diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/AbstractMonitor.java b/app/src/processing/app/AbstractMonitor.java
index 6469809ba..97fd79324 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/AbstractMonitor.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/AbstractMonitor.java
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractMonitor extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
   protected JCheckBox autoscrollBox;
   protected JComboBox lineEndings;
   protected JComboBox serialRates;
+  private boolean monitorEnabled;
+  private boolean closed;
 
   private Timer updateTimer;
   private StringBuffer updateBuffer;
@@ -54,6 +56,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMonitor extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
     addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() {
       public void windowClosing(WindowEvent event) {
         try {
+          closed = true;
           close();
         } catch (Exception e) {
           // ignore
@@ -173,10 +176,57 @@ public abstract class AbstractMonitor extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
         }
       }
     }
-    
+
     updateBuffer = new StringBuffer(1048576);
     updateTimer = new Timer(33, this);  // redraw serial monitor at 30 Hz
     updateTimer.start();
+
+    monitorEnabled = true;
+    closed = false;
+  }
+
+  public void enableWindow(boolean enable)
+  {
+    textArea.setEnabled(enable);
+    scrollPane.setEnabled(enable);
+    textField.setEnabled(enable);
+    sendButton.setEnabled(enable);
+    autoscrollBox.setEnabled(enable);
+    lineEndings.setEnabled(enable);
+    serialRates.setEnabled(enable);
+
+    monitorEnabled = enable;
+  }
+
+  // Puts the window in suspend state, closing the serial port
+  // to allow other entity (the programmer) to use it
+  public void suspend()
+  {
+   enableWindow(false);
+
+   try {
+        close();
+      }
+   catch(Exception e) {
+       //throw new SerialException("Failed closing the port");
+   }
+
+  }
+
+  public void resume() throws SerialException
+  {
+    // Enable the window
+    enableWindow(true);
+
+    // If the window is visible, try to open the serial port
+    if (isVisible())
+      try {
+        open();
+      }
+      catch(Exception e) {
+	  throw new SerialException("Failed opening the port");
+      }
+
   }
 
   public void onSerialRateChange(ActionListener listener) {
@@ -224,10 +274,14 @@ public abstract class AbstractMonitor extends JFrame implements ActionListener {
     return null;
   }
 
+  public boolean isClosed() {
+      return closed;
+  }
+
   public abstract void open() throws Exception;
 
   public abstract void close() throws Exception;
-  
+
   public synchronized void addToUpdateBuffer(char buff[], int n) {
     updateBuffer.append(buff, 0, n);
   }
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java b/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java
index 954c539ba..798d2bdb4 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java
@@ -2517,8 +2517,7 @@ public class Editor extends JFrame implements RunnerListener {
 
       try {
         if (serialMonitor != null) {
-          serialMonitor.close();
-          serialMonitor.setVisible(false);
+          serialMonitor.suspend();
         }
 
         uploading = true;
@@ -2550,7 +2549,17 @@ public class Editor extends JFrame implements RunnerListener {
       uploading = false;
       //toolbar.clear();
       toolbar.deactivate(EditorToolbar.EXPORT);
-    }
+
+      // Return the serial monitor window to its initial state
+      try {
+        if (serialMonitor != null)
+    	  serialMonitor.resume();
+      }
+      catch (SerialException e) {
+          statusError(e);
+      }
+
+   }
   }
 
   // DAM: in Arduino, this is upload (with verbose output)
@@ -2559,8 +2568,7 @@ public class Editor extends JFrame implements RunnerListener {
 
       try {
         if (serialMonitor != null) {
-          serialMonitor.close();
-          serialMonitor.setVisible(false);
+          serialMonitor.suspend();
         }
 
         uploading = true;
@@ -2592,6 +2600,16 @@ public class Editor extends JFrame implements RunnerListener {
       uploading = false;
       //toolbar.clear();
       toolbar.deactivate(EditorToolbar.EXPORT);
+
+      if (serialMonitor != null) {
+        try {
+          if (serialMonitor != null)
+    	    serialMonitor.resume();
+        }
+        catch (SerialException e) {
+            statusError(e);
+        }
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -2631,14 +2649,23 @@ public class Editor extends JFrame implements RunnerListener {
 
 
   public void handleSerial() {
-    if (uploading) return;
-
     if (serialMonitor != null) {
-      try {
-        serialMonitor.close();
-        serialMonitor.setVisible(false);
-      } catch (Exception e) {
-        // noop
+      // The serial monitor already exists
+
+      if (serialMonitor.isClosed()) {
+        // If it's closed, clear the refrence to the existing
+        // monitor and create a new one
+        serialMonitor = null;
+      }
+      else {
+        // If it's not closed, give it the focus
+        try {
+          serialMonitor.toFront();
+          serialMonitor.requestFocus();
+          return;
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+          // noop
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -2652,6 +2679,11 @@ public class Editor extends JFrame implements RunnerListener {
     serialMonitor = new MonitorFactory().newMonitor(port);
     serialMonitor.setIconImage(getIconImage());
 
+    // If currently uploading, disable the monitor (it will be later
+    // enabled when done uploading)
+    if (uploading)
+      serialMonitor.suspend();
+
     boolean success = false;
     do {
       if (serialMonitor.requiresAuthorization() && !PreferencesData.has(serialMonitor.getAuthorizationKey())) {