diff --git a/src/server/gdb_server.c b/src/server/gdb_server.c
index 1fac46972..f01d638fd 100644
--- a/src/server/gdb_server.c
+++ b/src/server/gdb_server.c
@@ -684,13 +684,19 @@ int gdb_new_connection(connection_t *connection)
 	 * GDB connection will fail if e.g. register read packets fail,
 	 * otherwise resetting/halting the target could have been left to GDB init
 	 * scripts
+	 * 
+	 * DANGER!!!! 
+	 * We need a synchronous halt, lest connect will fail.
+	 * Also there is no guarantee that poll() will be invoked
+	 * between here and serving the first packet, so the halt()
+	 * statement above is *NOT* sufficient
 	 */
-	if (((retval = gdb_service->target->type->halt(gdb_service->target)) != ERROR_OK) &&
-			(retval != ERROR_TARGET_ALREADY_HALTED))
+	if ((retval = gdb_service->target->type->halt(gdb_service->target)) != ERROR_OK)
 	{
 		ERROR("error(%d) when trying to halt target, falling back to \"reset\"", retval);
 		command_run_line(connection->cmd_ctx, "reset");
 	}
+	command_run_line(connection->cmd_ctx, "halt");
 	
 	/* remove the initial ACK from the incoming buffer */
 	if ((retval = gdb_get_char(connection, &initial_ack)) != ERROR_OK)
@@ -1462,6 +1468,7 @@ int gdb_query_packet(connection_t *connection, target_t *target, char *packet, i
 			log_add_callback(gdb_log_callback, connection);
 			target_call_timer_callbacks();
 			command_run_line(cmd_ctx, cmd);
+			target_call_timer_callbacks();
 			log_remove_callback(gdb_log_callback, connection);
 			free(cmd);
 		}
diff --git a/src/target/arm11.c b/src/target/arm11.c
index 9c3d1f28d..80189ffa2 100644
--- a/src/target/arm11.c
+++ b/src/target/arm11.c
@@ -735,8 +735,8 @@ int arm11_halt(struct target_s *target)
 
     if (target->state == TARGET_HALTED)
     {
-	WARNING("target was already halted");
-	return ERROR_TARGET_ALREADY_HALTED;
+		WARNING("target was already halted");
+		return ERROR_OK;
     }
 
     if (arm11->trst_active)
@@ -1044,7 +1044,8 @@ int arm11_get_gdb_reg_list(struct target_s *target, struct reg_s **reg_list[], i
 
     if (target->state != TARGET_HALTED)
     {
-	return ERROR_TARGET_NOT_HALTED;
+    	ERROR("Target not halted");    	
+		return ERROR_TARGET_NOT_HALTED;
     }
 	
     *reg_list_size  = ARM11_GDB_REGISTER_COUNT;
diff --git a/src/target/arm720t.c b/src/target/arm720t.c
index 9a3f56172..962ad1bd9 100644
--- a/src/target/arm720t.c
+++ b/src/target/arm720t.c
@@ -367,10 +367,7 @@ int arm720t_soft_reset_halt(struct target_s *target)
 	arm720t_common_t *arm720t = arm7tdmi->arch_info;
 	reg_t *dbg_stat = &arm7_9->eice_cache->reg_list[EICE_DBG_STAT];
 	
-	if (target->state == TARGET_RUNNING)
-	{
-		target->type->halt(target);
-	}
+	target->type->halt(target);
 	
 	while (buf_get_u32(dbg_stat->value, EICE_DBG_STATUS_DBGACK, 1) == 0)
 	{
diff --git a/src/target/arm7_9_common.c b/src/target/arm7_9_common.c
index e31b01511..a7d756a32 100644
--- a/src/target/arm7_9_common.c
+++ b/src/target/arm7_9_common.c
@@ -860,16 +860,26 @@ int arm7_9_soft_reset_halt(struct target_s *target)
 	reg_t *dbg_stat = &arm7_9->eice_cache->reg_list[EICE_DBG_STAT];
 	reg_t *dbg_ctrl = &arm7_9->eice_cache->reg_list[EICE_DBG_CTRL];
 	int i;
+	int retval;
 	
-	if (target->state == TARGET_RUNNING)
-	{
-		target->type->halt(target);
-	}
+	if ((retval=target->type->halt(target))!=ERROR_OK)
+		return retval;
 	
-	while (buf_get_u32(dbg_stat->value, EICE_DBG_STATUS_DBGACK, 1) == 0)
+	for (i=0; i<10; i++)
 	{
+		if (buf_get_u32(dbg_stat->value, EICE_DBG_STATUS_DBGACK, 1) != 0)
+			break;
 		embeddedice_read_reg(dbg_stat);
-		jtag_execute_queue();
+		if ((retval=jtag_execute_queue())!=ERROR_OK)
+			return retval;
+		/* do not eat all CPU, time out after 1 se*/
+		usleep(100*1000);
+		
+	}
+	if (i==10)
+	{
+		ERROR("Failed to halt CPU after 1 sec");
+		return ERROR_TARGET_TIMEOUT;
 	}
 	target->state = TARGET_HALTED;
 	
@@ -962,7 +972,7 @@ int arm7_9_halt(target_t *target)
 	if (target->state == TARGET_HALTED)
 	{
 		WARNING("target was already halted");
-		return ERROR_TARGET_ALREADY_HALTED;
+		return ERROR_OK;
 	}
 	
 	if (target->state == TARGET_UNKNOWN)
diff --git a/src/target/arm920t.c b/src/target/arm920t.c
index 43d48152d..c1521993b 100644
--- a/src/target/arm920t.c
+++ b/src/target/arm920t.c
@@ -623,10 +623,7 @@ int arm920t_soft_reset_halt(struct target_s *target)
 	arm920t_common_t *arm920t = arm9tdmi->arch_info;
 	reg_t *dbg_stat = &arm7_9->eice_cache->reg_list[EICE_DBG_STAT];
 	
-	if (target->state == TARGET_RUNNING)
-	{
-		target->type->halt(target);
-	}
+	target->type->halt(target);
 	
 	while (buf_get_u32(dbg_stat->value, EICE_DBG_STATUS_DBGACK, 1) == 0)
 	{
diff --git a/src/target/arm926ejs.c b/src/target/arm926ejs.c
index ff73e1a12..1b3a17b0a 100644
--- a/src/target/arm926ejs.c
+++ b/src/target/arm926ejs.c
@@ -578,10 +578,7 @@ int arm926ejs_soft_reset_halt(struct target_s *target)
 	arm926ejs_common_t *arm926ejs = arm9tdmi->arch_info;
 	reg_t *dbg_stat = &arm7_9->eice_cache->reg_list[EICE_DBG_STAT];
 	
-	if (target->state == TARGET_RUNNING)
-	{
-		target->type->halt(target);
-	}
+	target->type->halt(target);
 	
 	while (buf_get_u32(dbg_stat->value, EICE_DBG_STATUS_DBGACK, 1) == 0)
 	{
diff --git a/src/target/armv4_5.c b/src/target/armv4_5.c
index 3bd50cd6e..82e65c789 100644
--- a/src/target/armv4_5.c
+++ b/src/target/armv4_5.c
@@ -476,6 +476,7 @@ int armv4_5_get_gdb_reg_list(target_t *target, reg_t **reg_list[], int *reg_list
 	
 	if (target->state != TARGET_HALTED)
 	{
+		ERROR("Target not halted");
 		return ERROR_TARGET_NOT_HALTED;
 	}
 	
diff --git a/src/target/armv7m.c b/src/target/armv7m.c
index 6a8119a02..6ee5903ac 100644
--- a/src/target/armv7m.c
+++ b/src/target/armv7m.c
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ int armv7m_get_gdb_reg_list(target_t *target, reg_t **reg_list[], int *reg_list_
 	
 	if (target->state != TARGET_HALTED)
 	{
+		ERROR("Target not halted");
 		return ERROR_TARGET_NOT_HALTED;
 	}
 	
diff --git a/src/target/cortex_m3.c b/src/target/cortex_m3.c
index 964c6b8c3..51ec52e0f 100644
--- a/src/target/cortex_m3.c
+++ b/src/target/cortex_m3.c
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ int cortex_m3_halt(target_t *target)
 	if (target->state == TARGET_HALTED)
 	{
 		WARNING("target was already halted");
-		return ERROR_TARGET_ALREADY_HALTED;
+		return ERROR_OK;
 	}
 	
 	if (target->state == TARGET_UNKNOWN)
diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index baf57565c..dc69e9944 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ int target_process_reset(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx)
 				{
 					if ((now.tv_sec > timeout.tv_sec) || ((now.tv_sec == timeout.tv_sec) && (now.tv_usec >= timeout.tv_usec)))
 					{
-						command_print(cmd_ctx, "Timed out waiting for reset");
+						USER("Timed out waiting for reset");
 						goto done;
 					}
 					/* this will send alive messages on e.g. GDB remote protocol. */
@@ -1614,22 +1614,10 @@ int handle_daemon_startup_command(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx, char *cmd,
 int handle_soft_reset_halt_command(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx, char *cmd, char **args, int argc)
 {
 	target_t *target = get_current_target(cmd_ctx);
-	int retval;
 	
-	command_print(cmd_ctx, "requesting target halt and executing a soft reset");
+	USER("requesting target halt and executing a soft reset");
 	
-	if ((retval = target->type->soft_reset_halt(target)) != ERROR_OK)
-	{	
-		switch (retval)
-		{
-			case ERROR_TARGET_TIMEOUT:
-				command_print(cmd_ctx, "target timed out... shutting down");
-				exit(-1);
-			default:
-				command_print(cmd_ctx, "unknown error... shutting down");
-				exit(-1);
-		}
-	}
+	target->type->soft_reset_halt(target);
 	
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
diff --git a/src/target/target.h b/src/target/target.h
index dae5f19e7..8d70e77eb 100644
--- a/src/target/target.h
+++ b/src/target/target.h
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ typedef struct target_type_s
 	/* target request support */
 	int (*target_request_data)(struct target_s *target, u32 size, u8 *buffer);
 
-	/* target execution control */
+	/* halt will log a warning, but return ERROR_OK if the target is already halted. */
 	int (*halt)(struct target_s *target);
 	int (*resume)(struct target_s *target, int current, u32 address, int handle_breakpoints, int debug_execution);
 	int (*step)(struct target_s *target, int current, u32 address, int handle_breakpoints);
@@ -270,7 +270,6 @@ int target_arch_state(struct target_s *target);
 #define ERROR_TARGET_INVALID	(-300)
 #define ERROR_TARGET_INIT_FAILED (-301)
 #define ERROR_TARGET_TIMEOUT	(-302)
-#define ERROR_TARGET_ALREADY_HALTED (-303)
 #define ERROR_TARGET_NOT_HALTED (-304)
 #define ERROR_TARGET_FAILURE	(-305)
 #define ERROR_TARGET_UNALIGNED_ACCESS	(-306)
diff --git a/src/target/xscale.c b/src/target/xscale.c
index 4e62c8a16..7e362ff5f 100644
--- a/src/target/xscale.c
+++ b/src/target/xscale.c
@@ -1274,7 +1274,7 @@ int xscale_halt(target_t *target)
 	if (target->state == TARGET_HALTED)
 	{
 		WARNING("target was already halted");
-		return ERROR_TARGET_ALREADY_HALTED;
+		return ERROR_OK;
 	}
 	else if (target->state == TARGET_UNKNOWN)
 	{