diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java b/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java
index 61051f93c97..7d74af54728 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/Editor.java
@@ -2374,8 +2374,7 @@ class DefaultExportHandler implements Runnable {
     public void run() {
 
       try {
-        serialMonitor.closeSerialPort();
-        serialMonitor.setVisible(false);
+    	serialMonitor.suspend();
             
         uploading = true;
           
@@ -2402,6 +2401,14 @@ public void run() {
       uploading = false;
       //toolbar.clear();
       toolbar.deactivate(EditorToolbar.EXPORT);
+      
+      // Return the serial monitor window to its initial state
+      try {
+    	  serialMonitor.resume();
+      }
+      catch (SerialException e) {
+          statusError(e);
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -2476,12 +2483,9 @@ protected boolean handleExportCheckModified() {
   }
 
 
-  public void handleSerial() {
-    if (uploading) return;
-    
+  public void handleSerial() {  
     try {
-      serialMonitor.openSerialPort();
-      serialMonitor.setVisible(true);
+      serialMonitor.openSerialMonitor();
     } catch (SerialException e) {
       statusError(e);
     }
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/SerialMonitor.java b/app/src/processing/app/SerialMonitor.java
index 1f34e8f7e55..dff4f5b643f 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/SerialMonitor.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/SerialMonitor.java
@@ -40,10 +40,11 @@ public class SerialMonitor extends JFrame implements MessageConsumer {
   private JComboBox lineEndings;
   private JComboBox serialRates;
   private int serialRate;
+  private boolean serialMonitorEnabled;
+  
 
   public SerialMonitor(String port) {
     super(port);
-  
     this.port = port;
   
     addWindowListener(new WindowAdapter() {
@@ -171,6 +172,8 @@ public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent event) {
         }
       }
     }
+    
+    serialMonitorEnabled = true;
   }
   
   protected void setPlacement(int[] location) {
@@ -228,4 +231,50 @@ public void run() {
         }
       }});
   }
+  
+  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);
+	  
+	  serialMonitorEnabled = enable;
+  }
+  
+  // Make the serial monitor window operational
+  public void openSerialMonitor() throws SerialException
+  {
+	  // If the serial monitor is not currently disabled, open
+	  // the serial port
+	  if (serialMonitorEnabled)
+		  openSerialPort();
+	  
+	  // Make the window visible
+	  setVisible(true);
+  }
+
+  // Puts the window in suspend state, closing the serial port
+  // to allow other entity (the programmer) to use it
+  public void suspend()
+  {
+	  if (serial != null) 
+		  // Serial is opened. Record this fact and close it
+		  closeSerialPort();
+	  
+	  enableWindow(false);	  
+  }
+  
+  public void resume() throws SerialException
+  {
+	  // Enable the window
+	  enableWindow(true);		  
+
+	  // If the window is visible, try to open the serial port
+	  if (isVisible())
+			openSerialPort();
+  }
 }