diff --git a/source/BleSerial.cpp b/source/BleSerial.cpp
index 6317014..a4f7e89 100644
--- a/source/BleSerial.cpp
+++ b/source/BleSerial.cpp
@@ -358,6 +358,21 @@ BleSerial::read (
     return c;
 }
 
+uint16_t
+BleSerial::readBlocking(
+    void
+) {
+    uint16_t c = static_cast<uint16_t>(-1);
+
+    if (available()) {
+        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(_q_lock);
+        c = _rx.front();
+        _rx.pop();
+    }
+
+    return c;
+}
+
 void
 BleSerial::unlock (
     void
diff --git a/source/BleSerial.h b/source/BleSerial.h
index a3bce74..250389a 100644
--- a/source/BleSerial.h
+++ b/source/BleSerial.h
@@ -170,6 +170,12 @@ public ref class BleSerial sealed : public IStream
         void
     );
 
+    virtual
+    uint16_t
+    readBlocking(
+        void
+    );
+
     virtual
     void
     unlock (
diff --git a/source/BluetoothSerial.cpp b/source/BluetoothSerial.cpp
index cf58845..abe9be7 100644
--- a/source/BluetoothSerial.cpp
+++ b/source/BluetoothSerial.cpp
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ BluetoothSerial::available(
 		if (_current_load_operation->Status == Windows::Foundation::AsyncStatus::Error)
 		{
 			_connection_ready = false;
-			ConnectionLost(L"A fatal error has occurred in UsbSerial::read() and your connection has been lost.");
+			ConnectionLost(L"A fatal error has occurred in BluetoothSerial::available() and your connection has been lost.");
 			return 0;
 		}
 
@@ -398,6 +398,35 @@ BluetoothSerial::read(
     return c;
 }
 
+uint16_t
+BluetoothSerial::readBlocking(
+    void
+)
+{
+    uint16_t c = static_cast<uint16_t>(-1);
+
+    if (!_rx->UnconsumedBufferLength)
+    {
+        if (_current_load_operation->Status != Windows::Foundation::AsyncStatus::Started)
+        {
+            _current_load_operation = _rx->LoadAsync(MAX_READ_SIZE);
+        }
+
+        create_task(_current_load_operation).wait();
+
+        if (_current_load_operation->Status == Windows::Foundation::AsyncStatus::Error)
+        {
+            _connection_ready = false;
+            ConnectionLost(L"A fatal error has occurred in BluetoothSerial::readBlocking() and your connection has been lost.");
+            return c;
+        }
+    }
+
+    c = _rx->ReadByte();
+
+    return c;
+}
+
 void
 BluetoothSerial::unlock(
     void
diff --git a/source/BluetoothSerial.h b/source/BluetoothSerial.h
index 704cde4..51bdb4e 100644
--- a/source/BluetoothSerial.h
+++ b/source/BluetoothSerial.h
@@ -164,6 +164,12 @@ public ref class BluetoothSerial sealed : public IStream
         void
         );
 
+    virtual
+    uint16_t
+    readBlocking(
+        void
+        );
+
     virtual
     void
     unlock(
diff --git a/source/CurieBleSerial.h b/source/CurieBleSerial.h
index 789cfdb..8fb7727 100644
--- a/source/CurieBleSerial.h
+++ b/source/CurieBleSerial.h
@@ -212,6 +212,14 @@ public ref class CurieBleSerial sealed : public IStream
         return _bleSerial->read();
     }
 
+    virtual inline
+    uint16_t
+    readBlocking (
+        void
+    ) {
+        return _bleSerial->readBlocking();
+    }
+
     virtual inline
     void
     unlock (
diff --git a/source/DfRobotBleSerial.h b/source/DfRobotBleSerial.h
index 61bcbd8..a66bf68 100644
--- a/source/DfRobotBleSerial.h
+++ b/source/DfRobotBleSerial.h
@@ -212,6 +212,14 @@ public ref class DfRobotBleSerial sealed : public IStream
         return _bleSerial->read();
     }
 
+    virtual inline
+    uint16_t
+    readBlocking (
+        void
+    ) {
+        return _bleSerial->readBlocking();
+    }
+
     virtual inline
     void
     unlock (
diff --git a/source/IStream.h b/source/IStream.h
index b707c1b..ea18ce9 100644
--- a/source/IStream.h
+++ b/source/IStream.h
@@ -227,6 +227,15 @@ public interface struct IStream
         void
         ) = 0;
 
+    ///<summary>
+    ///Attempts to read one byte once bytes are available
+    ///</summary>
+    virtual
+    uint16_t
+    readBlocking(
+        void
+        ) = 0;
+
     ///<summary>
     ///Places one byte into the outbound queue. Data will not be sent until `flush()` is called explicitly.
     ///</summary>
diff --git a/source/NetworkSerial.cpp b/source/NetworkSerial.cpp
index f34fa22..52cb8fa 100644
--- a/source/NetworkSerial.cpp
+++ b/source/NetworkSerial.cpp
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ NetworkSerial::available(
 		if (_current_load_operation->Status == Windows::Foundation::AsyncStatus::Error)
 		{
 			_connection_ready = false;
-			ConnectionLost(L"A fatal error has occurred in UsbSerial::read() and your connection has been lost.");
+			ConnectionLost(L"A fatal error has occurred in NetworkSerial::available() and your connection has been lost.");
 			return 0;
 		}
 
@@ -338,6 +338,35 @@ NetworkSerial::read(
 	return c;
 }
 
+uint16_t
+NetworkSerial::readBlocking(
+    void
+)
+{
+    uint16_t c = static_cast<uint16_t>(-1);
+
+    if (!_rx->UnconsumedBufferLength)
+    {
+        if (_current_load_operation->Status != Windows::Foundation::AsyncStatus::Started)
+        {
+            _current_load_operation = _rx->LoadAsync(MAX_READ_SIZE);
+        }
+
+        create_task(_current_load_operation).wait();
+
+        if (_current_load_operation->Status == Windows::Foundation::AsyncStatus::Error)
+        {
+            _connection_ready = false;
+            ConnectionLost(L"A fatal error has occurred in NetworkSerial::readBlocking() and your connection has been lost.");
+            return c;
+        }
+    }
+
+    c = _rx->ReadByte();
+
+    return c;
+}
+
 void
 NetworkSerial::unlock(
     void
diff --git a/source/NetworkSerial.h b/source/NetworkSerial.h
index 30e6171..5bff0b7 100644
--- a/source/NetworkSerial.h
+++ b/source/NetworkSerial.h
@@ -158,6 +158,12 @@ public ref class NetworkSerial sealed : public IStream
         void
         );
 
+    virtual
+    uint16_t
+    readBlocking(
+        void
+        );
+
     virtual
     void
     unlock(
diff --git a/source/RedBearLabBleSerial.h b/source/RedBearLabBleSerial.h
index f533723..afac2fd 100644
--- a/source/RedBearLabBleSerial.h
+++ b/source/RedBearLabBleSerial.h
@@ -212,6 +212,14 @@ public ref class RedBearLabBleSerial sealed : public IStream
         return _bleSerial->read();
     }
 
+    virtual inline
+    uint16_t
+    readBlocking (
+        void
+    ) {
+        return _bleSerial->readBlocking();
+    }
+
     virtual inline
     void
     unlock (
diff --git a/source/USBSerial.cpp b/source/USBSerial.cpp
index 8f888ef..f92bc02 100644
--- a/source/USBSerial.cpp
+++ b/source/USBSerial.cpp
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ UsbSerial::available(
 		if (_current_load_operation->Status == Windows::Foundation::AsyncStatus::Error)
 		{
 			_connection_ready = false;
-			ConnectionLost(L"A fatal error has occurred in UsbSerial::read() and your connection has been lost.");
+			ConnectionLost(L"A fatal error has occurred in UsbSerial::available() and your connection has been lost.");
 			return 0;
 		}
 
@@ -392,17 +392,46 @@ UsbSerial::print(
 uint16_t
 UsbSerial::read(
     void
-    )
+)
 {
     uint16_t c = static_cast<uint16_t>(-1);
 
-    if ( available() ) {
+    if (available()) {
         c = _rx->ReadByte();
     }
 
     return c;
 }
 
+uint16_t
+UsbSerial::readBlocking(
+    void
+)
+{
+    uint16_t c = static_cast<uint16_t>(-1);
+
+    if (!_rx->UnconsumedBufferLength)
+    {
+        if (_current_load_operation->Status != Windows::Foundation::AsyncStatus::Started)
+        {
+            _current_load_operation = _rx->LoadAsync(MAX_READ_SIZE);
+        }
+
+        create_task(_current_load_operation).wait();
+
+        if (_current_load_operation->Status == Windows::Foundation::AsyncStatus::Error)
+        {
+            _connection_ready = false;
+            ConnectionLost(L"A fatal error has occurred in UsbSerial::readBlocking() and your connection has been lost.");
+            return c;
+        }
+    }
+
+    c = _rx->ReadByte();
+
+    return c;
+}
+
 void
 UsbSerial::unlock(
     void
diff --git a/source/USBSerial.h b/source/USBSerial.h
index 14da0d4..14ddf2a 100644
--- a/source/USBSerial.h
+++ b/source/USBSerial.h
@@ -173,6 +173,12 @@ public ref class UsbSerial sealed : public IStream
         void
         );
 
+    virtual
+    uint16_t
+    readBlocking(
+        void
+        );
+
     virtual
     void
     unlock(