diff --git a/avr910.c b/avr910.c
index 7f4883b5..63bd6855 100644
--- a/avr910.c
+++ b/avr910.c
@@ -52,7 +52,16 @@ static int avr910_send(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * buf, size_t len)
 
 static int avr910_recv(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * buf, size_t len)
 {
-  return serial_recv(pgm->fd, buf, len);
+  int rv;
+
+  rv = serial_recv(pgm->fd, buf, len);
+  if (rv < 0) {
+    fprintf(stderr,
+	    "%s: avr910_recv(): programmer is not responding\n",
+	    progname);
+    exit(1);
+  }
+  return 0;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/butterfly.c b/butterfly.c
index 43b60f90..0108ab62 100644
--- a/butterfly.c
+++ b/butterfly.c
@@ -66,9 +66,18 @@ static int butterfly_send(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * buf, size_t len)
 
 static int butterfly_recv(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * buf, size_t len)
 {
+  int rv;
+
   no_show_func_info();
 
-  return serial_recv(pgm->fd, buf, len);
+  rv = serial_recv(pgm->fd, buf, len);
+  if (rv < 0) {
+    fprintf(stderr,
+	    "%s: butterfly_recv(): programmer is not responding\n",
+	    progname);
+    exit(1);
+  }
+  return 0;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/stk500.c b/stk500.c
index 2852a928..6e3532ad 100644
--- a/stk500.c
+++ b/stk500.c
@@ -63,7 +63,16 @@ static int stk500_send(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * buf, size_t len)
 
 static int stk500_recv(PROGRAMMER * pgm, char * buf, size_t len)
 {
-  return serial_recv(pgm->fd, buf, len);
+  int rv;
+
+  rv = serial_recv(pgm->fd, buf, len);
+  if (rv < 0) {
+    fprintf(stderr,
+	    "%s: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding\n",
+	    progname);
+    exit(1);
+  }
+  return 0;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/stk500v2.c b/stk500v2.c
index fa504ca9..fe7f2635 100644
--- a/stk500v2.c
+++ b/stk500v2.c
@@ -128,7 +128,8 @@ static int stk500v2_recv(PROGRAMMER * pgm, unsigned char msg[], size_t maxsize)
   tstart = tv.tv_sec;
 
   while ( (state != sDONE ) && (!timeout) ) {
-    serial_recv(pgm->fd, &c, 1);
+    if (serial_recv(pgm->fd, &c, 1) < 0)
+      goto timedout;
     DEBUG("0x%02x ",c);
     checksum ^= c;
 
@@ -203,6 +204,7 @@ static int stk500v2_recv(PROGRAMMER * pgm, unsigned char msg[], size_t maxsize)
      gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);
      tnow = tv.tv_sec;
      if (tnow-tstart > timeoutval) {			// wuff - signed/unsigned/overflow
+      timedout:
        fprintf(stderr, "%s: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout\n",
                progname);
        return -1;