diff --git a/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_ophyd.py b/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_ophyd.py
index 4c5df96..de0ce5f 100644
--- a/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_ophyd.py
+++ b/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_ophyd.py
@@ -95,6 +95,22 @@ class GalilController(Controller):
             return False
         return True
 
+    def _wait_for_thread_idle(self, thread_id: int, timeout: float = 2.0) -> None:
+        """Poll until the given controller thread is no longer executing.
+
+        XQ dispatches a routine asynchronously and returns as soon as it starts,
+        not once it finishes. #NEWPAR briefly keeps thread 0 busy dispatching a
+        move, and the actual dispatch time varies with controller load, so a
+        fixed sleep before starting the next routine on the same thread
+        (#FES/#FRM) is inherently racy: send it too early and the controller
+        replies '?' with error 19 ("thread already running") instead of ':'.
+        """
+        start = time.time()
+        while self.is_thread_active(thread_id):
+            if time.time() - start > timeout:
+                raise GalilError(f"Thread {thread_id} did not become idle within {timeout} s.")
+            time.sleep(0.02)
+
     def stop_all_axes(self) -> str:
         if not self.is_thread_active(1):
             return self.socket_put_and_receive("XQ#STOP,1")
@@ -201,7 +217,7 @@ class GalilController(Controller):
         self.socket_put_confirmed(f"naxis={axis_Id_numeric}")
         self.socket_put_confirmed(f"ndir={direction_flag}")
         self.socket_put_confirmed("XQ#NEWPAR")
-        time.sleep(0.2)
+        self._wait_for_thread_idle(0)
         self.socket_put_confirmed("XQ#FES")
         time.sleep(0.1)
         axis_Id = self.axis_Id_numeric_to_alpha(axis_Id_numeric)
@@ -236,7 +252,7 @@ class GalilController(Controller):
         time.sleep(0.1)
         self.socket_put_confirmed(f"naxis={axis_Id_numeric}")
         self.socket_put_and_receive("XQ#NEWPAR")
-        time.sleep(0.3)
+        self._wait_for_thread_idle(0)
         self.socket_put_confirmed("XQ#FRM")
         time.sleep(0.1)
         axis_Id = self.axis_Id_numeric_to_alpha(axis_Id_numeric)
diff --git a/tests/tests_devices/test_galil.py b/tests/tests_devices/test_galil.py
index dc38c54..ac49678 100644
--- a/tests/tests_devices/test_galil.py
+++ b/tests/tests_devices/test_galil.py
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ def test_axis_put(leyey, target_pos, socket_put_messages, socket_get_messages):
                 b"naxis=0\r",
                 b"ndir=1\r",
                 b"XQ#NEWPAR\r",
+                b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"XQ#FES\r",
                 b"MG_BGA\r",
                 b"MGbcklact[0]\r",
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ def test_axis_put(leyey, target_pos, socket_put_messages, socket_get_messages):
                 b"MG_XQ2\r",
                 b"MG _LRA, _LFA\r",
             ],
-            [b":", b":", b":", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.000 0.000"],
+            [b":", b":", b":", b"-1", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.000 0.000"],
         ),
         (
             1,
@@ -118,6 +119,7 @@ def test_axis_put(leyey, target_pos, socket_put_messages, socket_get_messages):
                 b"naxis=1\r",
                 b"ndir=-1\r",
                 b"XQ#NEWPAR\r",
+                b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"XQ#FES\r",
                 b"MG_BGB\r",
                 b"MGbcklact[1]\r",
@@ -125,7 +127,7 @@ def test_axis_put(leyey, target_pos, socket_put_messages, socket_get_messages):
                 b"MG_XQ2\r",
                 b"MG _LRB, _LFB\r",
             ],
-            [b":", b":", b":", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"0.000 1.000"],
+            [b":", b":", b":", b"-1", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"0.000 1.000"],
         ),
     ],
 )
@@ -144,6 +146,7 @@ def test_drive_axis_to_limit(leyex, axis_nr, direction, socket_put_messages, soc
             [
                 b"naxis=0\r",
                 b"XQ#NEWPAR\r",
+                b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"XQ#FRM\r",
                 b"MG_BGA\r",
                 b"MGbcklact[0]\r",
@@ -151,13 +154,14 @@ def test_drive_axis_to_limit(leyex, axis_nr, direction, socket_put_messages, soc
                 b"MG_XQ2\r",
                 b"MG axisref[0]\r",
             ],
-            [b":", b":", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.00"],
+            [b":", b":", b"-1", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.00"],
         ),
         (
             1,
             [
                 b"naxis=1\r",
                 b"XQ#NEWPAR\r",
+                b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"XQ#FRM\r",
                 b"MG_BGB\r",
                 b"MGbcklact[1]\r",
@@ -165,7 +169,7 @@ def test_drive_axis_to_limit(leyex, axis_nr, direction, socket_put_messages, soc
                 b"MG_XQ2\r",
                 b"MG axisref[1]\r",
             ],
-            [b":", b":", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.00"],
+            [b":", b":", b"-1", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.00"],
         ),
     ],
 )
diff --git a/tests/tests_devices/test_galil_flomni.py b/tests/tests_devices/test_galil_flomni.py
index f3dcbc2..64b09cb 100644
--- a/tests/tests_devices/test_galil_flomni.py
+++ b/tests/tests_devices/test_galil_flomni.py
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ def test_axis_put(leyey, target_pos, socket_put_messages, socket_get_messages):
                 b"naxis=0\r",
                 b"ndir=1\r",
                 b"XQ#NEWPAR\r",
+                b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"XQ#FES\r",
                 b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"MG _MOA\r",
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ def test_axis_put(leyey, target_pos, socket_put_messages, socket_get_messages):
                 b"MG _MOA\r",
                 b"MG _LRA, _LFA\r",
             ],
-            [b":", b":", b":", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.000 0.000"],
+            [b":", b":", b":", b"-1", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.000 0.000"],
         ),
         (
             1,
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ def test_axis_put(leyey, target_pos, socket_put_messages, socket_get_messages):
                 b"naxis=1\r",
                 b"ndir=-1\r",
                 b"XQ#NEWPAR\r",
+                b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"XQ#FES\r",
                 b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"MG _MOB\r",
@@ -108,7 +110,7 @@ def test_axis_put(leyey, target_pos, socket_put_messages, socket_get_messages):
                 b"MG _MOB\r",
                 b"MG _LRB, _LFB\r",
             ],
-            [b":", b":", b":", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"0.000 1.000"],
+            [b":", b":", b":", b"-1", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"0.000 1.000"],
         ),
     ],
 )
@@ -127,6 +129,7 @@ def test_drive_axis_to_limit(leyex, axis_nr, direction, socket_put_messages, soc
             [
                 b"naxis=0\r",
                 b"XQ#NEWPAR\r",
+                b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"XQ#FRM\r",
                 b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"MG _MOA\r",
@@ -134,13 +137,14 @@ def test_drive_axis_to_limit(leyex, axis_nr, direction, socket_put_messages, soc
                 b"MG _MOA\r",
                 b"MG axisref[0]\r",
             ],
-            [b":", b":", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.00"],
+            [b":", b":", b"-1", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.00"],
         ),
         (
             1,
             [
                 b"naxis=1\r",
                 b"XQ#NEWPAR\r",
+                b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"XQ#FRM\r",
                 b"MG_XQ0\r",
                 b"MG _MOB\r",
@@ -148,7 +152,7 @@ def test_drive_axis_to_limit(leyex, axis_nr, direction, socket_put_messages, soc
                 b"MG _MOB\r",
                 b"MG axisref[1]\r",
             ],
-            [b":", b":", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.00"],
+            [b":", b":", b"-1", b":", b"0", b"0", b"-1", b"-1", b"1.00"],
         ),
     ],
 )