diff --git a/scripts/jw-build-functions.sh b/scripts/jw-build-functions.sh
index ce658c8a..ae3bd3d4 100644
--- a/scripts/jw-build-functions.sh
+++ b/scripts/jw-build-functions.sh
@@ -76,3 +76,47 @@ ytools_source_configs()
 	done
 }
 
+ytools_cat()
+{
+	cat | sed 's/^[ 	]*|//'
+}
+
+ytools_waitpid()
+{
+	local pid=$1
+	local t=5
+	[ "$2" ] && t=$2
+
+	while ((t > 0)); do
+		[ -f /proc/$pid/status ] || {
+			wait $pid
+			return 0
+		}
+		sleep 1
+		((t -= 1))
+	done
+	return 1
+}
+
+ytools_terminate()
+{
+	local pid
+	for pid in $@; do
+		[ -f /proc/$pid/status ] && {
+			echo terminating process $pid
+			kill $pid
+			ytools_waitpid $pid || {
+
+				echo "failed to normally terminate process $pid, killing it" >&2
+				kill -9 $pid
+
+				ytools_waitpid $pid || {
+					echo "failed to kill process $pid" >&2
+					return 1
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	done
+	return 0
+}
+