diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 199d0e0f7..255ad8891 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,16 +1,23 @@
 language: php
 php:
-    - 5.3
     - 5.4
     - 5.5
     - 5.6
 
+# precise must be used for PHP 5.3
+# https://docs.travis-ci.com/user/reference/trusty#PHP-images
+matrix:
+  include:
+    - php: 5.3
+      dist: precise
+
 addons:
   apt:
     packages:
     - python-markdown
     - libxml-xpath-perl
     - build-essential
+    - libxml2-utils
 
 script:
     - make all
diff --git a/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Helper/Esi.php b/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Helper/Esi.php
index d9054c6fe..b0bca51b3 100644
--- a/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Helper/Esi.php
+++ b/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Helper/Esi.php
@@ -375,13 +375,13 @@ public function getFormKeyEsiUrl() {
      */
     public function getEsiLayoutBlockNode($layout, $blockName) {
         // first try very specific by checking for action setEsiOptions inside block
-        $blockNode = current($layout->getNode()->xpath(
+        $blockNode = end($layout->getNode()->xpath(
             sprintf('//block[@name=\'%s\'][action[@method=\'setEsiOptions\']]',
                 $blockName)
         ));
         // fallback: only match name
         if ( ! ($blockNode instanceof Mage_Core_Model_Layout_Element)) {
-            $blockNode = current($layout->getNode()->xpath(
+            $blockNode = end($layout->getNode()->xpath(
                 sprintf('//block[@name=\'%s\']', $blockName)
             ));
         }
diff --git a/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Model/Varnish/Configurator/Abstract.php b/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Model/Varnish/Configurator/Abstract.php
index 2b1abb0d0..436159b2d 100644
--- a/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Model/Varnish/Configurator/Abstract.php
+++ b/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Model/Varnish/Configurator/Abstract.php
@@ -971,7 +971,7 @@ protected function _vcl_sub_synth()
                 $tpl = <<<EOS
 sub vcl_synth {
     if (resp.status == 999) {
-        set resp.status = 404;
+        set resp.status = 503;
         set resp.http.Content-Type = "text/html; charset=utf-8";
         synthetic({"{{vcl_synth_content}}"});
         return (deliver);
diff --git a/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Model/Varnish/Configurator/Version4.php b/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Model/Varnish/Configurator/Version4.php
index 78c44c642..e2d119fbb 100644
--- a/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Model/Varnish/Configurator/Version4.php
+++ b/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/Model/Varnish/Configurator/Version4.php
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ protected function _vcl_director($name, $backendOptions) {
      * @param array  $options    extra options for backend
      * @return string
      */
-    protected function _vcl_director_backend($host, $port, $descriptor, $probeUrl = '', $options = array()) {
+    protected function _vcl_director_backend($host, $port, $descriptor = '', $probeUrl = '', $options = array()) {
         $tpl = <<<EOS
         backend web{$descriptor} {
             .host = "{{host}}";
diff --git a/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/etc/config.xml b/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/etc/config.xml
index 4a18b6436..55082bd31 100644
--- a/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/etc/config.xml
+++ b/app/code/community/Nexcessnet/Turpentine/etc/config.xml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 <config>
     <modules>
         <Nexcessnet_Turpentine>
-            <version>0.7.3</version>
+            <version>0.7.4</version>
         </Nexcessnet_Turpentine>
     </modules>
     <default>
diff --git a/app/design/frontend/base/default/layout/turpentine_esi.xml b/app/design/frontend/base/default/layout/turpentine_esi.xml
index 40ebb8d0c..bd136e4fc 100644
--- a/app/design/frontend/base/default/layout/turpentine_esi.xml
+++ b/app/design/frontend/base/default/layout/turpentine_esi.xml
@@ -455,6 +455,11 @@
         <turpentine_cache_flag value="0"/>
     </customer_account_confirmation>
 
+    <contacts_index_index>
+        <!-- wholepunching the contactForm block is not enough since the form action is wrong in this case -->
+        <turpentine_cache_flag value="0"/>
+    </contacts_index_index>
+
 <!--
     <customer_account_edit>
         <turpentine_cache_flag value="0"/>