diff --git a/js/gui.js b/js/gui.js
index 8a95c88246..5db3541994 100644
--- a/js/gui.js
+++ b/js/gui.js
@@ -204,7 +204,8 @@ GUI_control.prototype.tab_switch_cleanup = function(callback) {
             if (callback) callback();
             break;
         case 'sensors':
-            GUI.interval_kill_all(['port-update', 'port_usage', 'serial_read']);
+            GUI.interval_kill_all(['port-update', 'port_usage']);
+            serial.empty_output_buffer();
             
             // sensor data tab uses scrollbars, emptying the content before loading another tab
             // prevents scrollbar exposure to any of the tabs while new content is loaded in
diff --git a/js/serial.js b/js/serial.js
index b8dacf1c33..bdd1854297 100644
--- a/js/serial.js
+++ b/js/serial.js
@@ -59,11 +59,20 @@ var serial = {
             self.transmitting = true;
             
             var sending = function() {
-                chrome.serial.send(self.connectionId, self.output_buffer[0].data, function(sendInfo) {
-                    self.output_buffer[0].callback(sendInfo);
+                // store inside separate variables in case array gets destroyed
+                var data = self.output_buffer[0].data;
+                var callback = self.output_buffer[0].callback;
+                
+                chrome.serial.send(self.connectionId, data, function(sendInfo) {
+                    callback(sendInfo);
                     self.output_buffer.shift();
                     
                     if (self.output_buffer.length) {
+                        // keep the buffer withing reasonable limits
+                        while (self.output_buffer.length > 500) {
+                            self.output_buffer.pop();
+                        }
+                        
                         sending();
                     } else {
                         self.transmitting = false;
@@ -83,5 +92,9 @@ var serial = {
         removeListener: function(function_reference) {
             chrome.serial.onReceive.removeListener(function_reference);
         }
+    },
+    empty_output_buffer: function() {
+        this.output_buffer = [];
+        this.transmitting = false;
     }
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tabs/sensors.js b/tabs/sensors.js
index 2e3c1faa29..0cd91f3737 100644
--- a/tabs/sensors.js
+++ b/tabs/sensors.js
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ function tab_initialize_sensors() {
             }
             
             // timer initialization
-            GUI.interval_kill_all(['port-update', 'port_usage', 'serial_read']);
+            GUI.interval_kill_all(['port-update', 'port_usage']);
             
             // data pulling timers
             GUI.interval_add('status_pull', function() {