diff --git a/apps/shell/shell-netperf.c b/apps/shell/shell-netperf.c
index 435b4505b..1cdd21558 100644
--- a/apps/shell/shell-netperf.c
+++ b/apps/shell/shell-netperf.c
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ recv_ctrl(struct runicast_conn *c, const rimeaddr_t *from, uint8_t seqno)
 const static struct runicast_callbacks runicast_callbacks =
   { recv_ctrl, sent_ctrl, timedout_ctrl };
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
-static void
+static int
 send_ctrl_command(const rimeaddr_t *to, uint8_t command)
 {
   struct ctrl_msg *msg;
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ send_ctrl_command(const rimeaddr_t *to, uint8_t command)
   packetbuf_set_datalen(sizeof(struct ctrl_msg));
   msg = packetbuf_dataptr();
   msg->command = command;
-  runicast_send(&ctrl, to, MAX_RETRIES);
+  return runicast_send(&ctrl, to, MAX_RETRIES);
 }
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 static void
@@ -589,7 +589,9 @@ PROCESS_THREAD(shell_netperf_process, ev, data)
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "-------- Broadcast --------", "");
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Contacting ", recvstr);
-    send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_CLEAR);
+    while(!send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_CLEAR)) {
+      PROCESS_PAUSE();
+    }
     PROCESS_YIELD_UNTIL(ev == CONTINUE_EVENT);
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Measuring broadcast performance to ", recvstr);
@@ -604,7 +606,9 @@ PROCESS_THREAD(shell_netperf_process, ev, data)
     }
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Requesting statistics from ", recvstr);
-    send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_STATS);
+    while(!send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_STATS)) {
+      PROCESS_PAUSE();
+    }
     PROCESS_YIELD_UNTIL(ev == CONTINUE_EVENT);
     
     /* Wait for reply */
@@ -619,7 +623,9 @@ PROCESS_THREAD(shell_netperf_process, ev, data)
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "-------- Unicast one-way --------", "");
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Contacting ", recvstr);
-    send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_CLEAR);
+    while(!send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_CLEAR)) {
+      PROCESS_PAUSE();
+    }
     PROCESS_YIELD_UNTIL(ev == CONTINUE_EVENT);
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Measuring unicast performance to ", recvstr);
@@ -635,7 +641,9 @@ PROCESS_THREAD(shell_netperf_process, ev, data)
     }
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Requesting statistics from ", recvstr);
-    send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_STATS);
+    while(!send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_STATS)) {
+      PROCESS_PAUSE();
+    }
     PROCESS_YIELD_UNTIL(ev == CONTINUE_EVENT);
     
     /* Wait for reply */
@@ -649,7 +657,9 @@ PROCESS_THREAD(shell_netperf_process, ev, data)
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "-------- Unicast ping-pong--------", "");
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Contacting ", recvstr);
-    send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_CLEAR);
+    while(!send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_CLEAR)) {
+      PROCESS_PAUSE();
+    }
     PROCESS_YIELD_UNTIL(ev == CONTINUE_EVENT);
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Measuring two-way unicast performance to ", recvstr);
@@ -667,7 +677,9 @@ PROCESS_THREAD(shell_netperf_process, ev, data)
     }
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Requesting statistics from ", recvstr);
-    send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_STATS);
+    while(!send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_STATS)) {
+      PROCESS_PAUSE();
+    }
     PROCESS_YIELD_UNTIL(ev == CONTINUE_EVENT);
     
     /* Wait for reply */
@@ -681,7 +693,9 @@ PROCESS_THREAD(shell_netperf_process, ev, data)
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "-------- Unicast stream ping-pong--------", "");
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Contacting ", recvstr);
-    send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_CLEAR);
+    while(!send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_CLEAR)) {
+      PROCESS_PAUSE();
+    }
     PROCESS_YIELD_UNTIL(ev == CONTINUE_EVENT);
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Measuring two-way unicast stream performance to ", recvstr);
@@ -698,7 +712,9 @@ PROCESS_THREAD(shell_netperf_process, ev, data)
     }
     
     shell_output_str(&netperf_command, "Requesting statistics from ", recvstr);
-    send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_STATS);
+    while(!send_ctrl_command(&receiver, CTRL_COMMAND_STATS)) {
+      PROCESS_PAUSE();
+    }
     PROCESS_YIELD_UNTIL(ev == CONTINUE_EVENT);
     
     /* Wait for reply */