diff --git a/src/octoprint/plugins/svgtogcode/static/css/mrbeam.css b/src/octoprint/plugins/svgtogcode/static/css/mrbeam.css
index 6421558c..ddbf62f0 100644
--- a/src/octoprint/plugins/svgtogcode/static/css/mrbeam.css
+++ b/src/octoprint/plugins/svgtogcode/static/css/mrbeam.css
@@ -1678,6 +1678,10 @@ input.search-query,
   height: 30px;
 }
 
+.print-control {
+	margin-top: 8px;
+}
+
 .safety_glasses_heads_up {
 	background-image:url(../img/safety_glasses_heads_up500.png);
 	background-repeat: no-repeat;
diff --git a/src/octoprint/plugins/svgtogcode/templates/override_index.jinja2 b/src/octoprint/plugins/svgtogcode/templates/override_index.jinja2
index f02eec9a..0b1994d7 100644
--- a/src/octoprint/plugins/svgtogcode/templates/override_index.jinja2
+++ b/src/octoprint/plugins/svgtogcode/templates/override_index.jinja2
@@ -143,15 +143,15 @@
 										</div>
 									</div>
 									
-									<div class="accordion-body collapse in" id="connection" data-bind="visible: isErrorOrClosed() && loginState.isUser()">
+									<div class="accordion-body collapse in" id="connection" data-bind="visible: (isErrorOrClosed() || isConnecting()) && loginState.isUser()">
 										<div class="accordion-inner">
 											<label for="connection_ports" data-bind="css: {disabled: !isErrorOrClosed()}, enable: isErrorOrClosed() && loginState.isUser()">{{ _('Serial Port') }}</label>
 											<select id="connection_ports" data-bind="options: portOptions, optionsCaption: 'AUTO', value: selectedPort, css: {disabled: !isErrorOrClosed()}, enable: isErrorOrClosed() && loginState.isUser()"></select>
 											<label for="connection_baudrates" data-bind="css: {disabled: !isErrorOrClosed()}, enable: isErrorOrClosed() && loginState.isUser()">{{ _('Baudrate') }}</label>
 											<select id="connection_baudrates" data-bind="options: baudrateOptions, optionsCaption: 'AUTO', value: selectedBaudrate, css: {disabled: !isErrorOrClosed()}, enable: isErrorOrClosed() && loginState.isUser()"></select>
-											<label class="checkbox">
+<!--											<label class="checkbox">
 												<input type="checkbox" id="connection_save" data-bind="checked: saveSettings, css: {disabled: !isErrorOrClosed()}, enable: isErrorOrClosed() && loginState.isUser()"> {{ _('Save connection settings') }}
-											</label>
+											</label>-->
 											<label class="checkbox">
 												<input type="checkbox" id="connection_autoconnect" data-bind="checked: settings.serial_autoconnect, css: {disabled: !isErrorOrClosed()}, enable: isErrorOrClosed() && loginState.isUser()"> {{ _('Auto-connect on server startup') }}
 											</label>
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@
 										<div class="accordion-inner">
 											{{ _('Machine State') }}: <strong data-bind="text: stateString"></strong><br>
 
-											<div data-bind="visible: !isLocked()">
+											<div data-bind="visible: !isLocked() && !isConnecting()">
 												
 												<!--   
 												{{ _('File') }}: <strong data-bind="text: filename"></strong>&nbsp;<strong data-bind="visible: sd">(SD)</strong><br>
diff --git a/src/octoprint/static/js/app/viewmodels/connection.js b/src/octoprint/static/js/app/viewmodels/connection.js
index 2a43a58e..cf18372d 100644
--- a/src/octoprint/static/js/app/viewmodels/connection.js
+++ b/src/octoprint/static/js/app/viewmodels/connection.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ function ConnectionViewModel(loginStateViewModel, settingsViewModel, printerProf
     self.autoconnect = ko.observable(undefined);
 
     self.isErrorOrClosed = ko.observable(undefined);
+    self.isConnecting = ko.observable(undefined);
     self.isOperational = ko.observable(undefined);
     self.isLocked = ko.observable(undefined);
     self.isPrinting = ko.observable(undefined);
@@ -88,10 +89,10 @@ function ConnectionViewModel(loginStateViewModel, settingsViewModel, printerProf
 
     self._processStateData = function(data) {
         self.previousIsOperational = self.isOperational();
-
         self.isErrorOrClosed(data.flags.closedOrError);
         self.isOperational(data.flags.operational);
-        self.isOperational(data.flags.locked);
+        self.isLocked(data.flags.locked);
+        self.isConnecting(data.text === "Connecting" || data.text === "Opening serial port");
         self.isPaused(data.flags.paused);
         self.isPrinting(data.flags.printing);
         self.isError(data.flags.error);
diff --git a/src/octoprint/static/js/app/viewmodels/printerstate.js b/src/octoprint/static/js/app/viewmodels/printerstate.js
index 1f47508d..69aca73d 100644
--- a/src/octoprint/static/js/app/viewmodels/printerstate.js
+++ b/src/octoprint/static/js/app/viewmodels/printerstate.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ function PrinterStateViewModel(loginStateViewModel, timelapseViewModel, vectorCo
     self.isErrorOrClosed = ko.observable(undefined);
     self.isOperational = ko.observable(undefined);
     self.isLocked = ko.observable(undefined);
+    self.isConnecting = ko.observable(undefined);
     self.isPrinting = ko.observable(undefined);
     self.isPaused = ko.observable(undefined);
     self.isError = ko.observable(undefined);
@@ -142,6 +143,7 @@ function PrinterStateViewModel(loginStateViewModel, timelapseViewModel, vectorCo
         self.isErrorOrClosed(data.flags.closedOrError);
         self.isOperational(data.flags.operational);
         self.isLocked(data.flags.locked);
+        self.isConnecting(data.text === "Connecting" || data.text === "Opening serial port");
         self.isPaused(data.flags.paused);
         self.isPrinting(data.flags.printing);
         self.isError(data.flags.error);
diff --git a/src/octoprint/util/comm.py b/src/octoprint/util/comm.py
index 69783dd5..32f11253 100644
--- a/src/octoprint/util/comm.py
+++ b/src/octoprint/util/comm.py
@@ -1078,9 +1078,13 @@ class MachineCom(object):
 			try:
 				self._log("Connecting to: %s" % self._port)
 				if self._baudrate == 0:
-					self._serial = serial.Serial(str(self._port), 115200, timeout=settings().getFloat(["serial", "timeout", "connection"]), writeTimeout=10000)
+					self._serial = serial.Serial(str(self._port), 115200, timeout=settings().getFloat(["serial", "timeout", "connection"]), writeTimeout=10000, parity=serial.PARITY_ODD)
 				else:
 					self._serial = serial.Serial(str(self._port), self._baudrate, timeout=settings().getFloat(["serial", "timeout", "connection"]), writeTimeout=10000)
+					self._serial = serial.Serial(str(self._port), self._baudrate, timeout=settings().getFloat(["serial", "timeout", "connection"]), writeTimeout=10000, parity=serial.PARITY_ODD)
+				self._serial.close()
+				self._serial.parity = serial.PARITY_NONE
+				self._serial.open()
 			except:
 				self._log("Unexpected error while connecting to serial port: %s %s" % (self._port, getExceptionString()))
 				self._errorValue = "Failed to open serial port, permissions correct?"