diff --git a/src/VehicleSetup/PX4FirmwareUpgradeThread.cc b/src/VehicleSetup/PX4FirmwareUpgradeThread.cc
index a0618595155d5e6cddb9141afd0531baf254283b..e4892406075076bba993067dbe0515317a930ea1 100644
--- a/src/VehicleSetup/PX4FirmwareUpgradeThread.cc
+++ b/src/VehicleSetup/PX4FirmwareUpgradeThread.cc
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ void PX4FirmwareUpgradeThreadWorker::_3drRadioForceBootloader(const QGCSerialPor
 
 bool PX4FirmwareUpgradeThreadWorker::_findBootloader(const QGCSerialPortInfo& portInfo, bool radioMode, bool errorOnNotFound)
 {
-    qCDebug(FirmwareUpgradeLog) << "_findBootloader";
+    qCDebug(FirmwareUpgradeLog) << "_findBootloader" << portInfo.systemLocation();
     
     uint32_t bootloaderVersion = 0;
     uint32_t boardID;
@@ -218,14 +218,15 @@ bool PX4FirmwareUpgradeThreadWorker::_findBootloader(const QGCSerialPortInfo& po
 
     
     _bootloaderPort = new QextSerialPort(QextSerialPort::Polling);
-    Q_CHECK_PTR(_bootloaderPort);
     if (radioMode) {
         _bootloaderPort->setBaudRate(BAUD115200);
     }
 
     // Wait a little while for the USB port to initialize.
+    bool openFailed = true;
     for (int i=0; i<10; i++) {
         if (_bootloader->open(_bootloaderPort, portInfo.systemLocation())) {
+            openFailed = false;
             break;
         } else {
             QGC::SLEEP::msleep(100);
@@ -236,6 +237,16 @@ bool PX4FirmwareUpgradeThreadWorker::_findBootloader(const QGCSerialPortInfo& po
         QGC::SLEEP::msleep(2000);
     }
 
+    if (openFailed) {
+        qCDebug(FirmwareUpgradeLog) << "Bootloader open port failed:" << _bootloader->errorString();
+        if (errorOnNotFound) {
+            emit error(_bootloader->errorString());
+        }
+        _bootloaderPort->deleteLater();
+        _bootloaderPort = NULL;
+        return false;
+    }
+
     if (_bootloader->sync(_bootloaderPort)) {
         bool success;