diff --git a/source/bforce/io_tcpip.c b/source/bforce/io_tcpip.c
index 06758ae..7d600fc 100644
--- a/source/bforce/io_tcpip.c
+++ b/source/bforce/io_tcpip.c
@@ -55,14 +55,25 @@ static int tcpip_connect2(struct addrinfo *ai)
 		{
 			DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: socket error"));
 		}
-		else break;
-		
+		else 
+		{
+			DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: socket opened - breaking"));	
+			if( connect(fd, rai->ai_addr, rai->ai_addrlen) == -1 )
+			{
+				DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: can't connect %s", hbuf));
+				logerr("can't connect to %s", hbuf);
+				close(fd);
+			} else
+				break;	
+		}
+		DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: socket not opened - returning"));
 		hbuf[0]='\0';
 		sbuf[0]='\0';
 	}
 	DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: socket success: %d", fd));
 	if (fd < 0 )
 	{
+		DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: can't create socket"));
 		logerr("can't create socket");
 		return(1);
 	}
@@ -73,6 +84,7 @@ static int tcpip_connect2(struct addrinfo *ai)
 		(void)close(0);
 		if( dup(fd) != 0 )
 		{
+			DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: can't dup socket to stdin"));
 			logerr("cannot dup socket to stdin");
 			return(1);
 		}
@@ -92,7 +104,7 @@ static int tcpip_connect2(struct addrinfo *ai)
 		logerr("cannot dup stdin to stderr");
 		return(1);
 	}
-	
+	DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: stdin|out|err are connected"));
 	if( fd > 2 ) (void)close(fd);
 
 	/* switch off stdio buffering */
@@ -103,22 +115,24 @@ static int tcpip_connect2(struct addrinfo *ai)
 	clearerr(stdin);
 	clearerr(stdout);
 	clearerr(stderr);
-	
-	if( connect(0, rai->ai_addr, rai->ai_addrlen) == -1 )
-	{
-		logerr("can't connect to %s", hbuf);
-		close(0);
-		close(1);
-		close(2);
-		return 1;
-	}
+	DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: start connecting"));
+	//if( connect(0, rai->ai_addr, rai->ai_addrlen) == -1 )
+	//{
+	//	DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: can't connect %s", hbuf));
+	//	logerr("can't connect to %s", hbuf);
+	//	
+	//	close(0);
+	//	close(1);
+	//	close(2);
+	//	return 1;
+	//}
 
 	if( tcpip_init() )
 	{
 		tcpip_shutdown();
 		return 1;
 	}
-
+	DEB((D_INFO, "tcpip_connect2: TCP/IP connect success to %s on service %s", hbuf, sbuf));
 	(void)log("TCP/IP connect success to %s on service %s", hbuf, sbuf);
 	
 	return(0);
diff --git a/tests/mktests.sh b/tests/mktests.sh
index c2a2095..533c3a2 100755
--- a/tests/mktests.sh
+++ b/tests/mktests.sh
@@ -56,17 +56,17 @@ function testcomm() {
 	# Variant 3 works with sockets and pipes - not pty
 	case ${1} in
 	    "PSTN")
-	        socat -ly -Wlock EXEC:"${CURDIR}/runbfB.sh ${BFBIN} ${BFCFGB}" EXEC:"${CURDIR}/runbfA.sh ${BFBIN} ${BFCFGA}"
+	        socat -T5 -ly -Wlock EXEC:"${CURDIR}/runbfB.sh ${BFBIN} ${BFCFGB}" EXEC:"${CURDIR}/runbfA.sh ${BFBIN} ${BFCFGA}"
 	        sleep 2
 	        ;;
 	    "IFC")
 	        ${CURDIR}/runbfC.sh ${BFBIN} ${BFCFGA} &
-	        socat -ly -Wlock TCP4-LISTEN:59999 EXEC:"${CURDIR}/runbfD.sh ${BFBIN} ${BFCFGB}" 
+	        socat -ly -Wlock TCP4-LISTEN:59999,accept-timeout=3 EXEC:"${CURDIR}/runbfD.sh ${BFBIN} ${BFCFGB}" 
 	        sleep 2
 	        ;;
 	    "BKP")
 	        ${CURDIR}/runbfE.sh ${BFBIN} ${BFCFGA} &
-	        socat -ly -Wlock TCP4-LISTEN:59999 EXEC:"${CURDIR}/runbfF.sh ${BFBIN} ${BFCFGB}"
+	        socat -ly -Wlock TCP4-LISTEN:59999,accept-timeout=3 EXEC:"${CURDIR}/runbfF.sh ${BFBIN} ${BFCFGB}"
 	        sleep 2
 	        ;;
 	esac