diff --git a/src/comm/SerialLink.cc b/src/comm/SerialLink.cc
index ac628f91e332e2452b38bc07fa1802ac42e3b1df..d1e09d1dbf90c27388417c2e9dd7172f4b3d5693 100644
--- a/src/comm/SerialLink.cc
+++ b/src/comm/SerialLink.cc
@@ -99,19 +99,11 @@ QList<QString> SerialLink::getCurrentPorts()
     m_ports.clear();
 
     QList<QSerialPortInfo> portList =  QSerialPortInfo::availablePorts();
-
-    if( portList.count() == 0){
-        qDebug() << "No Ports Found" << m_ports;
-    }
-
     foreach (const QSerialPortInfo &info, portList)
     {
-//        qDebug() << "PortName    : " << info.portName()
-//                 << "Description : " << info.description();
-//        qDebug() << "Manufacturer: " << info.manufacturer();
-
         m_ports.append(info.portName());
     }
+
     return m_ports;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ui/SerialConfigurationWindow.cc b/src/ui/SerialConfigurationWindow.cc
index a6fd2cfa169ef2db847800c61de10c5b9b783de1..052043e5d7416494426ad4f77bd792246a7935ab 100644
--- a/src/ui/SerialConfigurationWindow.cc
+++ b/src/ui/SerialConfigurationWindow.cc
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ SerialConfigurationWindow::SerialConfigurationWindow(LinkInterface* link, QWidge
         action = new QAction(QIcon(":/files/images/devices/network-wireless.svg"), "", this);
         setLinkName(link->getName());
 
-        setupPortList();
+        // Scan for serial ports. Let the user know if none were found for debugging purposes
+        if (!setupPortList()) {
+            qDebug() << "No serial ports found.";
+        }
 
         // Set up baud rates
         ui.baudRate->clear();
@@ -213,9 +216,9 @@ void SerialConfigurationWindow::configureCommunication()
     this->show();
 }
 
-void SerialConfigurationWindow::setupPortList()
+bool SerialConfigurationWindow::setupPortList()
 {
-    if (!link) return;
+    if (!link) return false;
 
     // Get the ports available on this system
     QList<QString> ports = link->getCurrentPorts();
@@ -240,6 +243,8 @@ void SerialConfigurationWindow::setupPortList()
 
     if (storedFound)
         ui.portName->setEditText(storedName);
+
+    return (ports.count() > 0);
 }
 
 void SerialConfigurationWindow::enableFlowControl(bool flow)
diff --git a/src/ui/SerialConfigurationWindow.h b/src/ui/SerialConfigurationWindow.h
index 41a95f59df246c71e4dba5fc0bc4120e5b79d075..57b8600ed8b8ac0f295ceeb67d73bfb95b49a9e3 100644
--- a/src/ui/SerialConfigurationWindow.h
+++ b/src/ui/SerialConfigurationWindow.h
@@ -60,7 +60,13 @@ public slots:
     void setParityEven(bool accept);
     void setPortName(QString port);
     void setLinkName(QString name);
-    void setupPortList();
+    /**
+     * @brief setupPortList Populates the dropdown with the list of available serial ports.
+     * This function is called at 1s intervals to check that the serial port still exists and to see if
+     * any new ones have been attached.
+     * @return True if any ports were found, false otherwise.
+     */
+    bool setupPortList();
 
 protected:
     void showEvent(QShowEvent* event);