diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java b/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java
index 077ce6ce1..92d6dd83d 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java
@@ -898,23 +898,7 @@ public class Editor extends JFrame implements RunnerListener {
     //public SerialMenuListener() { }
 
     public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
-      if(serialMenu == null) {
-        System.out.println("serialMenu is null");
-        return;
-      }
-      int count = serialMenu.getItemCount();
-      for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-        ((JCheckBoxMenuItem)serialMenu.getItem(i)).setState(false);
-      }
-      JCheckBoxMenuItem item = (JCheckBoxMenuItem)e.getSource();
-      item.setState(true);
-      String name = item.getText();
-      //System.out.println(item.getLabel());
-      Preferences.set("serial.port", name);
-      serialMonitor.closeSerialPort();
-      serialMonitor.setVisible(false);
-      serialMonitor = new SerialMonitor(Preferences.get("serial.port"));
-      //System.out.println("set to " + get("serial.port"));
+      selectSerialPort(((JCheckBoxMenuItem)e.getSource()).getText());
     }
 
     /*
@@ -929,7 +913,35 @@ public class Editor extends JFrame implements RunnerListener {
     */
   }
   
-  
+  protected void selectSerialPort(String name) {
+    if(serialMenu == null) {
+      System.out.println("serialMenu is null");
+      return;
+    }
+    if (name == null) {
+      System.out.println("name is null");
+      return;
+    }
+    JCheckBoxMenuItem selection = null;
+    for (int i = 0; i < serialMenu.getItemCount(); i++) {
+      JCheckBoxMenuItem item = ((JCheckBoxMenuItem)serialMenu.getItem(i));
+      if (item == null) {
+        System.out.println("name is null");
+        continue;
+      }
+      item.setState(false);
+      if (name.equals(item.getText())) selection = item;
+    }
+    if (selection != null) selection.setState(true);
+    //System.out.println(item.getLabel());
+    Preferences.set("serial.port", name);
+    serialMonitor.closeSerialPort();
+    serialMonitor.setVisible(false);
+    serialMonitor = new SerialMonitor(Preferences.get("serial.port"));
+    //System.out.println("set to " + get("serial.port"));
+  }
+
+
   protected void populateSerialMenu() {
     // getting list of ports
 
@@ -2218,6 +2230,31 @@ public class Editor extends JFrame implements RunnerListener {
 
     return true;
   }
+  
+  
+  public boolean serialPrompt() {
+    populateSerialMenu();
+    int count = serialMenu.getItemCount();
+    Object[] names = new Object[count];
+    for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+      names[i] = ((JCheckBoxMenuItem)serialMenu.getItem(i)).getText();
+    }
+
+    String result = (String)
+      JOptionPane.showInputDialog(this,
+                                  "Serial port " +
+                                  Preferences.get("serial.port") +
+                                  " not found.\n" +
+                                  "Retry the upload with another serial port?",
+                                  "Serial port not found",
+                                  JOptionPane.PLAIN_MESSAGE,
+                                  null,
+                                  names,
+                                  0);
+    if (result == null) return false;
+    selectSerialPort(result);
+    return true;
+  }
 
 
   /**
@@ -2260,6 +2297,9 @@ public class Editor extends JFrame implements RunnerListener {
         } else {
           // error message will already be visible
         }
+      } catch (SerialNotFoundException e) {
+        if (serialPrompt()) run();
+        else statusNotice("Upload canceled.");
       } catch (RunnerException e) {
         //statusError("Error during upload.");
         //e.printStackTrace();
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/Serial.java b/app/src/processing/app/Serial.java
index ea08110e7..c84c949cd 100755
--- a/app/src/processing/app/Serial.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/Serial.java
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public class Serial implements SerialPortEventListener {
     }
     
     if (port == null) {
-      throw new SerialException("Serial port '" + iname + "' not found.  Did you select the right one from the Tools > Serial Port menu?");
+      throw new SerialNotFoundException("Serial port '" + iname + "' not found.  Did you select the right one from the Tools > Serial Port menu?");
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/SerialNotFoundException.java b/app/src/processing/app/SerialNotFoundException.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a3ab755b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/SerialNotFoundException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/* -*- mode: jde; c-basic-offset: 2; indent-tabs-mode: nil -*- */
+
+/*
+  Copyright (c) 2007 David A. Mellis
+
+  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+  (at your option) any later version.
+
+  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+  Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+*/
+
+package processing.app;
+
+public class SerialNotFoundException extends SerialException {
+  public SerialNotFoundException() {
+    super();
+  }
+
+  public SerialNotFoundException(String message) {
+    super(message);
+  }
+  
+  public SerialNotFoundException(String message, Throwable cause) {
+    super(message, cause);
+  }
+  
+  public SerialNotFoundException(Throwable cause) {
+    super(cause);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/Sketch.java b/app/src/processing/app/Sketch.java
index c6a9d769f..801067c5e 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/Sketch.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/Sketch.java
@@ -1518,8 +1518,8 @@ public class Sketch {
     }
     return null;
   }
-
-
+  
+  
   protected boolean exportApplet(boolean verbose) throws Exception {
     return exportApplet(tempBuildFolder.getAbsolutePath(), verbose);
   }
@@ -1529,7 +1529,7 @@ public class Sketch {
    * Handle export to applet.
    */
   public boolean exportApplet(String appletPath, boolean verbose)
-    throws RunnerException, IOException {
+    throws RunnerException, IOException, SerialException {
     
     // Make sure the user didn't hide the sketch folder
     ensureExistence();
@@ -1566,7 +1566,7 @@ public class Sketch {
 //    }
 
     upload(appletFolder.getPath(), foundName, verbose);
-
+    
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -1593,7 +1593,7 @@ public class Sketch {
 
 
   protected String upload(String buildPath, String suggestedClassName, boolean verbose)
-    throws RunnerException {
+    throws RunnerException, SerialException {
 
     Uploader uploader;
 
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/debug/AvrdudeUploader.java b/app/src/processing/app/debug/AvrdudeUploader.java
index 877d24f73..97ef91a20 100755
--- a/app/src/processing/app/debug/AvrdudeUploader.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/debug/AvrdudeUploader.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ package processing.app.debug;
 import processing.app.Base;
 import processing.app.Preferences;
 import processing.app.Serial;
+import processing.app.SerialException;
 
 import java.io.*;
 import java.util.*;
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ public class AvrdudeUploader extends Uploader  {
 
   // XXX: add support for uploading sketches using a programmer
   public boolean uploadUsingPreferences(String buildPath, String className, boolean verbose)
-  throws RunnerException {
+  throws RunnerException, SerialException {
     this.verbose = verbose;
     Map<String, String> boardPreferences = Base.getBoardPreferences();
     String uploadUsing = boardPreferences.get("upload.using");
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ public class AvrdudeUploader extends Uploader  {
   }
   
   private boolean uploadViaBootloader(String buildPath, String className)
-  throws RunnerException {
+  throws RunnerException, SerialException {
     Map<String, String> boardPreferences = Base.getBoardPreferences();
     List commandDownloader = new ArrayList();
     String protocol = boardPreferences.get("upload.protocol");
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/debug/Uploader.java b/app/src/processing/app/debug/Uploader.java
index 0be757f5a..16e3d33d8 100755
--- a/app/src/processing/app/debug/Uploader.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/debug/Uploader.java
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ package processing.app.debug;
 import processing.app.Base;
 import processing.app.Preferences;
 import processing.app.Serial;
+import processing.app.SerialException;
+import processing.app.SerialNotFoundException;
 
 import java.io.*;
 import java.util.*;
@@ -63,11 +65,11 @@ public abstract class Uploader implements MessageConsumer  {
   }
 
   public abstract boolean uploadUsingPreferences(String buildPath, String className, boolean verbose)
-    throws RunnerException;
+    throws RunnerException, SerialException;
   
   public abstract boolean burnBootloader(String target, String programmer) throws RunnerException;
   
-  protected void flushSerialBuffer() throws RunnerException {
+  protected void flushSerialBuffer() throws RunnerException, SerialException {
     // Cleanup the serial buffer
     try {
       Serial serialPort = new Serial();
@@ -90,6 +92,8 @@ public abstract class Uploader implements MessageConsumer  {
       serialPort.setRTS(true);
       
       serialPort.dispose();
+    } catch (SerialNotFoundException e) {
+      throw e;
     } catch(Exception e) {
       e.printStackTrace();
       throw new RunnerException(e.getMessage());