diff --git a/driver-bitforce.c b/driver-bitforce.c
index 83f05821..e73fa6c5 100644
--- a/driver-bitforce.c
+++ b/driver-bitforce.c
@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ static void biforce_clear_buffer(struct cgpu_info *bitforce)
 {
 	int fdDev = bitforce->device_fd;
 	char pdevbuf[0x100];
+	int count = 0;
+
+	if (!fdDev)
+		return;
 
 	applog(LOG_DEBUG, "BFL%i: Clearing read buffer", bitforce->device_id);
 
@@ -149,7 +153,7 @@ static void biforce_clear_buffer(struct cgpu_info *bitforce)
 	do {
 		pdevbuf[0] = '\0';
 		BFgets(pdevbuf, sizeof(pdevbuf), fdDev);
-	} while (pdevbuf[0]);
+	} while (pdevbuf[0] && (++count < 10));
 	mutex_unlock(&bitforce->device_mutex);
 }