diff --git a/alarmdecoder/decoder.py b/alarmdecoder/decoder.py
index ac2198c..69de8e0 100644
--- a/alarmdecoder/decoder.py
+++ b/alarmdecoder/decoder.py
@@ -243,7 +243,9 @@ class AlarmDecoder(object):
         """
         Sets configuration entries on the device.
         """
-        config_string = ''
+        self.send("C{0}\r".format(self.get_config_string()))
+
+    def get_config_string(self):
         config_entries = []
 
         # HACK: This is ugly.. but I can't think of an elegant way of doing it.
@@ -258,9 +260,7 @@ class AlarmDecoder(object):
         config_entries.append(('DEDUPLICATE', 'Y' if self.deduplicate else 'N'))
         config_entries.append(('MODE', PANEL_TYPES.keys()[PANEL_TYPES.values().index(self.mode)]))
 
-        config_string = '&'.join(['='.join(t) for t in config_entries])
-
-        self.send("C{0}\r".format(config_string))
+        return '&'.join(['='.join(t) for t in config_entries])
 
     def reboot(self):
         """
diff --git a/alarmdecoder/devices.py b/alarmdecoder/devices.py
index 6b36b60..bddd107 100644
--- a/alarmdecoder/devices.py
+++ b/alarmdecoder/devices.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import threading
 import serial
 import serial.tools.list_ports
 import socket
+import select
 
 from .util import CommError, TimeoutError, NoDeviceError, InvalidMessageError
 from .event import event
@@ -1002,7 +1003,6 @@ class SocketDevice(Device):
                 self._init_ssl()
 
             self._device.connect((self._host, self._port))
-            #self._device.setblocking(1)
 
             if self._use_ssl:
                 while True:
@@ -1082,7 +1082,10 @@ class SocketDevice(Device):
         data = None
 
         try:
-            data = self._device.recv(1)
+            read_ready, _, _ = select.select([self._device], [], [], 0)
+
+            if (len(read_ready) != 0):
+                data = self._device.recv(1)
 
         except socket.error, err:
             raise CommError('Error while reading from device: {0}'.format(str(err)), err)
@@ -1119,6 +1122,12 @@ class SocketDevice(Device):
 
         try:
             while timeout_event.reading:
+                read_ready, _, _ = select.select([self._device], [], [], 0)
+
+                if (len(read_ready) == 0):
+                    time.sleep(0.01)
+                    continue
+
                 buf = self._device.recv(1)
 
                 if buf != '':
@@ -1130,6 +1139,7 @@ class SocketDevice(Device):
                         if len(self._buffer) > 0:
                             got_line = True
                             break
+
                 else:
                     time.sleep(0.01)
 
diff --git a/alarmdecoder/util.py b/alarmdecoder/util.py
index 27b90f2..afd7ebc 100644
--- a/alarmdecoder/util.py
+++ b/alarmdecoder/util.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ class UploadError(Exception):
     """
     pass
 
+
 class UploadChecksumError(UploadError):
     """
     The firmware upload failed due to a checksum error.
@@ -172,11 +173,12 @@ class Firmware(object):
 
         # Reboot the device and wait for the boot loader.
         retry = 3
+        found_loader = False
         while retry > 0:
             try:
                 stage_callback(Firmware.STAGE_BOOT)
                 dev.write("=")
-                read_until('......', timeout=15.0)
+                read_until('!boot', timeout=15.0)
 
                 # Get ourselves into the boot loader and wait for indication
                 # that it's ready for the firmware upload.
@@ -188,11 +190,15 @@ class Firmware(object):
                 retry -= 1
             else:
                 retry = 0
+                found_loader = True
 
         # And finally do the upload.
-        try:
-            do_upload()
-        except UploadError, err:
-            stage_callback(Firmware.STAGE_ERROR, error=err)
+        if found_loader:
+            try:
+                do_upload()
+            except UploadError, err:
+                stage_callback(Firmware.STAGE_ERROR, error=str(err))
+            else:
+                stage_callback(Firmware.STAGE_DONE)
         else:
-            stage_callback(Firmware.STAGE_DONE)
+            stage_callback(Firmware.STAGE_ERROR, error="Error entering bootloader.")