diff --git a/confluent/consoleserver.py b/confluent/consoleserver.py
index e483d15b..399ddb5a 100644
--- a/confluent/consoleserver.py
+++ b/confluent/consoleserver.py
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ _handled_consoles = {}
 
 class _ConsoleHandler(object):
     def __init__(self, node, configmanager):
+        self.rcpts = {}
         self._console = plugin.handle_path("/node/%s/_console/session" % node,
             "create", configmanager)
         self.buffer = bytearray()
         self._console.connect(self.get_console_output)
-        self.rcpts = {}
 
     def unregister_rcpt(self, handle):
         if handle in self.rcpts:
diff --git a/confluent/interface/console.py b/confluent/interface/console.py
index 36eeac1e..97410041 100644
--- a/confluent/interface/console.py
+++ b/confluent/interface/console.py
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+class ConsoleEvent(object):
+    """This represents a number of specific events to be sent between
+    consoleserver and console objects.  Disconnect indicates that the console
+    object has lost connection.  The response to this will be to dispose of the
+    Console object and try to request a new one, rather than requesting
+    reconnect or anything like that.  Break is a serial break."""
+    Disconnect, Break = range(2)
+
 class Console(object):
     """This is the class defining the interface a console plugin must return
     for the _console/session element"""
diff --git a/plugins/hardwaremanagement/ipmi.py b/plugins/hardwaremanagement/ipmi.py
index bcb942d2..9aa1198f 100644
--- a/plugins/hardwaremanagement/ipmi.py
+++ b/plugins/hardwaremanagement/ipmi.py
@@ -123,10 +123,17 @@ class IpmiConsole(confluent.interface.console.Console):
         self.port = connparams['port']
         # Cannot actually create console until 'connect', when we get callback
 
+    def handle_data(self, data):
+        if type(data) == dict:
+            #TODO: convert dict into a confluent.interface.console.ConsoleEvent
+        else:
+            self.datacallback(data)
+
     def connect(self,callback):
         global _ipmithread
         global pullchain
         global chainpulled
+        self.datacallback = callback
         if _ipmithread is None:
             pullchain = os.pipe()
             _ipmithread = eventlet.spawn(_ipmi_evtloop)
@@ -137,7 +144,7 @@ class IpmiConsole(confluent.interface.console.Console):
                                       'password': self.password,
                                       'kg': self.kg,
                                       'force': True,
-                                      'iohandler': callback}, self.got_consobject))
+                                      'iohandler': self.handle_data}, self.got_consobject))
         if not chainpulled:
             chainpulled = True
             os.write(pullchain[1],'1')