diff --git a/configure b/configure
index a07dc0f686a..e8531b4668f 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ exec python "$0" "$@"
 del _
 
 import sys
+from distutils.spawn import find_executable as which
 if sys.version_info[0] != 2 or sys.version_info[1] not in (6, 7):
   sys.stderr.write('Please use either Python 2.6 or 2.7')
 
-  from distutils.spawn import find_executable as which
   python2 = which('python2') or which('python2.6') or which('python2.7')
 
   if python2:
@@ -1400,6 +1400,34 @@ def configure_engine(o):
       o['variables']['chakracore_use_lto'] = "false"
       o['variables']['chakracore_lto_build_flags'] = [ ]
 
+def get_bin_override():
+  # If the system python is not the python we are running (which should be
+  # python 2), then create a directory with a symlink called `python` to our
+  # sys.executable. This directory will be prefixed to the PATH, so that
+  # other tools that shell out to `python` will use the appropriate python
+
+  if os.path.realpath(which('python')) == os.path.realpath(sys.executable):
+    return
+
+  bin_override = os.path.abspath('out/tools/bin')
+  try:
+    os.makedirs(bin_override)
+  except OSError as e:
+    if e.errno != errno.EEXIST: raise e
+
+  python_link = os.path.join(bin_override, 'python')
+  try:
+    os.unlink(python_link)
+  except OSError as e:
+    if e.errno != errno.ENOENT: raise e
+  os.symlink(sys.executable, python_link)
+
+  # We need to set the environment right now so that when gyp (in run_gyp)
+  # shells out, it finds the right python (specifically at
+  # https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/d82e107/deps/v8/gypfiles/toolchain.gypi#L43)
+  os.environ['PATH'] = bin_override + ':' + os.environ['PATH']
+
+  return bin_override
 
 
 output = {
@@ -1481,6 +1509,10 @@ if options.prefix:
 
 config = '\n'.join(map('='.join, config.iteritems())) + '\n'
 
+bin_override = get_bin_override()
+if bin_override:
+  config = 'export PATH:=' + bin_override + ':$(PATH)\n' + config
+
 write('config.mk', do_not_edit + config)
 
 gyp_args = ['--no-parallel']
diff --git a/deps/v8/src/inspector/v8-inspector-impl.cc b/deps/v8/src/inspector/v8-inspector-impl.cc
index 0a7b19a36a7..4cdbba9c915 100644
--- a/deps/v8/src/inspector/v8-inspector-impl.cc
+++ b/deps/v8/src/inspector/v8-inspector-impl.cc
@@ -286,18 +286,22 @@ std::unique_ptr<V8StackTrace> V8InspectorImpl::captureStackTrace(
 
 void V8InspectorImpl::asyncTaskScheduled(const StringView& taskName, void* task,
                                          bool recurring) {
+  if (!task) return;
   m_debugger->asyncTaskScheduled(taskName, task, recurring);
 }
 
 void V8InspectorImpl::asyncTaskCanceled(void* task) {
+  if (!task) return;
   m_debugger->asyncTaskCanceled(task);
 }
 
 void V8InspectorImpl::asyncTaskStarted(void* task) {
+  if (!task) return;
   m_debugger->asyncTaskStarted(task);
 }
 
 void V8InspectorImpl::asyncTaskFinished(void* task) {
+  if (!task) return;
   m_debugger->asyncTaskFinished(task);
 }
 
diff --git a/doc/STYLE_GUIDE.md b/doc/STYLE_GUIDE.md
index 69bfa86500d..27b66995b4c 100644
--- a/doc/STYLE_GUIDE.md
+++ b/doc/STYLE_GUIDE.md
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@
     topic the document will describe (e.g., `child_process`).
   * Filenames should be **lowercase**.
   * Some files, such as top-level markdown files, are exceptions.
-  * Older files may use the `.markdown` extension. These may be ported to `.md`
-    at will. **Prefer `.md` for all new documents.**
 * Documents should be word-wrapped at 80 characters.
 * The formatting described in `.editorconfig` is preferred.
   * A [plugin][] is available for some editors to automatically apply these
diff --git a/test/inspector/test-exception.js b/test/inspector/test-exception.js
index 4e10814008e..e82b9311bba 100644
--- a/test/inspector/test-exception.js
+++ b/test/inspector/test-exception.js
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 
 common.skipIfInspectorDisabled();
 
 const assert = require('assert');
 const { NodeInstance } = require('./inspector-helper.js');
-const path = require('path');
 
-const script = path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'throws_error.js');
+const script = fixtures.path('throws_error.js');
 
 async function testBreakpointOnStart(session) {
   console.log('[test]',
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-benchmark-querystring.js b/test/parallel/test-benchmark-querystring.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9daa165bf82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-benchmark-querystring.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+'use strict';
+
+require('../common');
+
+const runBenchmark = require('../common/benchmark');
+
+runBenchmark('querystring', [
+  'n=1',
+  'input="there is nothing to unescape here"',
+  'type=noencode'
+]);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-error-reporting.js b/test/parallel/test-error-reporting.js
index 7fa10cdb946..522d5f39171 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-error-reporting.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-error-reporting.js
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@
 const common = require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
 const exec = require('child_process').exec;
-const path = require('path');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 
 function errExec(script, callback) {
-  const cmd = `"${process.argv[0]}" "${path.join(common.fixturesDir, script)}"`;
+  const cmd = `"${process.argv[0]}" "${fixtures.path(script)}"`;
   return exec(cmd, function(err, stdout, stderr) {
     // There was some error
     assert.ok(err);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-fs-write-stream-encoding.js b/test/parallel/test-fs-write-stream-encoding.js
index 3ce47b73829..5fb81088772 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-fs-write-stream-encoding.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-fs-write-stream-encoding.js
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
 const assert = require('assert');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 const stream = require('stream');
 const firstEncoding = 'base64';
 const secondEncoding = 'latin1';
 
-const examplePath = path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'x.txt');
+const examplePath = fixtures.path('x.txt');
 const dummyPath = path.join(common.tmpDir, 'x.txt');
 
 common.refreshTmpDir();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http-url.parse-https.request.js b/test/parallel/test-http-url.parse-https.request.js
index b644e7530ff..87b7ac02e90 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http-url.parse-https.request.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http-url.parse-https.request.js
@@ -23,16 +23,16 @@
 const common = require('../common');
 if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
+const { readKey } = require('../common/fixtures');
 
 const assert = require('assert');
 const https = require('https');
 const url = require('url');
-const fs = require('fs');
 
 // https options
 const httpsOptions = {
-  key: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-key.pem`),
-  cert: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-cert.pem`)
+  key: readKey('agent1-key.pem'),
+  cert: readKey('agent1-cert.pem')
 };
 
 function check(request) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-create-client-connect.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-create-client-connect.js
index a9c63d02b3f..7fdea9aef41 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-create-client-connect.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-create-client-connect.js
@@ -5,9 +5,8 @@
 const common = require('../common');
 if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
-const fs = require('fs');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 const h2 = require('http2');
-const path = require('path');
 const url = require('url');
 const URL = url.URL;
 
@@ -51,8 +50,8 @@ const URL = url.URL;
 {
 
   const options = {
-    key: fs.readFileSync(path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'keys/agent3-key.pem')),
-    cert: fs.readFileSync(path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'keys/agent3-cert.pem'))
+    key: fixtures.readKey('agent3-key.pem'),
+    cert: fixtures.readKey('agent3-cert.pem')
   };
 
   const server = h2.createSecureServer(options);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-https-fallback.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-https-fallback.js
index 266c6f89f34..4dabe4e69db 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-https-fallback.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-https-fallback.js
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const common = require('../common');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 
 if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
 
 const { strictEqual } = require('assert');
-const { join } = require('path');
-const { readFileSync } = require('fs');
 const { createSecureContext } = require('tls');
 const { createSecureServer, connect } = require('http2');
 const { get } = require('https');
@@ -16,13 +15,9 @@ const { connect: tls } = require('tls');
 
 const countdown = (count, done) => () => --count === 0 && done();
 
-function loadKey(keyname) {
-  return readFileSync(join(common.fixturesDir, 'keys', keyname));
-}
-
-const key = loadKey('agent8-key.pem');
-const cert = loadKey('agent8-cert.pem');
-const ca = loadKey('fake-startcom-root-cert.pem');
+const key = fixtures.readKey('agent8-key.pem');
+const cert = fixtures.readKey('agent8-cert.pem');
+const ca = fixtures.readKey('fake-startcom-root-cert.pem');
 
 const clientOptions = { secureContext: createSecureContext({ ca }) };
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-http2-respond-file-fd.js b/test/parallel/test-http2-respond-file-fd.js
index 29a5fe665de..303d25be3f2 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-http2-respond-file-fd.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-http2-respond-file-fd.js
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const common = require('../common');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
 const http2 = require('http2');
 const assert = require('assert');
-const path = require('path');
 const fs = require('fs');
 
 const {
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const {
   HTTP2_HEADER_CONTENT_LENGTH
 } = http2.constants;
 
-const fname = path.resolve(common.fixturesDir, 'elipses.txt');
+const fname = fixtures.path('elipses.txt');
 const data = fs.readFileSync(fname);
 const stat = fs.statSync(fname);
 const fd = fs.openSync(fname, 'r');
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-https-agent-create-connection.js b/test/parallel/test-https-agent-create-connection.js
index 267030232dc..4ad3554f791 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-https-agent-create-connection.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-https-agent-create-connection.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const common = require('../common');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
 
@@ -9,11 +10,9 @@ const https = require('https');
 
 const agent = new https.Agent();
 
-const fs = require('fs');
-
 const options = {
-  key: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-key.pem`),
-  cert: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-cert.pem`),
+  key: fixtures.readKey('agent1-key.pem'),
+  cert: fixtures.readKey('agent1-cert.pem'),
 };
 
 const expectedHeader = /^HTTP\/1\.1 200 OK/;
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-https-agent-secure-protocol.js b/test/parallel/test-https-agent-secure-protocol.js
index 4839dd7c460..4963b55febe 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-https-agent-secure-protocol.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-https-agent-secure-protocol.js
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ if (!common.hasCrypto)
 
 const assert = require('assert');
 const https = require('https');
-const fs = require('fs');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 
 const options = {
-  key: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-key.pem`),
-  cert: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-cert.pem`),
-  ca: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/ca1-cert.pem`)
+  key: fixtures.readKey('agent1-key.pem'),
+  cert: fixtures.readKey('agent1-cert.pem'),
+  ca: fixtures.readKey('ca1-cert.pem')
 };
 
 const server = https.Server(options, function(req, res) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-https-agent-servername.js b/test/parallel/test-https-agent-servername.js
index 625fa45c7c1..985fbb3ce3f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-https-agent-servername.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-https-agent-servername.js
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
 
 const https = require('https');
-const fs = require('fs');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 
 const options = {
-  key: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-key.pem`),
-  cert: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-cert.pem`),
-  ca:  fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/ca1-cert.pem`)
+  key: fixtures.readKey('agent1-key.pem'),
+  cert: fixtures.readKey('agent1-cert.pem'),
+  ca:  fixtures.readKey('ca1-cert.pem')
 };
 
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-https-agent-sni.js b/test/parallel/test-https-agent-sni.js
index a06ce439fa4..80278ed2d8f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-https-agent-sni.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-https-agent-sni.js
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
 
 const assert = require('assert');
 const https = require('https');
-const fs = require('fs');
 
 const options = {
-  key: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-key.pem`),
-  cert: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-cert.pem`)
+  key: fixtures.readKey('agent1-key.pem'),
+  cert: fixtures.readKey('agent1-cert.pem')
 };
 
 const TOTAL = 4;
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-https-client-checkServerIdentity.js b/test/parallel/test-https-client-checkServerIdentity.js
index 9842fc1f357..87c9ec8229f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-https-client-checkServerIdentity.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-https-client-checkServerIdentity.js
@@ -25,13 +25,12 @@ if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
 
 const assert = require('assert');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 const https = require('https');
-const fs = require('fs');
-const path = require('path');
 
 const options = {
-  key: fs.readFileSync(path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'keys/agent3-key.pem')),
-  cert: fs.readFileSync(path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'keys/agent3-cert.pem'))
+  key: fixtures.readKey('agent3-key.pem'),
+  cert: fixtures.readKey('agent3-cert.pem')
 };
 
 const server = https.createServer(options, common.mustCall(function(req, res) {
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ function authorized() {
   const req = https.request({
     port: server.address().port,
     rejectUnauthorized: true,
-    ca: [fs.readFileSync(path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'keys/ca2-cert.pem'))]
+    ca: [fixtures.readKey('ca2-cert.pem')]
   }, common.mustNotCall());
   req.on('error', function(err) {
     override();
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ function override() {
   const options = {
     port: server.address().port,
     rejectUnauthorized: true,
-    ca: [fs.readFileSync(path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'keys/ca2-cert.pem'))],
+    ca: [fixtures.readKey('ca2-cert.pem')],
     checkServerIdentity: function(host, cert) {
       return false;
     }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-https-client-reject.js b/test/parallel/test-https-client-reject.js
index 82a7851e4e1..729256df54f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-https-client-reject.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-https-client-reject.js
@@ -24,14 +24,14 @@ const common = require('../common');
 if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
 
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
+
 const assert = require('assert');
 const https = require('https');
-const fs = require('fs');
-const path = require('path');
 
 const options = {
-  key: fs.readFileSync(path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'test_key.pem')),
-  cert: fs.readFileSync(path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'test_cert.pem'))
+  key: fixtures.readSync('test_key.pem'),
+  cert: fixtures.readSync('test_cert.pem')
 };
 
 const server = https.createServer(options, common.mustCall(function(req, res) {
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ function rejectUnauthorized() {
 function authorized() {
   const options = {
     port: server.address().port,
-    ca: [fs.readFileSync(path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'test_cert.pem'))]
+    ca: [fixtures.readSync('test_cert.pem')]
   };
   options.agent = new https.Agent(options);
   const req = https.request(options, function(res) {
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-https-req-split.js b/test/parallel/test-https-req-split.js
index d0306cb714f..05fc85fc07b 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-https-req-split.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-https-req-split.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 'use strict';
 const common = require('../common');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 if (!common.hasCrypto)
   common.skip('missing crypto');
 
@@ -30,11 +31,10 @@ process.env.NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED = '0';
 const https = require('https');
 
 const tls = require('tls');
-const fs = require('fs');
 
 const options = {
-  key: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-key.pem`),
-  cert: fs.readFileSync(`${common.fixturesDir}/keys/agent1-cert.pem`)
+  key: fixtures.readKey('agent1-key.pem'),
+  cert: fixtures.readKey('agent1-cert.pem')
 };
 
 // Force splitting incoming data
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-internal-errors.js b/test/parallel/test-internal-errors.js
index 0850f726363..39689a37eca 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-internal-errors.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-internal-errors.js
@@ -282,6 +282,20 @@ assert.strictEqual(
   'Request path contains unescaped characters'
 );
 
+// Test ERR_DNS_SET_SERVERS_FAILED
+assert.strictEqual(
+  errors.message('ERR_DNS_SET_SERVERS_FAILED', ['err', 'servers']),
+  'c-ares failed to set servers: "err" [servers]');
+
+// Test ERR_ENCODING_NOT_SUPPORTED
+assert.strictEqual(
+  errors.message('ERR_ENCODING_NOT_SUPPORTED', ['enc']),
+  'The "enc" encoding is not supported');
+
+// Test ERR_HTTP2_HEADER_REQUIRED
+assert.strictEqual(
+  errors.message('ERR_HTTP2_HEADER_REQUIRED', ['test']),
+  'The test header is required');
 
 // Test error messages for async_hooks
 assert.strictEqual(
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-internal-modules.js b/test/parallel/test-internal-modules.js
index 2f11ca18dd6..c61d957acd0 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-internal-modules.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-internal-modules.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
-const common = require('../common');
-const path = require('path');
+require('../common');
+const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 const assert = require('assert');
 
 assert.throws(function() {
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ assert.throws(function() {
 }, /^Error: Cannot find module 'internal\/freelist'$/);
 
 assert.strictEqual(
-  require(path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'internal-modules')),
+  require(fixtures.path('internal-modules')),
   42
 );
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-tls-pfx-gh-5100-regr.js b/test/parallel/test-tls-pfx-gh-5100-regr.js
index dc72b42aa0d..199d4bdf227 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-tls-pfx-gh-5100-regr.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-tls-pfx-gh-5100-regr.js
@@ -17,11 +17,7 @@ const server = tls.createServer({
   requestCert: true,
   rejectUnauthorized: false
 }, common.mustCall(function(c) {
-  assert.strictEqual(
-    c.authorizationError,
-    null,
-    'authorizationError must be null'
-  );
+  assert.strictEqual(c.authorizationError, null);
   c.end();
 })).listen(0, function() {
   const client = tls.connect({