diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/AbstractTextMonitor.java b/app/src/processing/app/AbstractTextMonitor.java
index d6d256b1c..00eabb206 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/AbstractTextMonitor.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/AbstractTextMonitor.java
@@ -190,14 +190,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractTextMonitor extends AbstractMonitor {
       textArea.setBackground(new Color(238, 238, 238));
     }
     textArea.invalidate();
-    clearButton.setEnabled(enable);
     scrollPane.setEnabled(enable);
     textField.setEnabled(enable);
     sendButton.setEnabled(enable);
-    autoscrollBox.setEnabled(enable);
-    addTimeStampBox.setEnabled(enable);
-    lineEndings.setEnabled(enable);
-    serialRates.setEnabled(enable);
   }
 
   public void onSendCommand(ActionListener listener) {
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/SerialMonitor.java b/app/src/processing/app/SerialMonitor.java
index 9af95d8d4..b2656ca65 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/SerialMonitor.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/SerialMonitor.java
@@ -48,14 +48,16 @@ public class SerialMonitor extends AbstractTextMonitor {
       String rateString = wholeString.substring(0, wholeString.indexOf(' '));
       serialRate = Integer.parseInt(rateString);
       PreferencesData.set("serial.debug_rate", rateString);
-      try {
-        close();
-        Thread.sleep(100); // Wait for serial port to properly close
-        open();
-      } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-        // noop
-      } catch (Exception e) {
-        System.err.println(e);
+      if (serial != null) {
+        try {
+          close();
+          Thread.sleep(100); // Wait for serial port to properly close
+          open();
+        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+          // noop
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+          System.err.println(e);
+        }
       }
     });
 
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/SerialPlotter.java b/app/src/processing/app/SerialPlotter.java
index 45a52a454..035005ac3 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/SerialPlotter.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/SerialPlotter.java
@@ -242,12 +242,14 @@ public class SerialPlotter extends AbstractMonitor {
       String rateString = wholeString.substring(0, wholeString.indexOf(' '));
       serialRate = Integer.parseInt(rateString);
       PreferencesData.set("serial.debug_rate", rateString);
-      try {
-        close();
-        Thread.sleep(100); // Wait for serial port to properly close
-        open();
-      } catch (Exception e) {
-        // ignore
+      if (serial != null) {
+        try {
+          close();
+          Thread.sleep(100); // Wait for serial port to properly close
+          open();
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+          // ignore
+        }
       }
     });
 
@@ -379,10 +381,8 @@ public class SerialPlotter extends AbstractMonitor {
   }
 
   protected void onEnableWindow(boolean enable) {
-    serialRates.setEnabled(enable);
     textField.setEnabled(enable);
     sendButton.setEnabled(enable);
-    lineEndings.setEnabled(enable);
   }
 
   private void onSerialRateChange(ActionListener listener) {