diff --git a/ascon.c b/ascon.c
index 0e66da8c..d5d5f96a 100644
--- a/ascon.c
+++ b/ascon.c
@@ -447,9 +447,9 @@ int AsconStdHandler(Ascon * a)
       return 1;
     }
     if(a->lineCount == 0){
-    	a->noResponse = 1;
+      a->noResponse = 1;
     } else {
-    	a->noResponse = 0;
+      a->noResponse = 0;
     }
     break; /* go to the base handler */
   case AsconReading:
@@ -834,3 +834,9 @@ char *AsconHostport(Ascon *a)
   return a->hostport;
 }
 
+double AsconGetSetTimeout(Ascon *a, double timeout, int setmode) {
+  if (setmode) {
+    a->timeout = timeout;
+  }
+  return a->timeout;
+}
diff --git a/ascon.h b/ascon.h
index 3a46deec..1065e23e 100644
--- a/ascon.h
+++ b/ascon.h
@@ -107,4 +107,14 @@ int AsconLastState(Ascon *a);
  * \return the host and port
  */
 char *AsconHostport(Ascon *a);
+
+/**
+ * \brief set or get timeout
+ * \param a the Ascon
+ * \param timeout the timeout to set
+ * \param setmode 0: get, 1: set
+ * \return the timeout value
+ */
+double AsconGetSetTimeout(Ascon *a, double timeout, int setmode);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/devser.c b/devser.c
index e4df4b31..506a168e 100644
--- a/devser.c
+++ b/devser.c
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ struct DevSer {
   DevAction *toKill;        /* list of actions to be killed */
   int steps;
   AsconStatus status;
-  double startTime; /* fields for statistics */
+  
+  /* fields for statistics: */
+  double startTime;
   double comCount;
   long nComCount;
   int comMaxState;
@@ -595,3 +597,7 @@ char *DevStatus(DevSer *devser) {
   }
   return str;
 }
+
+double DevGetSetTimeout(DevSer *devser, double timeout, int setmode) {
+  return AsconGetSetTimeout(devser->ascon, timeout, setmode);
+}
diff --git a/devser.h b/devser.h
index 9f77b784..b91e8f51 100644
--- a/devser.h
+++ b/devser.h
@@ -198,4 +198,13 @@ char *DevHostport(DevSer *devser);
  */
 char *DevStatus(DevSer *devser);
 
+/**
+ * \brief set or get timeout
+ * \param devser The device serializer to change
+ * \param timeout the timeout to set
+ * \param setmode 0: get, 1: set
+ * \return the timeout value
+ */
+double DevGetSetTimeout(DevSer *devser, double timeout, int setmode);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/make_gen b/make_gen
index 70253df2..7c710e42 100644
--- a/make_gen
+++ b/make_gen
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ SOBJ =  network.o ifile.o conman.o SCinter.o splitter.o passwd.o \
        savehdb.o statusfile.o sicshdbfactory.o proxy.o devser.o \
        moregress.o  multicounter.o regresscter.o histregress.o \
        sicshdbadapter.o polldriv.o sicspoll.o statemon.o hmslave.o \
-       nwatch.o asyncqueue.o asyncprotocol.o sicsobj.o frame.o\
+       nwatch.o asyncqueue.o asyncprotocol.o sicsobj.o frame.o syncedprot.o\
        nxcopy.o nxinterhelper.o nxinter_wrap.o  nxstack.o arrayutil.o \
        sctdriveadapter.o sctdriveobj.o reflist.o singlex.o fourmess.o \
        sgclib.o sgfind.o sgio.o sgsi.o sghkl.o singlediff.o singlebi.o \
diff --git a/ofac.c b/ofac.c
index 25fec993..760a7695 100644
--- a/ofac.c
+++ b/ofac.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ static void InitGeneral(void)
   INIT(HelpInit);
   INIT(AddTestProt);
   INIT(AddGenBinProtocoll);
+  INIT(AddSyncedProt);
   INIT(MakeTrace);
   INIT(SiteInit);               /* site specific initializations */
 }
diff --git a/scriptcontext.c b/scriptcontext.c
index 1a8d5b18..f3a7b62d 100644
--- a/scriptcontext.c
+++ b/scriptcontext.c
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@
 #include "devser.h"
 #include "ascon.h"
 #include "macro.h"
+#include "syncedprot.h"
 #include "scriptcontext.h"
 
-
 typedef struct ContextItem {
   struct ContextItem *next;
   Hdb *node;
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ typedef struct SctData {
   int answered;
   int inMacro;
   Hdb *node;
+  long syncid;
 } SctData;
 
 /* data for updatescript */
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ typedef struct SctUpdatescript {
   SctController *controller;
 } SctUpdatescript;
 
+
 static ScriptContext *sct = NULL;
 static SctData *queueData = NULL;
 
@@ -335,7 +337,7 @@ int SctCallInContext(SConnection * con, char *script, Hdb * node,
   char *result = NULL;
   int iRet = 1;
   int verbose = controller->verbose;
-
+  
   PushContext(node, controller);
   if (verbose) {
     SCPrintf(con, eLog, "%6.3f script: %s", secondsOfMinute(), script);
@@ -428,7 +430,7 @@ static char *SctActionHandler(void *actionData, char *lastReply,
   script = NULL;
   if (!commError && controller->verbose && lastReply != NULL
       && *lastReply != '\0') {
-	    SCPrintf(con, eLog, "%6.3f reply : %s\n", secondsOfMinute(), lastReply);
+    SCPrintf(con, eLog, "%6.3f reply : %s\n", secondsOfMinute(), lastReply);
   }
   if(!commError && controller->fd != NULL && lastReply != NULL && *lastReply != '\0'){
 	    fprintf(controller->fd, "%6.3f reply : %s\n", secondsOfMinute(), lastReply);
@@ -480,7 +482,9 @@ static char *SctActionHandler(void *actionData, char *lastReply,
     script = strdup(script);
     sct->sendNode = node;
     sct->sendCalled = 0;
+    SyncedBegin(data->syncid);
     ret = SctCallInContext(con, script, node, controller, &result);
+    SyncedEnd(data->syncid);
     sct->sendNode = NULL;
     if (ret == 0) {
       /*
@@ -652,6 +656,17 @@ static char * SctDataInfo(void *d)
   return strdup(text);
 }
 
+static void SctEndData(void *d)
+{
+  /* no kill, only decrement sync counter */
+  SctData *data = d;
+  
+  if (data->syncid > 0) {
+    SyncedDecr(data->syncid);
+    data->syncid = SYNCED_NO_ID;
+  }
+}
+
 /*
  * This is the callback for all nodes participating in the 
  * scriptcontext system
@@ -766,7 +781,7 @@ static hdbCallbackReturn SctActionCallback(Hdb * node, void *userData,
     SetHdbProperty(node, "target", GetCharArray(text));
     SetHdbProperty(node, "requested", GetCharArray(text));
 
-    /* call check script, if available */
+     /* call check script, if available */
     script = GetProp(node, data->controller->node, "check");
     if (script != NULL) {
       if (SctCallInContext(con, script, node, data->controller, &error) ==
@@ -814,9 +829,10 @@ static hdbCallbackReturn SctActionCallback(Hdb * node, void *userData,
     data->answered = 0;
     data->inMacro = SCinMacro(con);
     tracePar(node->name,"Queued %s to %s",node->name, GetCharArray(text));
+    data->syncid = SyncedIncr(0);
     DevQueue(data->controller->devser, data, prio,
-             SctWriteHandler, SctMatch, NULL, SctDataInfo);
-    /* no kill function in DevQueue: data is owned by the node (callback list) */
+             SctWriteHandler, SctMatch, SctEndData, SctDataInfo);
+    /* kill function SctEndData does not kill, data is owned by the node (callback list) */
     DeleteDynString(text);
     return hdbContinue;
   }
@@ -885,6 +901,11 @@ static void SctKillData(void *d)
 {
   SctData *data = d;
 
+  if (data->syncid > 0) {
+    SyncedDecr(data->syncid);
+    data->syncid = SYNCED_NO_ID;
+  }
+  
   if (data->name) {
     free(data->name);
     data->name = NULL;
@@ -909,7 +930,7 @@ int SctAddPollNode(SctController * controller, Hdb * node, double interval,
 {
   SctData *data;
   hdbCallback *cb;
-
+  
   if (!FindHdbCallbackData(node, controller)) {
     cb = MakeHipadabaCallback(SctMainCallback, controller, NULL);
     assert(cb);
@@ -924,9 +945,13 @@ int SctAddPollNode(SctController * controller, Hdb * node, double interval,
   data->conCtx = NULL;          /* we might need a dummy connection here */
   data->name = strdup(action);
 
-  return DevSchedule(controller->devser, data, prio, interval,
-                     SctActionHandler, SctMatch, SctKillData, SctDataInfo);
-
+  data->syncid = SyncedIncr(0);
+  if (DevSchedule(controller->devser, data, prio, interval,
+                  SctActionHandler, SctMatch, SctKillData, SctDataInfo)) {
+    return 1;
+  } else {
+    return 0;
+  }
 }
 
 static int SctPollCmd(pSICSOBJ ccmd, SConnection * con,
@@ -1118,6 +1143,8 @@ void SctQueueNode(SctController * controller, Hdb * node,
   data->conCtx = NULL;
   data->answered = 1;
   
+  data->syncid = SyncedIncr(0);
+  
   if (DevQueue(data->controller->devser, data, prio,
                SctWriteHandler, SctMatch, SctKillData, SctDataInfo)) {
     if (con != NULL) {
@@ -1452,21 +1479,16 @@ static int SctTransactCmd(pSICSOBJ ccmd, SConnection * con,
   st->command = strdup(par[0]->value.v.text);
   st->controller = c;
   st->sent = 0;
-
+  st->reply = NULL;
+  
   DevQueue(c->devser, st, WritePRIO,
            TransactionHandler, SctTransactMatch, NULL, NULL);
   while (st->sent != 2) {
     TaskYield(pServ->pTasker);
-    /*
-     * This is definitly shit: it will free the st pointer,
-     * which makes memory corruption when the queued task finally
-     * runs. I have commented it out for now. See if this test
-     * is needed at all. Other options include:
-     * - dequeuing the transaction from the DevQueue
-     * - writing an error message and return. This causes a little
-     *   memory leak but as interrupts are not frequent this may be OK
+    /* not yet tested:
     if (SCGetInterrupt(con) != eContinue) {
-    	break;
+      DevUnschedule(c->devser, st, TransactionHandler, SctTransactMatch);
+      break;
     }
     */
   }
@@ -1587,6 +1609,19 @@ static int SctHostport(pSICSOBJ ccmd, SConnection * con,
   return 1;
 }
 
+static int SctTimeout(pSICSOBJ ccmd, SConnection * con,
+                      Hdb * cmdNode, Hdb * par[], int nPar)
+{
+  SctController *c;
+  char *result;
+  hdbValue *v = &cmdNode->child->value;
+  
+  c = (SctController *) ccmd->pPrivate;
+  v->v.doubleValue = DevGetSetTimeout(c->devser, v->v.doubleValue, nPar);
+  SCPrintf(con, eValue, "%.6g", v->v.doubleValue);
+  return 1;
+}
+
 static int SctStatus(pSICSOBJ ccmd, SConnection * con,
                     Hdb * cmdNode, Hdb * par[], int nPar)
 {
@@ -1739,6 +1774,7 @@ static int SctMakeController(SConnection * con, SicsInterp * sics,
   controller->devser = DevMake(con, argc - 2, argv + 2);
   if (!controller->devser)
     return 0;
+    
 
   SetHdbProperty(controller->node, "controllerName", objName);
   SetHdbProperty(controller->node, "sicsdev", objName);
@@ -1818,6 +1854,13 @@ static int SctMakeController(SConnection * con, SicsInterp * sics,
   cmd = AddSICSHdbPar(controller->node,
                       "status", usSpy, MakeSICSFunc(SctStatus));
 
+  cmd = AddSICSHdbPar(controller->node,
+                      "timeout", usSpy, MakeSICSFunc(SctTimeout));
+  AddSICSHdbPar(cmd, "value", usUser, MakeHdbFloat(-1.0));
+
+  /* get the actual timeout value */
+  SctTimeout(ccmd, con, cmd, &par, 0);
+
   cb = MakeHipadabaCallback(SctDebugCallback, controller, NULL);
   if (cb)
     AppendHipadabaCallback(par, cb);
@@ -1861,19 +1904,3 @@ int SctVerbose(SctController * c)
   return c->verbose;
 }
 
-int SctIsPending(SctController *controller, Hdb * node, char *name, int kind)
-{
-  void *currentAction;
-  
-  SctData data;
-  data.node = node;
-  data.name = name;
-  switch (kind) {
-  case 0:
-    return DevIsPending(controller->devser, &data, SctWriteHandler, SctMatch);
-  case 1:
-    return DevIsPending(controller->devser, &data, SctActionHandler, SctMatch);
-  default:
-    return 0;
-  }
-}
diff --git a/scriptcontext.h b/scriptcontext.h
index 16da7595..5e71c0a3 100644
--- a/scriptcontext.h
+++ b/scriptcontext.h
@@ -36,14 +36,4 @@ int SctCallInContext(SConnection * con, char *script, Hdb * node,
  */
 int SctVerbose(SctController * c);
 
-
-/**
- * check if the specified action is pending
- * \param controller  the SctController
- * \param node  the node
- * \param name  the action
- * \param kind  0 for queued action, 1 for polled action
- * \return 1 for pending, 0 for not pending
- */
-int SctIsPending(SctController *controller, Hdb * node, char *name, int kind);
 #endif