diff --git a/csdr/csdr.py b/csdr/csdr.py
index 82e3f48..d8dd6ed 100644
--- a/csdr/csdr.py
+++ b/csdr/csdr.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import os
 import signal
 import threading
 import math
+import time
 from functools import partial
 
 from owrx.kiss import KissClient, DirewolfConfig
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ class Pipe(object):
             return Pipe(path, None, encoding=encoding)
 
     def __init__(self, path, direction, encoding=None):
+        self.doOpen = True
         self.path = path
         self.direction = direction
         self.encoding = encoding
@@ -99,6 +101,7 @@ class Pipe(object):
         self.file = open(self.path, self.direction, encoding=self.encoding)
 
     def close(self):
+        self.doOpen = False
         try:
             if self.file is not None:
                 self.file.close()
@@ -121,7 +124,30 @@ class WritingPipe(Pipe):
         self.open()
 
     def open_and_dequeue(self):
-        super().open()
+        retries = 0
+
+        def opener(path, flags):
+            fd = os.open(path, flags | os.O_NONBLOCK)
+            os.set_blocking(fd, True)
+            return fd
+
+        while self.file is None and self.doOpen and retries < 10:
+            try:
+                self.file = open(self.path, self.direction, encoding=self.encoding, opener=opener)
+            except OSError as error:
+                # ENXIO = FIFO has not been opened for reading
+                if error.errno == 6:
+                    time.sleep(.1)
+                    retries += 1
+                else:
+                    raise
+
+        # if doOpen is false, opening has been canceled, so no warning in that case.
+        if self.file is None:
+            if self.doOpen:
+                logger.warning("could not open FIFO %s", self.path)
+            return
+
         with self.queueLock:
             for i in self.queue:
                 self.file.write(i)
@@ -140,11 +166,6 @@ class WritingPipe(Pipe):
         self.file.flush()
         return r
 
-    def close(self):
-        if self.file is None:
-            logger.warning("queue %s never successfully opened - thread leak!", self.path)
-        super().close()
-
 
 class ReadingPipe(Pipe):
     def __init__(self, path, encoding=None):