diff --git a/src/plumpy/futures.py b/src/plumpy/futures.py
index f52a0d09..056dfe32 100644
--- a/src/plumpy/futures.py
+++ b/src/plumpy/futures.py
@@ -4,24 +4,33 @@
 """
 
 import asyncio
+import contextlib
 from typing import Any, Awaitable, Callable, Optional
 
-import kiwipy
+__all__ = ['create_task', 'CancellableAction', 'create_task']
 
-__all__ = ['CancelledError', 'Future', 'chain', 'copy_future', 'create_task', 'gather']
 
-CancelledError = kiwipy.CancelledError
+class InvalidFutureError(Exception):
+    """Exception for when a future or action is in an invalid state"""
 
 
-class InvalidStateError(Exception):
-    """Exception for when a future or action is in an invalid state"""
+Future = asyncio.Future
 
 
-copy_future = kiwipy.copy_future
-chain = kiwipy.chain
-gather = asyncio.gather
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def capture_exceptions(future: Future[Any], ignore: tuple[type[BaseException], ...] = ()):
+    """
+    Capture any exceptions in the context and set them as the result of the given future
 
-Future = asyncio.Future
+    :param future: The future to the exception on
+    :param ignore: An optional list of exception types to ignore, these will be raised and not set on the future
+    """
+    try:
+        yield
+    except ignore:
+        raise
+    except Exception as exception:
+        future.set_exception(exception)
 
 
 class CancellableAction(Future):
@@ -46,10 +55,10 @@ def run(self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         :param kwargs: the keyword arguments to the action
         """
         if self.done():
-            raise InvalidStateError('Action has already been ran')
+            raise InvalidFutureError('Action has already been ran')
 
         try:
-            with kiwipy.capture_exceptions(self):
+            with capture_exceptions(self):
                 self.set_result(self._action(*args, **kwargs))
         finally:
             self._action = None  # type: ignore
@@ -70,38 +79,9 @@ def create_task(coro: Callable[[], Awaitable[Any]], loop: Optional[asyncio.Abstr
     future = loop.create_future()
 
     async def run_task() -> None:
-        with kiwipy.capture_exceptions(future):
+        with capture_exceptions(future):
             res = await coro()
             future.set_result(res)
 
     asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(run_task(), loop)
     return future
-
-
-def unwrap_kiwi_future(future: kiwipy.Future) -> kiwipy.Future:
-    """
-    Create a kiwi future that represents the final results of a nested series of futures,
-    meaning that if the futures provided itself resolves to a future the returned
-    future will not resolve to a value until the final chain of futures is not a future
-    but a concrete value.  If at any point in the chain a future resolves to an exception
-    then the returned future will also resolve to that exception.
-
-    :param future: the future to unwrap
-    :return: the unwrapping future
-
-    """
-    unwrapping = kiwipy.Future()
-
-    def unwrap(fut: kiwipy.Future) -> None:
-        if fut.cancelled():
-            unwrapping.cancel()
-        else:
-            with kiwipy.capture_exceptions(unwrapping):
-                result = fut.result()
-                if isinstance(result, kiwipy.Future):
-                    result.add_done_callback(unwrap)
-                else:
-                    unwrapping.set_result(result)
-
-    future.add_done_callback(unwrap)
-    return unwrapping
diff --git a/src/plumpy/process_comms.py b/src/plumpy/process_comms.py
index a71f2b06..058e1aa4 100644
--- a/src/plumpy/process_comms.py
+++ b/src/plumpy/process_comms.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 import kiwipy
 
-from . import futures, loaders, persistence
+from . import loaders, persistence
 from .utils import PID_TYPE
 
 __all__ = [
@@ -448,11 +448,12 @@ def execute_process(
         :param no_reply: if True, this call will be fire-and-forget, i.e. no return value
         :return: the result of executing the process
         """
+        from plumpy.rmq.futures import unwrap_kiwi_future
 
         message = create_create_body(process_class, init_args, init_kwargs, persist=True, loader=loader)
 
         execute_future = kiwipy.Future()
-        create_future = futures.unwrap_kiwi_future(self._communicator.task_send(message))
+        create_future = unwrap_kiwi_future(self._communicator.task_send(message))
 
         def on_created(_: Any) -> None:
             with kiwipy.capture_exceptions(execute_future):
diff --git a/src/plumpy/rmq/exceptions.py b/src/plumpy/rmq/exceptions.py
index b15d51c4..15dad7bc 100644
--- a/src/plumpy/rmq/exceptions.py
+++ b/src/plumpy/rmq/exceptions.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 from aio_pika.exceptions import ChannelInvalidStateError, ConnectionClosed
+import kiwipy
 
 __all__ = [
     'CommunicatorChannelInvalidStateError',
@@ -9,3 +10,5 @@
 # Alias aio_pika
 CommunicatorConnectionClosed = ConnectionClosed
 CommunicatorChannelInvalidStateError = ChannelInvalidStateError
+
+CancelledError = kiwipy.CancelledError
diff --git a/src/plumpy/rmq/futures.py b/src/plumpy/rmq/futures.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..59e21d41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plumpy/rmq/futures.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+"""
+Module containing future related methods and classes
+"""
+
+import kiwipy
+
+__all__ = ['chain', 'copy_future', 'unwrap_kiwi_future']
+
+copy_future = kiwipy.copy_future
+chain = kiwipy.chain
+
+
+def unwrap_kiwi_future(future: kiwipy.Future) -> kiwipy.Future:
+    """
+    Create a kiwi future that represents the final results of a nested series of futures,
+    meaning that if the futures provided itself resolves to a future the returned
+    future will not resolve to a value until the final chain of futures is not a future
+    but a concrete value.  If at any point in the chain a future resolves to an exception
+    then the returned future will also resolve to that exception.
+
+    :param future: the future to unwrap
+    :return: the unwrapping future
+
+    """
+    unwrapping = kiwipy.Future()
+
+    def unwrap(fut: kiwipy.Future) -> None:
+        if fut.cancelled():
+            unwrapping.cancel()
+        else:
+            with kiwipy.capture_exceptions(unwrapping):
+                result = fut.result()
+                if isinstance(result, kiwipy.Future):
+                    result.add_done_callback(unwrap)
+                else:
+                    unwrapping.set_result(result)
+
+    future.add_done_callback(unwrap)
+    return unwrapping
diff --git a/tests/rmq/test_communicator.py b/tests/rmq/test_communicator.py
index 3644befb..2a0bfebc 100644
--- a/tests/rmq/test_communicator.py
+++ b/tests/rmq/test_communicator.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class TestLoopCommunicator:
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_broadcast(self, loop_communicator):
         BROADCAST = {'body': 'present', 'sender': 'Martin', 'subject': 'sup', 'correlation_id': 420}  # noqa: N806
-        broadcast_future = plumpy.Future()
+        broadcast_future = asyncio.Future()
 
         loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def get_broadcast(_comm, body, sender, subject, correlation_id):
 
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_broadcast_filter(self, loop_communicator):
-        broadcast_future = plumpy.Future()
+        broadcast_future = asyncio.Future()
 
         def ignore_broadcast(_comm, body, sender, subject, correlation_id):
             broadcast_future.set_exception(AssertionError('broadcast received'))
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ def get_broadcast(_comm, body, sender, subject, correlation_id):
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_rpc(self, loop_communicator):
         MSG = 'rpc this'  # noqa: N806
-        rpc_future = plumpy.Future()
+        rpc_future = asyncio.Future()
 
         loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def get_rpc(_comm, msg):
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_task(self, loop_communicator):
         TASK = 'task this'  # noqa: N806
-        task_future = plumpy.Future()
+        task_future = asyncio.Future()
 
         loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_processes.py b/tests/test_processes.py
index faea9eae..a4238fbd 100644
--- a/tests/test_processes.py
+++ b/tests/test_processes.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 import kiwipy
 import pytest
+from plumpy.futures import CancellableAction
 from tests import utils
 
 import plumpy
@@ -540,7 +541,7 @@ def test_pause_in_process(self):
         class TestPausePlay(plumpy.Process):
             def run(self):
                 fut = self.pause()
-                test_case.assertIsInstance(fut, plumpy.Future)
+                assert isinstance(fut, CancellableAction)
 
         loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
 
@@ -564,7 +565,7 @@ def test_pause_play_in_process(self):
         class TestPausePlay(plumpy.Process):
             def run(self):
                 fut = self.pause()
-                test_case.assertIsInstance(fut, plumpy.Future)
+                test_case.assertIsInstance(fut, CancellableAction)
                 result = self.play()
                 test_case.assertTrue(result)
 
diff --git a/tests/utils.py b/tests/utils.py
index f2a58dfc..9f7bfb22 100644
--- a/tests/utils.py
+++ b/tests/utils.py
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ def run_until_waiting(proc):
     from plumpy import ProcessState
 
     listener = plumpy.ProcessListener()
-    in_waiting = plumpy.Future()
+    in_waiting = asyncio.Future()
 
     if proc.state == ProcessState.WAITING:
         in_waiting.set_result(True)
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ def run_until_paused(proc):
     """Set up a future that will be resolved when the process is paused"""
 
     listener = plumpy.ProcessListener()
-    paused = plumpy.Future()
+    paused = asyncio.Future()
 
     if proc.paused:
         paused.set_result(True)