diff --git a/multichan.c b/multichan.c
index 1fb186bc..11f5c3e3 100644
--- a/multichan.c
+++ b/multichan.c
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ struct __mcc_command {
   MCC_Transmit tx;
   MCC_Receive rx;
   pMultiChan unit;
+  int timeout;
+  int retries;
 };
 
 struct __MultiChan {
@@ -35,14 +37,16 @@ struct __MultiChan {
   pMultiChanController mcc;
   MCC_Notify notify_func;
   void* notify_cntx;
-  int timeout;
 };
 
 struct __MultiChanController {
   pObjectDescriptor pDes;
+  char*     mcc_name;
   char*     pHost;
   int       iPort;
   int       iDelay;       /* intercommand delay in milliseconds */
+  int       timeout;
+  int       retries;
   struct timeval tvLastCmd; /* time of completion of last command */
   int       unit_count;   /* number of units connected */
   pMultiChan units;       /* head of unit chain */
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ static void MC_Notify(pMultiChanController self, int event)
   pMultiChan unit;
   for (unit = self->units; unit; unit = unit->next)
     if (unit->notify_func != NULL)
-      unit->notify_func(unit, event);
+      unit->notify_func(unit->notify_cntx, event);
 }
 
 static int MC_Reconnect(pMultiChanController self)
@@ -69,18 +73,17 @@ static int MC_Reconnect(pMultiChanController self)
   int iRet;
   int sock;
   int flag = 1;
+  char line[132];
 
   iRet = NETReconnect(self->controller->pSock);
   if (iRet <= 0) {
+    snprintf(line, 132, "Disconnect on MultiChan '%s'", self->mcc_name);
+    SICSLogWrite(line, eStatus);
     MC_Notify(self, MCC_DISCONNECT);
     return iRet;
   }
-  sock = self->controller->pSock->sockid;
-  iRet = setsockopt(sock, /* socket */
-      IPPROTO_TCP,     /* set option at TCP level */
-      TCP_NODELAY,     /* name of option */
-      (char *) &flag,  /* the cast is historical cruft */
-      sizeof(int));    /* length of option value */
+  snprintf(line, 132, "Reconnect on MultiChan '%s'", self->mcc_name);
+  SICSLogWrite(line, eStatus);
   MC_Notify(self, MCC_RECONNECT);
   return 1;
 }
@@ -93,6 +96,9 @@ static int StartCommand(pMultiChanController self)
   pMC_Cmd myCmd = self->command_head;
   mkChannel* sock = self->controller->pSock;
 
+  if (myCmd == NULL)
+    return OKOK;
+
   /*
    * Remove any old command timeout timer
    */
@@ -140,23 +146,15 @@ static int StartCommand(pMultiChanController self)
   /*
    * Add a new command timeout timer
    */
-  if (myCmd->unit->timeout > 0)
-    NetWatchRegisterTimer(&self->nw_tmr, myCmd->unit->timeout,
+  if (myCmd->timeout > 0)
+    NetWatchRegisterTimer(&self->nw_tmr, myCmd->timeout,
         CommandTimeout, self);
   else
-    NetWatchRegisterTimer(&self->nw_tmr, 1000,
+    NetWatchRegisterTimer(&self->nw_tmr, 30000,
         CommandTimeout, self);
   return myCmd->tx(myCmd->cntx);
 }
 
-static int CommandTimeout(void* cntx, int mode)
-{
-  pMultiChanController self = (pMultiChanController) cntx;
-  self->nw_tmr = 0;
-  StartCommand(self);
-  return 1;
-}
-
 static int QueCommand(pMultiChanController self, pMC_Cmd cmd)
 {
   /*
@@ -193,6 +191,28 @@ static int PopCommand(pMultiChanController self)
   return 1;
 }
 
+static int CommandTimeout(void* cntx, int mode)
+{
+  pMultiChanController self = (pMultiChanController) cntx;
+  pMC_Cmd myCmd = self->command_head;
+  self->nw_tmr = 0;
+  if (myCmd->retries > 0) {
+    --myCmd->retries;
+    StartCommand(self);
+  }
+  else {
+    int iRet;
+    iRet = myCmd->rx(myCmd->cntx, MCC_TIMEOUT);
+    if (iRet == MCC_POP_CMD)
+      PopCommand(self); /* remove command */
+    else if (iRet == MCC_RETRY_CMD)
+      StartCommand(self); /* restart command */
+    else if (iRet == MCC_RECONNECT)
+      MC_Reconnect(self);
+  }
+  return 1;
+}
+
 static int MyCallback(void* context, int mode)
 {
   pMultiChanController self = (pMultiChanController) context;
@@ -216,10 +236,12 @@ static int MyCallback(void* context, int mode)
       pMC_Cmd myCmd = self->command_head;
       if (myCmd) {
         iRet = myCmd->rx(myCmd->cntx, reply[0]);
-        if (iRet < 0) /* TODO: error */
-          ;
+        if (iRet == MCC_POP_CMD) /* end of command */
+          PopCommand(self);
         else if (iRet == 0) /* end of command */
           PopCommand(self);
+        else if (iRet < 0) /* TODO: error */
+          ;
       }
     }
   }
@@ -254,6 +276,8 @@ int MultiChanEnque(pMultiChan unit, void* context, MCC_Transmit tx, MCC_Receive
   myCmd->tx = tx;
   myCmd->rx = rx;
   myCmd->unit = unit;
+  myCmd->timeout = unit->mcc->timeout;
+  myCmd->retries = unit->mcc->retries;
   return QueCommand(unit->mcc, myCmd);
 }
 
@@ -299,56 +323,131 @@ int MultiChanSetDelay(pMultiChan unit, int iDelay)
 int MultiChanGetTimeout(pMultiChan unit)
 {
   assert(unit);
-  return unit->timeout;
+  return unit->mcc->timeout;
 }
 
 int MultiChanSetTimeout(pMultiChan unit, int timeout)
 {
   int old_timeout;
   assert(unit);
-  old_timeout = unit->timeout;
-  unit->timeout = timeout;
+  old_timeout = unit->mcc->timeout;
+  unit->mcc->timeout = timeout;
   return old_timeout;
 }
 
+int MultiChanGetRetries(pMultiChan unit)
+{
+  assert(unit);
+  return unit->mcc->retries;
+}
+
+int MultiChanSetRetries(pMultiChan unit, int retries)
+{
+  int old_retries;
+  assert(unit);
+  old_retries = unit->mcc->retries;
+  unit->mcc->retries = retries;
+  return old_retries;
+}
+
 int MultiChanAction(SConnection *pCon, SicsInterp *pSics,
                         void *pData, int argc, char *argv[])
 {
   char line[132];
   pMultiChanController self = (pMultiChanController) pData;
-  if (strcasecmp(argv[1], "delay") == 0) {
-    if (argc > 2) {
-      int delay;
-      int iRet;
-      iRet = sscanf(argv[2], "%d", &delay);
-      if (iRet != 1) {
-        snprintf(line, 132, "Invalid argument: %s", argv[2]);
-        SCWrite(pCon, line, eError);
-        return 0;
-      }
-      else {
-        if (delay < 0 || delay > 30000) {
-        snprintf(line, 132, "Value out of range: %d", delay);
-        SCWrite(pCon, line, eError);
-        return 0;
-        }
-        self->iDelay = delay;
-        return OKOK;
-      }
-    }
-    else {
-      snprintf(line, 132, "%s.delay = %d", argv[0], self->iDelay);
-      SCWrite(pCon, line, eStatus);
+  if (argc > 1) {
+    if (strcasecmp(argv[1], "reconnect") == 0) {
+      MC_Reconnect(self);
+      return OKOK;
+    }
+    if (strcasecmp(argv[1], "delay") == 0) {
+      if (argc > 2) {
+        int delay;
+        int iRet;
+        iRet = sscanf(argv[2], "%d", &delay);
+        if (iRet != 1) {
+          snprintf(line, 132, "Invalid argument: %s", argv[2]);
+          SCWrite(pCon, line, eError);
+          return 0;
+        }
+        else {
+          if (delay < 0 || delay > 30000) {
+            snprintf(line, 132, "Value out of range: %d", delay);
+            SCWrite(pCon, line, eError);
+            return 0;
+          }
+          self->iDelay = delay;
+          return OKOK;
+        }
+      }
+      else {
+        snprintf(line, 132, "%s.delay = %d", argv[0], self->iDelay);
+        SCWrite(pCon, line, eStatus);
+        return OKOK;
+      }
+      return OKOK;
+    }
+    if (strcasecmp(argv[1], "timeout") == 0) {
+      if (argc > 2) {
+        int timeout;
+        int iRet;
+        iRet = sscanf(argv[2], "%d", &timeout);
+        if (iRet != 1) {
+          snprintf(line, 132, "Invalid argument: %s", argv[2]);
+          SCWrite(pCon, line, eError);
+          return 0;
+        }
+        else {
+          if (timeout < 0 || timeout > 30000) {
+            snprintf(line, 132, "Value out of range: %d", timeout);
+            SCWrite(pCon, line, eError);
+            return 0;
+          }
+          self->timeout = timeout;
+          return OKOK;
+        }
+      }
+      else {
+        snprintf(line, 132, "%s.timeout = %d", argv[0], self->timeout);
+        SCWrite(pCon, line, eStatus);
+        return OKOK;
+      }
+      return OKOK;
+    }
+    if (strcasecmp(argv[1], "retries") == 0) {
+      if (argc > 2) {
+        int retries;
+        int iRet;
+        iRet = sscanf(argv[2], "%d", &retries);
+        if (iRet != 1) {
+          snprintf(line, 132, "Invalid argument: %s", argv[2]);
+          SCWrite(pCon, line, eError);
+          return 0;
+        }
+        else {
+          if (retries < 0 || retries > 30000) {
+            snprintf(line, 132, "Value out of range: %d", retries);
+            SCWrite(pCon, line, eError);
+            return 0;
+          }
+          self->retries = retries;
+          return OKOK;
+        }
+      }
+      else {
+        snprintf(line, 132, "%s.retries = %d", argv[0], self->retries);
+        SCWrite(pCon, line, eStatus);
+        return OKOK;
+      }
       return OKOK;
     }
-    return OKOK;
   }
   snprintf(line, 132, "%s does not understand %s", argv[0], argv[1]);
   SCWrite(pCon, line, eError);
   return 0;
 }
 
-static pMultiChanController MC_Create(const char* host, int port)
+static pMultiChanController MC_Create(const char* host)
 {
   int i;
   pMultiChanController self = NULL;
@@ -410,6 +509,8 @@ static void MC_Kill(void* pData)
         NetWatchRemoveCallback(self->nw_ctx);
       if (self->nw_tmr)
         NetWatchRemoveTimer(self->nw_tmr);
+      if (self->mcc_name)
+        free(self->mcc_name);
       free(self);
       return;
     }
@@ -422,7 +523,7 @@ int MultiChanFactory(SConnection *pCon, SicsInterp *pSics,
   int iRet, status;
   char pError[256];
 
-  if(argc < 4)
+  if(argc < 3)
   {
     SCWrite(pCon,"ERROR: insufficient no of arguments to MultiChanFactory",
             eError);
@@ -432,13 +533,16 @@ int MultiChanFactory(SConnection *pCon, SicsInterp *pSics,
   /*
    create data structure and open port 
   */
-  pNew = MC_Create(argv[2], atoi(argv[3]));
+  pNew = MC_Create(argv[2]);
   
   if(!pNew)
   {
     SCWrite(pCon,"ERROR: failed to create MultiChan in MultiChanFactory",eError);
     return 0;
   }
+  if (pNew->mcc_name)
+    free(pNew->mcc_name);
+  pNew->mcc_name = strdup(argv[1]);
 
   status = MC_Init(pNew);
   if(status != 1)
@@ -470,7 +574,7 @@ int MultiChanCreate(const char* name, pMultiChan* handle)
 
   *handle = NULL;
 
-  self = MC_Create(name, 0);
+  self = MC_Create(name);
   if (self == NULL)
     return 0;
   status = MC_Init(self);
diff --git a/multichan.h b/multichan.h
index 706e2430..8c07aa5a 100644
--- a/multichan.h
+++ b/multichan.h
@@ -12,8 +12,11 @@
 #ifndef SICSMULTICHAN
 #define SICSMULTICHAN
 
-#define MCC_DISCONNECT  101
-#define MCC_RECONNECT   102
+#define MCC_TIMEOUT     -1
+#define MCC_DISCONNECT  -2
+#define MCC_RECONNECT   -3
+#define MCC_RETRY_CMD   -4
+#define MCC_POP_CMD  -5
 
 typedef struct __MultiChan MultiChan, *pMultiChan;