diff --git a/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/keyboard/KeyboardInputDevice.cpp b/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/keyboard/KeyboardInputDevice.cpp
index 3f6ee5cfc8..c82f5fc33a 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/keyboard/KeyboardInputDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/keyboard/KeyboardInputDevice.cpp
@@ -618,10 +618,15 @@ KeyboardInputDevice::DeviceWatcher(void *arg)
 	
 	memset(states, 0, sizeof(states));
 	
+	LOG("%s\n", __PRETTY_FUNCTION__);
+
 	while (dev->active) {
-		LOG("%s\n", __PRETTY_FUNCTION__);
 		
-		if (ioctl(dev->fd, kGetNextKey, &buffer) == B_OK) {
+		if (ioctl(dev->fd, kGetNextKey, &buffer) != B_OK) {
+			snooze(10000); // this is a realtime thread, and something is wrong...
+			continue;
+		}
+
 			uint32 keycode = 0;
 			bool is_keydown = false;
 			bigtime_t timestamp = 0;
@@ -769,10 +774,6 @@ KeyboardInputDevice::DeviceWatcher(void *arg)
 				activeDeadKey = newDeadKey;
 			}
 			lastKeyCode = keycode;
-		} else {
-			LOG("kGetNextKey error 2\n");
-			snooze(100000);
-		}
 	}
 	
 	return 0;
diff --git a/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/mouse/MouseInputDevice.cpp b/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/mouse/MouseInputDevice.cpp
index 4ef79fdf97..8a10297469 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/mouse/MouseInputDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/mouse/MouseInputDevice.cpp
@@ -339,8 +339,10 @@ MouseInputDevice::DeviceWatcher(void *arg)
 	BMessage *message = NULL;
 	while (dev->active) {
 		memset(&movements, 0, sizeof(movements));
-		if (ioctl(dev->fd, MS_READ, &movements) < B_OK)
+		if (ioctl(dev->fd, MS_READ, &movements) != B_OK) {
+			snooze(10000); // this is a realtime thread, and something is wrong...
 			continue;
+		}
 		
 		uint32 buttons = buttons_state ^ movements.buttons;	
 	
diff --git a/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/serial_mouse/MouseInputDevice.cpp b/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/serial_mouse/MouseInputDevice.cpp
index 36fed92aae..1d083aa0b7 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/serial_mouse/MouseInputDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/serial_mouse/MouseInputDevice.cpp
@@ -251,9 +251,10 @@ MouseInputDevice::DeviceWatcher(void* arg)
 	while (dev->active)
 	{
 		memset(&movements, 0, sizeof(movements));
-
-		if (dev->sm->GetMouseEvent(&movements) < B_OK)
+		if (dev->sm->GetMouseEvent(&movements) != B_OK) {
+			snooze(10000); // this is a realtime thread, and something is wrong...
 			continue;
+		}
 /*
 		LOG("%s: buttons: 0x%lx, x: %ld, y: %ld, clicks:%ld, wheel_x:%ld, \
 			wheel_y:%ld\n", dev->device_ref.name, movements.buttons,
diff --git a/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/serial_mouse/SerialMouse.cpp b/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/serial_mouse/SerialMouse.cpp
index 1858cb6cfe..f1414dcb65 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/serial_mouse/SerialMouse.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/serial_mouse/SerialMouse.cpp
@@ -306,11 +306,8 @@ SerialMouse::GetMouseEvent(mouse_movement* mm)
 	if (GetPacket(data) != B_OK)
 		return B_ERROR;		// not enough, or out-of-sync, data.
 
-	if (PacketToMM(data, mm) != B_OK) {
-		// Something went wrong, clean up.
-		memset(mm, 0, sizeof(mouse_movement));
-		return B_ERROR;
-	}
+	if (PacketToMM(data, mm) != B_OK)
+		return B_ERROR;     // something went wrong
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_SERIAL_MOUSE
 	DumpData(mm);
@@ -344,8 +341,10 @@ SerialMouse::GetPacket(char data[])
 		// TODO: Shall we block here instead of leaving after a timeout?
 		// Yes, if we get called it's because there IS a mouse out there.
 
-		if (fSerialPort->Read(&c, 1) != 1)
+		if (fSerialPort->Read(&c, 1) != 1) {
+			snooze(5000); // this is a realtime thread, and something is wrong...
 			break;
+		}
 
 		if (bytes_read == 0) {
 			if ((c & mp[fMouseID].sync[0]) != mp[fMouseID].sync[1]) {
@@ -383,7 +382,7 @@ SerialMouse::PacketToMM(char data[], mouse_movement* mm)
 	const uint8 kTertiaryButton  = 4;
 
 	static uint8 previous_buttons = 0;	// only meaningful for kMicrosoft.
-
+	
 	mm->timestamp = system_time();
 
 	switch (fMouseID) {
diff --git a/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/tablet/TabletInputDevice.cpp b/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/tablet/TabletInputDevice.cpp
index 76b7f3a8cb..00eecd2ed2 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/tablet/TabletInputDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/input_server/devices/tablet/TabletInputDevice.cpp
@@ -322,8 +322,10 @@ TabletInputDevice::DeviceWatcher(void *arg)
 	BMessage *message;
 	while (dev->active) {
 		memset(&movements, 0, sizeof(movements));
-		if (ioctl(dev->fd, MS_READ, &movements) < B_OK)
+		if (ioctl(dev->fd, MS_READ, &movements) != B_OK) {
+			snooze(10000); // this is a realtime thread, and something is wrong...
 			continue;
+		}
 		
 		uint32 buttons = buttons_state ^ movements.buttons;