diff --git a/bigchaindb/web/websocket_server.py b/bigchaindb/web/websocket_server.py
index 9d8f5ef9..6915d54a 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/web/websocket_server.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/web/websocket_server.py
@@ -29,15 +29,15 @@ class Dispatcher:
         self.event_source = event_source
         self.subscribers = {}
 
-    def subscribe(self, uuid, ws):
+    def subscribe(self, uuid, websocket):
         """Add a websocket to the list of subscribers.
 
         Args:
             uuid (str): a unique identifier for the websocket.
-            ws: the websocket to publish information.
+            websocket: the websocket to publish information.
         """
 
-        self.subscribers[uuid] = ws
+        self.subscribers[uuid] = websocket
 
     @asyncio.coroutine
     def publish(self):
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ class Dispatcher:
             event = yield from self.event_source.get()
             if event == POISON_PILL:
                 return
-            for uuid, ws in self.subscribers.items():
-                ws.send_str(event)
+            for uuid, websocket in self.subscribers.items():
+                websocket.send_str(event)
 
 
 @asyncio.coroutine
@@ -56,20 +56,20 @@ def websocket_handler(request):
     """Handle a new socket connection."""
 
     logger.debug('New websocket connection.')
-    ws = web.WebSocketResponse()
-    yield from ws.prepare(request)
+    websocket = web.WebSocketResponse()
+    yield from websocket.prepare(request)
     uuid = uuid4()
-    request.app['dispatcher'].subscribe(uuid, ws)
+    request.app['dispatcher'].subscribe(uuid, websocket)
 
     while True:
         # Consume input buffer
-        msg = yield from ws.receive()
+        msg = yield from websocket.receive()
         if msg.type == aiohttp.WSMsgType.ERROR:
-            logger.debug('Websocket exception: {}'.format(ws.exception()))
+            logger.debug('Websocket exception: %s', websocket.exception())
             return
 
 
-def init_app(event_source, loop=None):
+def init_app(event_source, *, loop=None):
     """Init the application server.
 
     Return:
@@ -87,17 +87,33 @@ def init_app(event_source, loop=None):
     return app
 
 
-@asyncio.coroutine
-def constant_event_source(event_source):
-    while True:
-        yield from asyncio.sleep(1)
-        yield from event_source.put('meow')
+def start(event_source, *, loop=None):
+    """Create and start the WebSocket server."""
+
+    if not loop:
+        loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+
+    app = init_app(event_source, loop=loop)
+    aiohttp.web.run_app(app, port=9985)
+
+
+def test_websocket_server():
+    """Set up a server and output a message every second.
+    Used for testing purposes."""
+
+    @asyncio.coroutine
+    def constant_event_source(event_source):
+        """Put a message in ``event_source`` every second."""
+
+        while True:
+            yield from asyncio.sleep(1)
+            yield from event_source.put('meow')
+
+    loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+    event_source = asyncio.Queue()
+    loop.create_task(constant_event_source(event_source))
+    start(event_source, loop=loop)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
-    event_source = asyncio.Queue()
-
-    loop.create_task(constant_event_source(event_source))
-    app = init_app(event_source, loop=loop)
-    aiohttp.web.run_app(app, port=9985)
+    test_websocket_server()