diff --git a/firmware/source/buffer.c b/firmware/source/buffer.c
index e353d63..c12e5fe 100644
--- a/firmware/source/buffer.c
+++ b/firmware/source/buffer.c
@@ -229,10 +229,10 @@ uint8_t buffer_opcode_return( uint8_t opcode, buffer *buff,
 				*rvalue = raw_bank_status[operLSB];	
 				*rlength += 1;
 			break;
-		//case GET_BUFF_OPERATION:	
-		//		*rvalue = operation;	
-		//		*rlength += 1;
-		//	break;
+		case GET_CUR_BUFF_STATUS:	
+				*rvalue = cur_buff->status;	
+				*rlength += 1;
+			break;
 		case GET_PRI_ELEMENTS:	
 				rvalue[0] = buff->last_idx;
 				rvalue[1] = buff->status;
@@ -337,6 +337,8 @@ uint8_t * buffer_payload( setup_packet *spacket, buffer *buff, uint8_t hostsetbu
 				cur_usb_load_buff = cur_buff;
 				cur_buff->status = USB_LOADING;
 			} else {
+				//both buffers are in use
+				//last buffer is flashing, and cur is full, need to wait on last to finish
 				set_operation( PROBLEM );
 			}
 		}
@@ -710,15 +712,19 @@ void update_buffers()
 		//cur_buff will get sent to usbFunctionWrite on next payload OUT transfer
 		//All we need to do here is monitor usbFWr's status via incoming_bytes_remain
 		//which gets set to 254 on wr transfers once gets to zero buffer is filled
-		if ( (incoming_bytes_remain == 0) && (cur_buff->status != EMPTY) ) {
-			incoming_bytes_remain--;	//don't want to re-enter
-		//if ( cur_buff->status == USB_FULL) {
+		//if ( (incoming_bytes_remain == 0) && (cur_buff->status != EMPTY) ) {
+		//	incoming_bytes_remain--;	//don't want to re-enter
+		if ( cur_buff->status == USB_FULL) {
 
 			//buffer full, send to flash routine
 			last_buff = cur_buff;
 			//but first want to update cur_buff to next buffer so it can 
 			//start loading on next OUT transfer
 			cur_buff = get_next_buff( cur_buff, num_buff );
+
+			//the other buffer must be complete if we've gotten to this point
+			//because this function only gets called from main
+			//so we can now change it from FLASHED to EMPTY
 			cur_buff->status = EMPTY;
 			
 			last_buff->status = FLASHING;
diff --git a/firmware/source/usb.c b/firmware/source/usb.c
index e6b74dd..512cc91 100644
--- a/firmware/source/usb.c
+++ b/firmware/source/usb.c
@@ -303,6 +303,13 @@ USB_PUBLIC uchar usbFunctionWrite(uchar *data, uchar len) {
 		data_cur++;
 	}
 
+	//need to account for the fact that cur_byte will roll over being 8bit value
+	if ( cur_usb_load_buff->last_idx == (cur_usb_load_buff->cur_byte + len - 1) ) {
+		//this signals to buffer.c so it can update cur_usb_load_buf
+		//and start tasking this buffer to programming
+		cur_usb_load_buff->status = USB_FULL;
+	}
+
 	//update counters and status
 	cur_usb_load_buff->cur_byte += len;
 	incoming_bytes_remain -= len;
@@ -311,15 +318,9 @@ USB_PUBLIC uchar usbFunctionWrite(uchar *data, uchar len) {
 	//want this function to be as fast as possible, so buffer.c checks if
 	//the buffer is full 'behind the scenes' outside of this function.
 	
-	//if ( (cur_usb_load_buff->last_idx) == buf_cur) {
-	if ( cur_usb_load_buff->last_idx == cur_usb_load_buff->cur_byte ) {
-		//this signals to buffer.c so it can update cur_usb_load_buf
-		//and start tasking this buffer to programming
-		cur_usb_load_buff->status = USB_FULL;
-	}
 
 	if ( incoming_bytes_remain == 0 ) { //done with OUT transfer
-		cur_usb_load_buff->status = USB_FULL;
+	//	cur_usb_load_buff->status = USB_FULL;
 		return PAYLD_DONE;
 	} else {	//more data packets remain to complete OUT transfer	
 		return NOT_DONE;
diff --git a/host/source/buffer.c b/host/source/buffer.c
index f1a9a60..849c98a 100644
--- a/host/source/buffer.c
+++ b/host/source/buffer.c
@@ -11,6 +11,26 @@ int reset_buffers( USBtransfer *transfer )
 								USB_IN,		NULL,	1);
 }
 
+/* Desc:Get cur_buff status.  Used to ensure device is ready for next payload
+ * Pre: 
+ * Post:
+ * Rtn: cur buff status byte
+ */
+int get_cur_buff_status( USBtransfer *transfer, int *status ) 
+{
+	int rv;
+	uint8_t data[2];
+
+	rv = dictionary_call( transfer,	DICT_BUFFER,	GET_CUR_BUFF_STATUS,	NILL,	NILL,	
+								USB_IN,		data,	2);
+	
+	if ( rv == SUCCESS )
+		//was able to retrieve status
+		*status = data[RV_DATA0_IDX];
+
+	return rv;
+}
+
 /* Desc:allocate buffers on device
  * Pre: buffers must be reset
  * Post:All buffers and raw sram unallocated
diff --git a/host/source/buffer.h b/host/source/buffer.h
index c58b5bc..ed4272e 100644
--- a/host/source/buffer.h
+++ b/host/source/buffer.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "pindef.h"
 
 int reset_buffers( USBtransfer *transfer );
+int get_cur_buff_status( USBtransfer *transfer, int *status );
 int allocate_buffers( USBtransfer *transfer, int num_buffers, int buff_size );
 int set_mem_n_part( USBtransfer *transfer, int buff_num, int mem_type, int part_num );
 int set_map_n_mapvar( USBtransfer *transfer, int buff_num, int mapper, int map_var );
diff --git a/host/source/flash.c b/host/source/flash.c
index fd434e8..8a99efd 100644
--- a/host/source/flash.c
+++ b/host/source/flash.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ int flash_cart( USBtransfer* transfer, rom_image *rom, cartridge *cart )
 	int buff_size = 256;	
 	int buff0 = 0;
 	int buff1 = 1;
+	int cur_buff_status = 0;
 	int i;
 	uint8_t data[buff_size];
 
@@ -128,15 +129,36 @@ int flash_cart( USBtransfer* transfer, rom_image *rom, cartridge *cart )
 	
 	for( i=0; i<(32*KByte/buff_size); i++) {
 	//for( i=0; i<8; i++) {
-	//debug("\n\npayload out #%d", i);
+	debug("\n\npayload out #%d", i);
 	//get_operation( transfer );
-	get_buff_elements( transfer, buff0 );
-	get_buff_elements( transfer, buff1 );
+	//get_buff_elements( transfer, buff0 );
+	//get_buff_elements( transfer, buff1 );
+	//get_buff_elements( transfer, buff0 );
+	//get_buff_elements( transfer, buff1 );
+	
+	//The device doesn't have a good way to respond if the last buffer is flashing
+	//and the current one is full.  We can only send a payload if the current buffer
+	//is empty.
+	
+		//Read next chunk from file
 		check(! read_from_file( rom, data, buff_size ), "Error with file read");
+
+		//ensure cur_buff is EMPTY prior to sending data
+		check(! get_cur_buff_status( transfer, &cur_buff_status ), "Error retrieving cur_buff->status");
+		while (cur_buff_status != EMPTY ) {
+			debug("cur_buff->status: %x ", cur_buff_status);
+			check(! get_cur_buff_status( transfer, &cur_buff_status ), "Error retrieving cur_buff->status");
+		}
+		debug("cur_buff->status: %x\n", cur_buff_status);
+
+		//send data
 		check(! payload_out( transfer, data, buff_size ), "Error with payload OUT");
 		//if ( i % 256 == 0 ) debug("payload in #%d", i);
 		if ( i % 32 == 0 ) debug("payload out #%d", i);
 	}
+	check(! get_cur_buff_status( transfer, &cur_buff_status ), "Error retrieving cur_buff->status");
+	debug("\n\n\ncur_buff->status: %x\n", cur_buff_status);
+
 	get_operation( transfer );
 	get_buff_elements( transfer, buff0 );
 	get_buff_elements( transfer, buff1 );
@@ -144,10 +166,11 @@ int flash_cart( USBtransfer* transfer, rom_image *rom, cartridge *cart )
 	get_buff_elements( transfer, buff1 );
 	get_buff_elements( transfer, buff0 );
 	get_buff_elements( transfer, buff1 );
+	get_operation( transfer );
 	debug("payload done");
 
 	//end operation at reset	
-	check(! set_operation( transfer, RESET ), "Unable to set buffer operation");
+	//check(! set_operation( transfer, RESET ), "Unable to set buffer operation");
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/host/source/operation.c b/host/source/operation.c
index 5aeb4b9..d9317bc 100644
--- a/host/source/operation.c
+++ b/host/source/operation.c
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ int set_operation( USBtransfer *transfer, int operation )
 int get_operation( USBtransfer *transfer ) 
 {
 	printf("operation:");
-	dictionary_call( transfer,	DICT_OPER,	GET_OPERATION,	NILL, 	NILL,
+	dictionary_call_debug( transfer,	DICT_OPER,	GET_OPERATION,	NILL, 	NILL,
 								USB_IN,		NULL,	RV_DATA0_IDX+1);
 	return SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/shared/shared_dict_buffer.h b/shared/shared_dict_buffer.h
index c025a7e..1d912a9 100644
--- a/shared/shared_dict_buffer.h
+++ b/shared/shared_dict_buffer.h
@@ -192,9 +192,8 @@
 //return value status of that raw bank (set to bank id if allocated)
 #define RAW_BANK_STATUS		0x60
 
-//retrieve buffer manager current operation variable
-//#define GET_BUFF_OPERATION	0x61
-//moved to shared_dict_operation.h
+//retrieve cur_buff status
+#define GET_CUR_BUFF_STATUS	0x61