diff --git a/concore_read.m b/concore_read.m
index 2103255..ba32c7b 100644
--- a/concore_read.m
+++ b/concore_read.m
@@ -8,12 +8,21 @@
      catch exc
          ins = inistr;
      end
-     while length(ins) == 0
+     maxretries = 5;
+     attempts = 0;
+     while length(ins) == 0 && attempts < maxretries
          pause(concore.delay);
-         input1 = fopen(strcat(concore.inpath,num2str(port),'/',name));
-         ins = fscanf(input1,'%c');
-         fclose(input1);
+         try
+             input1 = fopen(strcat(concore.inpath,num2str(port),'/',name));
+             ins = fscanf(input1,'%c');
+             fclose(input1);
+         catch exc
+         end
          concore.retrycount = concore.retrycount + 1;
+         attempts = attempts + 1;
+     end
+     if length(ins) == 0
+         ins = inistr;
      end
      concore.s = strcat(concore.s, ins);
      result = eval(ins);