gulpfile.js

var gulp  = require('gulp');
var spawn = require('child_process').spawn;
var _     = require("lodash");

gulp.task("test", ['db:ensure-created-test'], function() {
  log("running tests here");
});

gulp.task("db:ensure-created", function() {
  log("creating db");
});

gulp.task("db:ensure-created-test", function(done) {
  if(process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test') {
    gulp.start("db:ensure-created", done);
  } else {
    log("spawning child process to create db");
    var options = {
      stdio: 'inherit',
      env: _.defaults({NODE_ENV: "test"}, process.env),
      cwd: process.cwd
    };

    spawn("gulp", ["db:ensure-created-test"], options).once('close', done);
  }
});


function log(message) {
  var nodeEnv = process.env.NODE_ENV || "dev ";
  console.log(nodeEnv + " PID:" + process.pid + " - " + message);
}