diff --git a/SkeinPyPy/avr_isp/stk500v2.py b/SkeinPyPy/avr_isp/stk500v2.py
index a420bdc..e076e66 100644
--- a/SkeinPyPy/avr_isp/stk500v2.py
+++ b/SkeinPyPy/avr_isp/stk500v2.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ class Stk500v2(ispBase.IspBase):
 			self.serial = Serial(port, speed, timeout=1)
 		except SerialException as e:
 			raise ispBase.IspError("Failed to open serial port")
+		except:
+			raise ispBase.IspError("Unexpected error while connecting to serial port:" + port + ":" + str(sys.exc_info()[0]))
 		self.seq = 1
 		
 		#Reset the controller
diff --git a/SkeinPyPy/newui/machineCom.py b/SkeinPyPy/newui/machineCom.py
index 47041ed..8b7291e 100644
--- a/SkeinPyPy/newui/machineCom.py
+++ b/SkeinPyPy/newui/machineCom.py
@@ -111,9 +111,14 @@ class MachineCom():
 					break
 				except ispBase.IspError:
 					pass
+				except:
+					print "Unexpected error while connecting to serial port:" + port, sys.exc_info()[0]
 			programmer.close()
 		else:
-			self.serial = Serial(port, baudrate, timeout=5)
+			try:
+				self.serial = Serial(port, baudrate, timeout=5)
+			except:
+				print "Unexpected error while connecting to serial port:" + port, sys.exc_info()[0]
 
 	def readline(self):
 		if self.serial == None: