd)
     if not isinstance(res, list):
         msg = 'failed to send command over connection {}'.format(conn)
         slog(ERR, 'FAIL: ' + msg)
         return msg
-    if expect(conn, regex=regex, subject=subject, act_timeout=act_timeout):
+    if expect(conn, regex=regex, subject=subject, act_timeout=act_timeout, log_act=log_act):
         slog(NOTICE, 'PASS: found pattern "{}" in command output'.format(regex))
         return None
     r = "FAIL: failed to find {} in command output".format(regex)
     slog(ERR, r)
     return r
 
+# takes a list of [ cmd, regex-expect (or None), expect_timeout (or None)]
+async def cmds_exec(console, cmds, log_act=None, echo_cmd=False): # export
+
+    def find_match(response, pattern):
+        for s in response:
+            if re.search(pattern, s) is not None:
+                return True
+        return False
+
+    for c in cmds:
+        cmdline = c[0]
+        e = None if len(c) < 2 else c[1]
+        timeout = 200 if len(c) < 3 else c[2]
+        rr = await cmd_exec(console, cmdline, act_timeout=1, log_act=log_act, echo_cmd=echo_cmd)
+        if rr is None:
+            return 'Failed to run command "{}"'.format(cmdline)
+        if e is not None:
+            if find_match(rr, e):
+                continue
+            slog(DEBUG, 'Waiting for: "{}"'.format(e))
+            rr = await expect(console, regex=e, act_timeout=timeout)
+            if rr is None:
+                return 'Timed out waiting for: "{}"'.format(e)
+    return None
+
 async def grep_log(conn, regex, log_glob='/var/log/messages', act_timeout=0.1, total_timeout=None): # export
     cmd = "ls {} | tail -1".format(log_glob)
     res = await cmd_exec(conn, cmd, act_timeout=act_timeout, total_timeout=total_timeout)