diff --git a/gui-test/framework/tests/README b/gui-test/framework/tests/README
index 4012dc94..c48bc2fa 100644
--- a/gui-test/framework/tests/README
+++ b/gui-test/framework/tests/README
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ signal failures when there aren't any.
   | This tests that exit:exit really exits and that the exit callbacks
   | are actually run.
 
-- preferences: |# prefs.rkt #|
+- preferences: prefs.rkt  -- now runs directly via raco test
 
   | This tests that preferences are saved and restored correctly, both
   | immediately and across reboots of gracket.
diff --git a/gui-test/framework/tests/prefs.rkt b/gui-test/framework/tests/prefs.rkt
index ef389327..9f6feec6 100644
--- a/gui-test/framework/tests/prefs.rkt
+++ b/gui-test/framework/tests/prefs.rkt
@@ -1,141 +1,103 @@
 #lang racket/base
-(require "test-suite-utils.rkt")
+(require framework/preferences
+         racket/format
+         rackunit)
 
-(module test racket/base)
-  
-  (define ((check-equal? x) y) (equal? x y))
-  (define pref-sym 'plt:not-a-real-preference)
-  (define marshalling-pref-sym 'plt:not-a-real-preference-marshalling)
-  (define default-test-sym 'plt:not-a-real-preference-default-test)
-  
-  (shutdown-mred)
-  
-  (test
-   'preference-unbound
-   (check-equal? 'passed)
-   `(with-handlers ([exn:unknown-preference?
-                     (lambda (x)
-                       'passed)])
-      (preferences:get ',pref-sym)))
-  (test 'preference-set-default/get
-        (check-equal? 'passed)
-        `(begin (preferences:set-default ',pref-sym 'passed symbol?)
-                (preferences:get ',pref-sym)))
-  (test 'preference-set/get
-        (check-equal? 'new-pref)
-        `(begin (preferences:set ',pref-sym 'new-pref)
-                (preferences:get ',pref-sym)))
+;(define ((check-equal? x) y) (equal? x y))
+(define pref-sym 'plt:not-a-real-preference)
+(define marshalling-pref-sym 'plt:not-a-real-preference-marshalling)
+(define default-test-sym 'plt:not-a-real-preference-default-test)
 
-  (test 'preference-marshalling
-        (check-equal? 'the-answer)
-        `(begin (preferences:set-default ',marshalling-pref-sym (lambda () 'the-answer) procedure?)
-                (preferences:set-un/marshall ',marshalling-pref-sym
-                                             (lambda (f) (f))
-                                             (lambda (v) (lambda () v)))
-                (begin0 ((preferences:get ',marshalling-pref-sym))
-                        (preferences:set ',marshalling-pref-sym (lambda () 2)))))
-  (shutdown-mred)
-  (test 'preference-marshalling
-        (check-equal? 2)
-        `(begin (preferences:set-default ',marshalling-pref-sym (lambda () 'the-answer) procedure?)
-                (preferences:set-un/marshall ',marshalling-pref-sym
-                                             (lambda (f) (f))
-                                             (lambda (v) (lambda () v)))
-                ((preferences:get ',marshalling-pref-sym))))
-  
-  (with-handlers ([eof-result? (lambda (x) (void))])
-    (send-sexp-to-mred '(begin (preferences:set 'framework:verify-exit #f)
-                               (exit:exit)
-                               
-                               ;; do this yield here so that exit:exit
-                               ;; actually exits on this interaction.
-                               ;; right now, exit:exit queue's a new event to exit
-                               ;; instead of just exiting immediately.
-                               (yield (make-semaphore 0)))))
-  
-  (test 'preference-get-after-restart
-        (check-equal? 'new-pref)
-        `(begin (preferences:set-default ',pref-sym 'passed symbol?)
-                (preferences:get ',pref-sym)))
+(define the-prefs-table (make-hash))
+(parameterize ([preferences:low-level-put-preferences
+                (λ (syms vals)
+                    (for ([sym (in-list syms)]
+                          [val (in-list vals)])
+                    (hash-set! the-prefs-table sym val)))]
+               [preferences:low-level-get-preference
+                (λ (sym [fail void])
+                  (hash-ref the-prefs-table sym fail))])
 
-  (test 'preference-no-set-default-stage1
-        (check-equal? 'stage1)
-        `(begin (preferences:set-default ',default-test-sym 'default symbol?)
-                (preferences:set ',default-test-sym 'new-value)
-                'stage1))
-  (shutdown-mred)
-  (test 'preference-no-set-default-stage2
-        (check-equal? 'stage2)
-        `(begin 'stage2))
-  (shutdown-mred)
-  (test 'preference-no-set-default-stage3
-        (check-equal? 'new-value)
-        `(begin (preferences:set-default ',default-test-sym 'default symbol?)
-                (preferences:get ',default-test-sym)))
+  (check-exn
+   exn:unknown-preference?
+   (λ ()
+     (preferences:get pref-sym)))
+
+  (check-equal?
+   (begin
+     (preferences:set-default pref-sym 'passed symbol?)
+     (preferences:get pref-sym))
+   'passed)
+
+  (check-equal?
+   (begin (preferences:set pref-sym 'new-pref)
+          (preferences:get pref-sym))
+   'new-pref)
+
+  (check-equal?
+   (begin (preferences:set-default marshalling-pref-sym (lambda () 'the-answer) procedure?)
+          (preferences:set-un/marshall marshalling-pref-sym
+                                       (lambda (f) (f))
+                                       (lambda (v) (lambda () v)))
+          (begin0 ((preferences:get marshalling-pref-sym))
+                  (preferences:set marshalling-pref-sym (lambda () 2))))
+   'the-answer)
+
+  (check-equal? ((preferences:get marshalling-pref-sym)) 2)
   
-  (test 'preference-add-callback
-        (check-equal? 2)
-        `(begin 
-           (let ([x 1])
-             (define remove-it (preferences:add-callback ',default-test-sym (λ (a b) (set! x (+ x 1)))))
-             (preferences:set ',default-test-sym 'xyz)
-             (remove-it)
-             (preferences:set ',default-test-sym 'pdq)
-             x)))
-  
-  (test 'preference-add-weak-callback
-        (check-equal? 2)
-        `(begin 
-           (let ([x 1])
-             (define f (λ (a b) (set! x (+ x 1))))
-             (define remove-it (preferences:add-callback ',default-test-sym f #t))
-             (preferences:set ',default-test-sym 'xyz)
-             (remove-it)
-             (preferences:set ',default-test-sym 'pdq)
-             x)))
-  
-  (test 'preference-add-weak-callback2
-        (check-equal? 3)
-        `(begin 
-           (let ([x 1])
-             (define f (λ (a b) (set! x (+ x 1))))
-             (unless (zero? (random 1)) (set! f 'not-a-proc)) ;; try to stop inlining
-             (define remove-it (preferences:add-callback ',default-test-sym f #t))
-             (collect-garbage) (collect-garbage) (collect-garbage)
-             (preferences:set ',default-test-sym 'xyz)
-             (remove-it)
-             (preferences:set ',default-test-sym 'pdq)
-             (f 'a 'b)  ;; make sure safe-for-space doesn't free 'f' earlier
-             x)))
-  
-  (test 'preference-weak-callback-is-weak
-        (check-equal? #t)
-        `(begin 
-           (let ([x 1])
-             (define f (λ (a b) (set! x (+ x 1))))
-             (define wb (make-weak-box f))
-             (define remove-it (preferences:add-callback ',default-test-sym f #t))
-             (set! f #f)
-             (begin0
-               (let loop ([n 10])
-                 (cond
-                   [(not (weak-box-value wb)) #t]
-                   [(zero? n) 'f-still-alive]
-                   [else
-                    (collect-garbage)
-                    (loop (- n 1))]))
-               (remove-it)))))
-  
-  (test 'dialog-appears
-        (check-equal? 'passed)
-        (lambda ()
-          (queue-sexp-to-mred '(begin (send (make-object frame:basic% "frame") show #t)
-                                      (preferences:show-dialog)))
-          (wait-for-frame "Preferences")
-          (queue-sexp-to-mred '(begin (preferences:hide-dialog)
-                                      (let ([f (get-top-level-focus-window)])
-                                        (if f
-                                            (if (string=? "Preferences" (send f get-label))
-                                                'failed
-                                                'passed)
-                                            'passed))))))
+  ;; make sure the preference actually got "written out"
+  (check-equal? (hash-ref the-prefs-table
+                          (string->symbol (~a "plt:framework-pref:" pref-sym)))
+                'new-pref)
+
+  (check-equal?
+   (let ([x 1])
+     (preferences:set-default default-test-sym 'default symbol?)
+     (define remove-it (preferences:add-callback default-test-sym (λ (a b) (set! x (+ x 1)))))
+     (preferences:set default-test-sym 'xyz)
+     (remove-it)
+     (preferences:set default-test-sym 'pdq)
+     x)
+   2)
+
+  (check-equal?
+   (let ([x 1])
+     (define f (λ (a b) (set! x (+ x 1))))
+     (define remove-it (preferences:add-callback default-test-sym f #t))
+     (preferences:set default-test-sym 'xyz)
+     (remove-it)
+     (preferences:set default-test-sym 'pdq)
+     x)
+   2)
+
+  (check-equal?
+   (let ([x 1])
+     (define f (λ (a b) (set! x (+ x 1))))
+     (unless (zero? (random 1)) (set! f 'not-a-proc))
+     (define remove-it (preferences:add-callback default-test-sym f #t))
+     (collect-garbage) (collect-garbage) (collect-garbage)
+     (preferences:set default-test-sym 'xyz)
+     (remove-it)
+     (preferences:set default-test-sym 'pdq)
+     (f 'a 'b)  ;; make sure safe-for-space doesn't free 'f' earlier
+     x)
+   3)
+
+  (check-equal?
+   (let ([x 1])
+     (define f (λ (a b) (set! x (+ x 1))))
+     (define wb (make-weak-box f))
+     (define remove-it (preferences:add-callback default-test-sym f #t))
+     (set! f #f)
+     (let loop ([n 10])
+       (cond
+         [(not (weak-box-value wb)) #t]
+         [(zero? n) 'f-still-alive]
+         [else
+          (collect-garbage)
+          (loop (- n 1))]))
+     (preferences:set default-test-sym 'xyz)
+     (remove-it)
+     (preferences:set default-test-sym 'pdq)
+     x)
+   1))