diff --git a/git/cmd.py b/git/cmd.py
index 576a5300a..1276efa40 100644
--- a/git/cmd.py
+++ b/git/cmd.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 # the BSD License: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/bsd-license.php
 
 import os, sys
+import tempfile
 from util import (
 					LazyMixin, 
 					stream_copy
@@ -234,7 +235,15 @@ def _set_cache_(self, attr):
 		if attr == '_version_info':
 			# We only use the first 4 numbers, as everthing else could be strings in fact (on windows)
 			version_numbers = self._call_process('version').split(' ')[2]
-			self._version_info = tuple(int(n) for n in version_numbers.split('.')[:4])
+			ver_list = version_numbers.split('.')
+			version_info = list()
+			for n_str in ver_list:
+				try:
+					n_int = int(n_str)
+					version_info.append(n_int)
+				except ValueError:
+					pass
+			self._version_info = tuple(n for n in version_info)
 		else:
 			super(Git, self)._set_cache_(attr)
 		#END handle version info
@@ -328,19 +337,30 @@ def execute(self, command,
 		  cwd = os.getcwd()
 		else:
 		  cwd=self._working_dir
-		  
+
+		if as_process:
+			temp_file_err = tempfile.TemporaryFile()
+			temp_file_out = tempfile.TemporaryFile()
+			stderr_pipe=temp_file_err.fileno()
+			stdout_pipe=temp_file_out.fileno()
+		else:
+			stderr_pipe=PIPE
+			stdout_pipe=PIPE
+
 		# Start the process
 		proc = Popen(command,
-						cwd=cwd,
-						stdin=istream,
-						stderr=PIPE,
-						stdout=PIPE,
-						close_fds=(os.name=='posix'),# unsupported on linux
-						**subprocess_kwargs
-						)
+					 cwd=cwd,
+					 stdin=istream,
+					 stderr=stderr_pipe,
+					 stdout=stdout_pipe,
+					 close_fds=(os.name=='posix'),# unsupported on linux
+					 **subprocess_kwargs
+		)
 		if as_process:
+			proc.stderr = temp_file_err
+			proc.stdout = temp_file_out
 			return self.AutoInterrupt(proc, command)
-		
+
 		# Wait for the process to return
 		status = 0
 		stdout_value = ''
diff --git a/git/remote.py b/git/remote.py
index ed01783ca..6462b1c90 100644
--- a/git/remote.py
+++ b/git/remote.py
@@ -513,8 +513,11 @@ def update(self, **kwargs):
 	def _get_fetch_info_from_stderr(self, proc, progress):
 		# skip first line as it is some remote info we are not interested in
 		output = IterableList('name')
-		
-		
+
+		finalize_process(proc)
+		proc.stderr.seek(0)
+		proc.stdout.seek(0)
+
 		# lines which are no progress are fetch info lines
 		# this also waits for the command to finish
 		# Skip some progress lines that don't provide relevant information