diff --git a/sinqEPICSApp/src/EL734Driver.cpp b/sinqEPICSApp/src/EL734Driver.cpp
index 293fb3b..5ed261c 100644
--- a/sinqEPICSApp/src/EL734Driver.cpp
+++ b/sinqEPICSApp/src/EL734Driver.cpp
@@ -341,12 +341,15 @@ asynStatus EL734Axis::stop(double acceleration )
   asynStatus status = asynSuccess;
   //static const char *functionName = "EL734Axis::stop";
   char command[COMLEN], reply[COMLEN];
+  bool moving = false;
 
-  if(errorReported == 0){
+  this->poll(&moving);
+  if(moving && errorReported == 0){
       sprintf(command, "S %d", axisNo_);
       status = pC_->transactController(axisNo_,command,reply);
       errlogPrintf("Sent STOP on Axis %d\n", axisNo_);
       updateMsgTxtFromDriver("Axis interrupted");
+      errorReported = 1;
     }
 
   return status;
diff --git a/sinqEPICSApp/src/pmacAxis.cpp b/sinqEPICSApp/src/pmacAxis.cpp
index 7f125b8..c69e8a4 100644
--- a/sinqEPICSApp/src/pmacAxis.cpp
+++ b/sinqEPICSApp/src/pmacAxis.cpp
@@ -284,15 +284,20 @@ asynStatus pmacAxis::setPosition(double position) {
 asynStatus pmacAxis::stop(double acceleration) {
   asynStatus status = asynError;
   static const char *functionName = "pmacAxis::stopAxis";
+  bool moving = false;
 
   pC_->debugFlow(functionName);
 
   char command[128] = {0};
   char response[32] = {0};
 
-  sprintf(command, "M%2.2d=8", axisNo_);
+  this->getAxisStatus(&moving);
 
-  status = pC_->lowLevelWriteRead(axisNo_, command, response);
+  if(moving) {
+    // only send a stop when actually moving
+    sprintf(command, "M%2.2d=8", axisNo_);
+    status = pC_->lowLevelWriteRead(axisNo_, command, response);
+  }
   return status;
 }
 
diff --git a/sinqEPICSApp/src/pmacController.cpp b/sinqEPICSApp/src/pmacController.cpp
index af752df..3083e29 100644
--- a/sinqEPICSApp/src/pmacController.cpp
+++ b/sinqEPICSApp/src/pmacController.cpp
@@ -820,6 +820,7 @@ asynStatus pmacV3Controller::writeInt32(asynUser *pasynUser, epicsInt32 value) {
   pmacV3Axis *pAxis = NULL;
   char command[64] = {0};
   char response[64] = {0};
+  int isOn;
   static const char *functionName = "pmacV3Controller::writeInt32";
 
   debugFlow(functionName);
@@ -834,16 +835,22 @@ asynStatus pmacV3Controller::writeInt32(asynUser *pasynUser, epicsInt32 value) {
   pAxis->setIntegerParam(function, value);
 
   if (function == enableAxis_) {
-    if(value == 1) {
+    // only send commands when a state change is necessary      
+    snprintf(command, sizeof(command), "P%2.2d00", pAxis->axisNo_);
+    this->lowLevelWriteRead(pAxis->axisNo_, command, response);
+    isOn = strtol(response, NULL, 10);
+    if(value == 1 && isOn == 0) {
       sprintf(command, "M%2.2d=15\n", pAxis->axisNo_);
       lowLevelWriteRead(pAxis->axisNo_, command, response);
     }
     sprintf(command, "M%2.2d14=%d\n", pAxis->axisNo_, value);
-    asynPrint(this->pasynUserSelf, ASYN_TRACE_FLOW,
+    pAxis->updateMsgTxtFromDriver("");
+    if(isOn != value) {
+        asynPrint(this->pasynUserSelf, ASYN_TRACE_FLOW,
               "%s: Enable axis on controller %s, axis %d enable=%d\n",
               functionName, portName, pAxis->axisNo_, value);
-    pAxis->updateMsgTxtFromDriver("");
-    lowLevelWriteRead(pAxis->axisNo_, command, response);
+        lowLevelWriteRead(pAxis->axisNo_, command, response);
+    }
   } 
 
   return pmacController::writeInt32(pasynUser, value);