diff --git a/docs/Async Connections.md b/docs/Async Connections.md
index b3de1eb3..b4074be1 100644
--- a/docs/Async Connections.md	
+++ b/docs/Async Connections.md	
@@ -2,10 +2,18 @@ Since the standard `query()` function is blocking, it can be a hazard for UI eve
 
 The update loop is controlled by calling `start()` and `stop()`. To subscribe a command for updating, call `watch()` with your requested OBDCommand. Because the update loop is threaded, commands can only be `watch`ed while the loop is `stop`ed.
 
+General sequence to enable an asynchronous connection allowing non-blocking queries:
+- *Async()* # set-up the connection (to be used in place of *OBD()*)
+- *watch()* # add commands to the watch list
+- *start()* # start a thread performing the update loop in background
+- *query()* # perform the non-blocking query
+
+Example:
+
 ```python
 import obd
 
-connection = obd.Async() # same constructor as 'obd.OBD()'
+connection = obd.Async() # same constructor as 'obd.OBD()'; see below.
 
 connection.watch(obd.commands.RPM) # keep track of the RPM
 
@@ -39,6 +47,15 @@ connection.stop()
 
 ---
 
+### Async(portstr=None, baudrate=None, protocol=None, fast=True, timeout=0.1, check_voltage=True, delay_cmds=0.25)
+
+Create asynchronous connection.
+Arguments are the same as 'obd.OBD()' with the addition of *delay_cmds*, which defaults to 0.25 seconds and allows
+controlling a delay after each loop executing all *watch*ed commands in background. If *delay_cmds* is set to 0,
+the background thread continuously repeats the execution of all commands without any delay.
+
+---
+
 ### start()
 
 Starts the update loop.
diff --git a/obd/asynchronous.py b/obd/asynchronous.py
index be64c915..c50bd6a6 100644
--- a/obd/asynchronous.py
+++ b/obd/asynchronous.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class Async(OBD):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, portstr=None, baudrate=None, protocol=None, fast=True,
-                 timeout=0.1, check_voltage=True):
+                 timeout=0.1, check_voltage=True, delay_cmds=0.25):
         super(Async, self).__init__(portstr, baudrate, protocol, fast,
                                     timeout, check_voltage)
         self.__commands    = {} # key = OBDCommand, value = Response
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ def __init__(self, portstr=None, baudrate=None, protocol=None, fast=True,
         self.__thread      = None
         self.__running     = False
         self.__was_running = False # used with __enter__() and __exit__()
+        self.__delay_cmds  = delay_cmds
 
 
     @property
@@ -215,6 +216,11 @@ def run(self):
             if len(self.__commands) > 0:
                 # loop over the requested commands, send, and collect the response
                 for c in self.__commands:
+                    if not self.is_connected():
+                        logger.info("Async thread terminated because device disconnected")
+                        self.__running = False
+                        self.__thread = None
+                        return
 
                     # force, since commands are checked for support in watch()
                     r = super(Async, self).query(c, force=True)
@@ -225,6 +231,7 @@ def run(self):
                     # fire the callbacks, if there are any
                     for callback in self.__callbacks[c]:
                         callback(r)
+                time.sleep(self.__delay_cmds)
 
             else:
                 time.sleep(0.25) # idle
diff --git a/obd/elm327.py b/obd/elm327.py
index 04ccaedc..d8b6b17e 100644
--- a/obd/elm327.py
+++ b/obd/elm327.py
@@ -444,9 +444,16 @@ def __write(self, cmd):
         if self.__port:
             cmd += b"\r" # terminate with carriage return in accordance with ELM327 and STN11XX specifications
             logger.debug("write: " + repr(cmd))
-            self.__port.flushInput() # dump everything in the input buffer
-            self.__port.write(cmd) # turn the string into bytes and write
-            self.__port.flush() # wait for the output buffer to finish transmitting
+            try:
+                self.__port.flushInput() # dump everything in the input buffer
+                self.__port.write(cmd) # turn the string into bytes and write
+                self.__port.flush() # wait for the output buffer to finish transmitting
+            except Exception:
+                self.__status = OBDStatus.NOT_CONNECTED
+                self.__port.close()
+                self.__port = None
+                logger.critical("Device disconnected while writing")
+                return
         else:
             logger.info("cannot perform __write() when unconnected")
 
@@ -466,7 +473,14 @@ def __read(self):
 
         while True:
             # retrieve as much data as possible
-            data = self.__port.read(self.__port.in_waiting or 1)
+            try:
+                data = self.__port.read(self.__port.in_waiting or 1)
+            except Exception:
+                self.__status = OBDStatus.NOT_CONNECTED
+                self.__port.close()
+                self.__port = None
+                logger.critical("Device disconnected while reading")
+                return []
 
             # if nothing was recieved
             if not data: