diff --git a/com/isoterminal/ISOTerminal.js b/com/isoterminal/ISOTerminal.js
index aba4483..709ae2d 100644
--- a/com/isoterminal/ISOTerminal.js
+++ b/com/isoterminal/ISOTerminal.js
@@ -47,18 +47,22 @@ ISOTerminal.prototype.serial_input = 0; // can be set to 0,1,2,3 to define stdin
 
 ISOTerminal.prototype.send = function(str, ttyNr){
   if( ttyNr == undefined) ttyNr = this.serial_input
-  if( ttyNr == undefined ){
-    if( this.emulator.serial_adapter ){
-      this.emulator.serial_adapter.term.paste(str)
-    }else this.emulator.keyboard_send_text(str) // vga screen
+  if( (this.emulator || this.worker) && this.ready ){
+    if( ttyNr == undefined ){
+      if( this.emulator.serial_adapter ){
+        this.emulator.serial_adapter.term.paste(str)
+      }else this.emulator.keyboard_send_text(str) // vga screen
+    }else{
+      this.convert.toUint8Array( str ).map( (c) => {
+        this.preventFrameDrop( 
+          () => {
+            this.worker.postMessage({event:`serial${ttyNr}-input`,data:c})
+          }
+        )
+      })
+    }  
   }else{
-    this.convert.toUint8Array( str ).map( (c) => {
-      this.preventFrameDrop( 
-        () => {
-          this.worker.postMessage({event:`serial${ttyNr}-input`,data:c})
-        }
-      )
-    })
+    this.emit('serial-output-string', str)
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/com/isoterminal/feat/boot.js b/com/isoterminal/feat/boot.js
index e2d3277..0f5779d 100644
--- a/com/isoterminal/feat/boot.js
+++ b/com/isoterminal/feat/boot.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ ISOTerminal.prototype.bootMenu = function(e){
     msg += `\r  ${m.key}) ${m.title(this.opts)}\n`
   })
   msg += `\n\r  enter choice> `
-  this.emit('serial-output-string', msg)
+  this.send(msg)
 }
 
 ISOTerminal.addEventListener('bootmenu', function(e){ this.bootMenu() })
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ ISOTerminal.prototype.boot.menu.push(
       this.emit('status',"javascript console")
       this.console = ""
       setTimeout( () => {
-        this.emit('serial-output-string', this.prompt)
+        this.send(this.prompt)
       }, 100 )
     },
     keyHandler: function(ch){
@@ -71,16 +71,16 @@ ISOTerminal.prototype.boot.menu.push(
         ch = "\b \b" // why does write() not just support \x7F ?
         erase = true
       }
-      this.emit('serial-output-string', ch)
+      this.send(ch)
       const reset = () => {
         this.console = ""
         setTimeout( () => {
-          if( this.boot.menu.selected ) this.emit('serial-output-string', this.prompt)
+          if( this.boot.menu.selected ) this.send(this.prompt)
         },100)
       }
       if( (ch == "\n" || ch == "\r") ){
         try{
-          this.emit('serial-output-string', "\n\r")
+          this.send("\n\r")
           if( this.console ) eval(this.console)
           reset()
         }catch(e){