diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 13d09bdb..a77e25c3 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -33,4 +33,32 @@ KeyError: ''
 -read exclusive and full exclusive console access modes
 -when an http session exists, confluent cpu usage on my vm idles at 2 %.
  profile exactly what is spinning and try to make it nicer
-- an ipmi console was once stuck in 'connecting' state, no idea how
\ No newline at end of file
+- an ipmi console was once stuck in 'connecting' state, no idea how, this traceback might have occurred:
+Traceback (most recent call last):
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/eventlet/hubs/hub.py", line 346, in fire_timers
+    timer()
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/eventlet/hubs/timer.py", line 56, in __call__
+    cb(*args, **kw)
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/eventlet/semaphore.py", line 121, in _do_acquire
+    waiter.switch()
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/eventlet/greenthread.py", line 194, in main
+    result = function(*args, **kwargs)
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/confluent/consoleserver.py", line 177, in _connect_backend
+    self._console.connect(self.get_console_output)
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/confluent/plugins/hardwaremanagement/ipmi.py", line 143, in connect
+    iohandler=self.handle_data)
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/pyghmi/ipmi/console.py", line 65, in __init__
+    session.Session.wait_for_rsp(0)
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/pyghmi/ipmi/private/session.py", line 914, in wait_for_rsp
+    cls._route_ipmiresponse(sockaddr, data)
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/pyghmi/ipmi/private/session.py", line 991, in _route_ipmiresponse
+    sockaddr=sockaddr)
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/pyghmi/ipmi/private/session.py", line 1035, in _handle_ipmi_packet
+    self._handle_ipmi2_packet(data)
+  File "/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/pyghmi/ipmi/private/session.py", line 1063, in _handle_ipmi2_packet
+    self.k1, rawdata[4:-12], hashlib.sha1).digest()[:12]
+  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/hmac.py", line 133, in new
+    return HMAC(key, msg, digestmod)
+  File "/usr/lib64/python2.6/hmac.py", line 68, in __init__
+    if len(key) > blocksize:
+TypeError: object of type 'NoneType' has no len()
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/consoleserver.py b/confluent_server/confluent/consoleserver.py
index 358986f8..05dbf208 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/consoleserver.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/consoleserver.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import confluent.interface.console as conapi
 import confluent.log as log
 import confluent.core as plugin
 import eventlet
-import eventlet.green.threading as threading
+import eventlet.event
 import random
 import traceback
 
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ class ConsoleSession(object):
         self.username = username
         connect_node(node, configmanager)
         _handled_consoles[consk].attachuser(username)
-        self._evt = threading.Event()
+        self._evt = None
         self.node = node
         self.conshdl = _handled_consoles[consk]
         self.write = _handled_consoles[consk].write
@@ -448,7 +448,8 @@ class ConsoleSession(object):
         for data, we must maintain data in a buffer until retrieved
         """
         self.databuffer.append(data)
-        self._evt.set()
+        if self._evt:
+            self._evt.send()
 
     def get_next_output(self, timeout=45):
         """Poll for next available output on this console.
@@ -457,10 +458,13 @@ class ConsoleSession(object):
         at least one case where we don't have that luxury
         """
         self.reaper.cancel()
+        if self._evt:
+            raise Exception('get_next_output is not re-entrant')
         if not self.databuffer:
-            self._evt.wait(timeout)
-        if self._evt is not None:
-            self._evt.clear()
+            self._evt = eventlet.event.Event()
+            with eventlet.Timeout(timeout, False):
+                self._evt.wait()
+            self._evt = None
         if not self.databuffer:
             self.reaper = eventlet.spawn_after(15, self.destroy)
             return ""