diff --git a/plugins/freeems/freeemscomms.cpp b/plugins/freeems/freeemscomms.cpp
index 084bd95..34ef95d 100644
--- a/plugins/freeems/freeemscomms.cpp
+++ b/plugins/freeems/freeemscomms.cpp
@@ -1108,6 +1108,7 @@ void FreeEmsComms::run()
 				rxThread = new SerialRXThread();
 				connect(rxThread,SIGNAL(incomingPacket(QByteArray)),this,SLOT(parseEverything(QByteArray)),Qt::DirectConnection);
 				connect(rxThread,SIGNAL(dataRead(QByteArray)),this,SLOT(dataLogRead(QByteArray)),Qt::DirectConnection);
+				connect(rxThread,SIGNAL(portGone()),this,SLOT(rxThreadPortGone()),Qt::DirectConnection);
 
 				//Before we finish emitting the fact that we are connected, let's verify this is a freeems system we are talking to.
 				if (!sendPacket(GET_FIRMWARE_VERSION))
@@ -1301,6 +1302,12 @@ void FreeEmsComms::run()
 		rxThread = 0;
 	}
 }
+void FreeEmsComms::rxThreadPortGone()
+{
+	disconnectSerial();
+	emit error("Serial port has disappeared. Save your tune (File->Save tune) then ensure the device is still connected and powered, then reconnect");
+}
+
 void FreeEmsComms::sendNextInterrogationPacket()
 {
 	if (m_interrogatePacketList.size() == 0)
diff --git a/plugins/freeems/freeemscomms.h b/plugins/freeems/freeemscomms.h
index 68618e5..84a6da0 100644
--- a/plugins/freeems/freeemscomms.h
+++ b/plugins/freeems/freeemscomms.h
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ public slots:
 	int burnBlockFromRamToFlash(unsigned short location,unsigned short offset, unsigned short size);
 private slots:
 	void ramBlockUpdateRec(QByteArray header,QByteArray payload);
+	void rxThreadPortGone();
 	void flashBlockUpdateRec(QByteArray header,QByteArray payload);
 	void packetNakedRec(unsigned short payloadid,QByteArray header,QByteArray payload,unsigned short errornum);
 	void packetAckedRec(unsigned short payloadid,QByteArray header,QByteArray payload);
diff --git a/plugins/freeems/serialport.cpp b/plugins/freeems/serialport.cpp
index 049cd26..3aa8826 100644
--- a/plugins/freeems/serialport.cpp
+++ b/plugins/freeems/serialport.cpp
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ int SerialPort::openPort(QString portName,int baudrate,bool oddparity)
 {
 	//QLOG_DEBUG() << "SerialPort::openPort thread:" << QThread::currentThread();
 	//m_serialPort = new QSerialPort();
+	m_portName = portName;
 	m_serialPort->setPortName(portName);
 	if (!m_serialPort->open(QIODevice::ReadWrite))
 	{
diff --git a/plugins/freeems/serialport.h b/plugins/freeems/serialport.h
index e53e2e3..51402c4 100644
--- a/plugins/freeems/serialport.h
+++ b/plugins/freeems/serialport.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class SerialPort : public QObject
     int readBytes(QByteArray *array, int maxlen,int timeout=0);
     int bufferSize() { return m_queuedMessages.size(); }
     void setInterByteSendDelay(int milliseconds);
+    QString portName() { return m_portName; }
 private:
     QSerialPort *m_serialPort;
     QByteArray m_privBuffer;
diff --git a/plugins/freeems/serialrxthread.cpp b/plugins/freeems/serialrxthread.cpp
index 51e6352..1558e1e 100644
--- a/plugins/freeems/serialrxthread.cpp
+++ b/plugins/freeems/serialrxthread.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include "serialrxthread.h"
 #include <QDateTime>
+#include <qserialportinfo.h>
 #include "QsLog.h"
 
 SerialRXThread::SerialRXThread(QObject *parent) : QThread(parent)
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ QByteArray SerialRXThread::readSinglePacket(SerialPort *port)
 
 void SerialRXThread::run()
 {
+	qint64 msecs = QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch();
 	QString byteoutofpacket;
 	QByteArray qbuffer;
 	//unsigned char buffer[10240];
@@ -153,6 +155,25 @@ void SerialRXThread::run()
 	int readlen=0;
 	while (!m_terminate)
 	{
+		if (QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch() - msecs > 1500)
+		{
+			//Every second, check that the port still exists.
+			msecs = QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch();
+			bool found = false;
+			foreach(QSerialPortInfo info,QSerialPortInfo::availablePorts())
+			{
+				if (m_serialPort->portName().contains(info.portName()))
+				{
+					found = true;
+				}
+			}
+			if (!found)
+			{
+				emit portGone();
+				return;
+			}
+
+		}
 		readlen = m_serialPort->readBytes(&buffer,100);
 		if (readlen < 0)
 		{
diff --git a/plugins/freeems/serialrxthread.h b/plugins/freeems/serialrxthread.h
index ad1c369..4d09f0f 100644
--- a/plugins/freeems/serialrxthread.h
+++ b/plugins/freeems/serialrxthread.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ class SerialRXThread : public QThread
 signals:
 	void incomingPacket(QByteArray packet);
 	void dataRead(QByteArray data);
+	void portGone();
 public slots:
 	
 };