diff --git a/src/main/cpp/_nix_based/jssc.cpp b/src/main/cpp/_nix_based/jssc.cpp
index c98403a6c..c650e8d50 100644
--- a/src/main/cpp/_nix_based/jssc.cpp
+++ b/src/main/cpp/_nix_based/jssc.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 #include <termios.h>
 #include <time.h>
@@ -641,12 +642,22 @@ JNIEXPORT jbyteArray JNICALL Java_jssc_SerialNativeInterface_readBytes
  */
 JNIEXPORT jintArray JNICALL Java_jssc_SerialNativeInterface_getBuffersBytesCount
   (JNIEnv *env, jobject, jlong portHandle){
+    int err;
     jint returnValues[2];
     returnValues[0] = -1; //Input buffer
     returnValues[1] = -1; //Output buffer
+
+    err = ioctl(portHandle, FIONREAD, &returnValues[0]) == -1
+       || ioctl(portHandle, TIOCOUTQ, &returnValues[1]) == -1;
+    if( err ){
+        err = errno;
+        jclass exClz = env->FindClass("java/io/IOException");
+        if( exClz != NULL ) env->ThrowNew(exClz, strerror(err));
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     jintArray returnArray = env->NewIntArray(2);
-    ioctl(portHandle, FIONREAD, &returnValues[0]);
-    ioctl(portHandle, TIOCOUTQ, &returnValues[1]);
+    if( returnArray == NULL ) return NULL;
     env->SetIntArrayRegion(returnArray, 0, 2, returnValues);
     return returnArray;
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/jssc/SerialNativeInterface.java b/src/main/java/jssc/SerialNativeInterface.java
index 40022472e..2f2e0b9f2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/jssc/SerialNativeInterface.java
+++ b/src/main/java/jssc/SerialNativeInterface.java
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ public static String getLibraryVersion() {
      *
      * @since 0.8
      */
-    public native int[] getBuffersBytesCount(long handle);
+    public native int[] getBuffersBytesCount(long handle) throws IOException;
 
     /**
      * Set flow control mode
diff --git a/src/main/java/jssc/SerialPort.java b/src/main/java/jssc/SerialPort.java
index 713fa769c..8fef42cd1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/jssc/SerialPort.java
+++ b/src/main/java/jssc/SerialPort.java
@@ -876,7 +876,11 @@ public int[] readIntArray() throws SerialPortException {
      */
     public int getInputBufferBytesCount() throws SerialPortException {
         checkPortOpened("getInputBufferBytesCount()");
-        return serialInterface.getBuffersBytesCount(portHandle)[0];
+        try{
+            return serialInterface.getBuffersBytesCount(portHandle)[0];
+        }catch( IOException ex ){
+            throw SerialPortException.wrapNativeException(ex, this, "getInputBufferBytesCount");
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -890,7 +894,11 @@ public int getInputBufferBytesCount() throws SerialPortException {
      */
     public int getOutputBufferBytesCount() throws SerialPortException {
         checkPortOpened("getOutputBufferBytesCount()");
-        return serialInterface.getBuffersBytesCount(portHandle)[1];
+        try{
+            return serialInterface.getBuffersBytesCount(portHandle)[1];
+        }catch( IOException ex ){
+            throw SerialPortException.wrapNativeException(ex, this, "getOutputBufferBytesCount");
+        }
     }
 
     /**