diff --git a/opticalscan.py b/opticalscan.py
index cb387a846ca7b761aa299e27cf68b2cc7f8630f8..5dd91914e8bef4a71b9ad314ebba56b6e4f63baa 100755
--- a/opticalscan.py
+++ b/opticalscan.py
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 from PyQt5 import QtCore, QtWidgets
 import numpy as np
-from multiprocessing import Process, Pipe
+from multiprocessing import Process, Queue, Event
+import queue
 from imagestitch import imageStacking
 import os
 import cv2
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ from time import sleep, time
 import datetime
 import sys
 
-def scan(path, sol, zpositions, grid, controlclass, connection, ishdr=False):
+def scan(path, sol, zpositions, grid, controlclass, dataqueue, stopevent, ishdr=False):
     if ishdr:
         merge_mertens = cv2.createMergeMertens()
     with open("scanlog.txt", "a") as fp:
@@ -63,16 +64,11 @@ def scan(path, sol, zpositions, grid, controlclass, connection, ishdr=False):
                     cv2imwrite_fix(os.path.join(path,name), res_mertens_8bit)                        
                 else:
                     ramanctrl.saveImage(os.path.join(path,name))
-                if connection.poll():
-                    instruction = connection.recv()
-                    if instruction=="stop":
-                        ramanctrl.disconnect()
-                        return
-            connection.send(i)
+                if stopevent.is_set():
+                    ramanctrl.disconnect()
+                    return
+            dataqueue.put(i)
         ramanctrl.disconnect()
-        while not connection.poll():
-            sleep(.1)
-        connection.recv()
     
 def loadAndPasteImage(srcnames, fullimage, fullzval, width, height, 
                       rotationvalue, p0, p1, p):
@@ -295,8 +291,10 @@ class OpticalScan(QtWidgets.QWidget):
                                 QtWidgets.QMessageBox.No, QtWidgets.QMessageBox.No)
             if reply == QtWidgets.QMessageBox.Yes:
                 self.timer.stop()
-                self.connection.send("stop")
+                self.processstopevent.set()
                 self.process.join()
+                self.dataqueue.close()
+                self.dataqueue.join_thread()
                 self.view.unblockUI()
             else:
                 return
@@ -464,10 +462,11 @@ class OpticalScan(QtWidgets.QWidget):
         if reply == QtWidgets.QMessageBox.Yes:
             self.prun.setEnabled(False)
             self.ramanctrl.disconnect()
-            parent_conn, child_conn = Pipe()
-            self.connection = parent_conn
+            self.processstopevent = Event()
+            self.dataqueue = Queue()
             self.process = Process(target=scan, args=(path, sol, self.dataset.zpositions, 
-                                self.dataset.grid, self.ramanctrl.__class__, child_conn, self.hdrcheck.isChecked()))
+                                self.dataset.grid, self.ramanctrl.__class__,
+                                self.dataqueue, self.processstopevent, self.hdrcheck.isChecked()))
             self.process.start()
             self.starttime = time()
             self.progresstime.setEnabled(True)
@@ -490,8 +489,12 @@ class OpticalScan(QtWidgets.QWidget):
     
     @QtCore.pyqtSlot()      
     def checkOnScan(self):
-        if self.connection.poll():
-            i = self.connection.recv()
+        try:
+            i = self.dataqueue.get_nowait()
+        except queue.Empty:
+            i = -1
+            
+        if i>=0:
             Ngrid = len(self.dataset.grid)
             names = []
             for k in range(len(self.dataset.zpositions)):
@@ -509,11 +512,11 @@ class OpticalScan(QtWidgets.QWidget):
                 self.progresstime.setText(self.timelabeltext + str(datetime.timedelta(seconds=round(time2go))))
             self.imageUpdate.emit()
             if i==Ngrid-1:
-                self.connection.send("stop")
                 cv2imwrite_fix(self.dataset.getImageName(), cv2.cvtColor(self.view.imgdata, cv2.COLOR_RGB2BGR))
                 self.dataset.saveZvalImg()
                 self.process.join()
-                self.connection.close()
+                self.dataqueue.close()
+                self.dataqueue.join_thread()
                 self.ramanctrl.connect()
                 self.view.saveDataSet()
                 self.view.unblockUI()