diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/chan_user.c b/arch/um/drivers/chan_user.c
index 13f0bf8..5d1289d 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/chan_user.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/chan_user.c
@@ -170,7 +170,13 @@
                 err = -EINVAL;
 		goto out_close;
 	}
-	return err ;
+
+	if (os_set_fd_block(*fd_out, 0)) {
+		printk("winch_tramp: failed to set thread_fd non-blocking.\n");
+		goto out_close;
+	}
+
+	return err;
 
  out_close:
 	os_close_file(fds[1]);
diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_user.c b/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_user.c
index 62e5ad6..f31e715 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_user.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/mconsole_user.c
@@ -86,8 +86,9 @@
 	int len;
 
 	req->originlen = sizeof(req->origin);
-	req->len = recvfrom(fd, &req->request, sizeof(req->request), 0,
-			    (struct sockaddr *) req->origin, &req->originlen);
+	req->len = recvfrom(fd, &req->request, sizeof(req->request),
+			    MSG_DONTWAIT, (struct sockaddr *) req->origin,
+			    &req->originlen);
 	if (req->len < 0)
 		return 0;
 
diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/ubd_user.c b/arch/um/drivers/ubd_user.c
index 4707b3f..41d254b 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/ubd_user.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/ubd_user.c
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@
 	kernel_fd = fds[0];
 	*fd_out = fds[1];
 
+	err = os_set_fd_block(*fd_out, 0);
+	if (err) {
+		printk("start_io_thread - failed to set nonblocking I/O.\n");
+		goto out_close;
+	}
+
 	pid = clone(io_thread, (void *) sp, CLONE_FILES | CLONE_VM | SIGCHLD,
 		    NULL);
 	if(pid < 0){
diff --git a/arch/um/drivers/xterm.c b/arch/um/drivers/xterm.c
index 571c2b3..fe238e0 100644
--- a/arch/um/drivers/xterm.c
+++ b/arch/um/drivers/xterm.c
@@ -151,6 +151,13 @@
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	err = os_set_fd_block(new, 0);
+	if (err) {
+		printk("xterm_open : failed to set xterm descriptor "
+		       "non-blocking, err = %d\n", -err);
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	CATCH_EINTR(err = tcgetattr(new, &data->tt));
 	if(err){
 		new = err;