diff --git a/src/server/gdb_server.c b/src/server/gdb_server.c
index cea5ad0db..bbcff58c5 100644
--- a/src/server/gdb_server.c
+++ b/src/server/gdb_server.c
@@ -509,6 +509,7 @@ int gdb_get_packet_inner(connection_t *connection, char *buffer, int *len)
 				my_checksum += character & 0xff;
 				buffer[count++] = character & 0xff;
 			}
+
 		}
 
 		*len = count;
@@ -678,6 +679,12 @@ int gdb_new_connection(connection_t *connection)
 	 * connect. 
 	 */
 	target_halt(gdb_service->target);
+	/* FIX!!!! could extended-remote work better here?
+	 * 
+	 *  wait a tiny bit for halted state or we just continue. The
+	 * GDB register packet will then contain garbage 
+	 */
+	target_wait_state(gdb_service->target, TARGET_HALTED, 500);
 	
 	/* remove the initial ACK from the incoming buffer */
 	if ((retval = gdb_get_char(connection, &initial_ack)) != ERROR_OK)
diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index 506a5d78b..e1341a0a3 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -1683,7 +1683,6 @@ int handle_reg_command(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx, char *cmd, char **args
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
-static int wait_state(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx, char *cmd, enum target_state state, int ms);
 
 int handle_poll_command(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx, char *cmd, char **args, int argc)
 {
@@ -1729,11 +1728,12 @@ int handle_wait_halt_command(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx, char *cmd, char
 			return ERROR_OK;
 		}
 	}
+	target_t *target = get_current_target(cmd_ctx);
 
-	return wait_state(cmd_ctx, cmd, TARGET_HALTED, ms); 
+	return target_wait_state(target, TARGET_HALTED, ms); 
 }
 
-static int wait_state(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx, char *cmd, enum target_state state, int ms)
+int target_wait_state(target_t *target, enum target_state state, int ms)
 {
 	int retval;
 	struct timeval timeout, now;
@@ -1741,7 +1741,6 @@ static int wait_state(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx, char *cmd, enum target_
 	gettimeofday(&timeout, NULL);
 	timeval_add_time(&timeout, 0, ms * 1000);
 	
-	target_t *target = get_current_target(cmd_ctx);
 	for (;;)
 	{
 		if ((retval=target_poll(target))!=ERROR_OK)
@@ -1754,7 +1753,7 @@ static int wait_state(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx, char *cmd, enum target_
 		if (once)
 		{
 			once=0;
-			command_print(cmd_ctx, "waiting for target %s...", target_state_strings[state]);
+			LOG_USER("waiting for target %s...", target_state_strings[state]);
 		}
 		
 		gettimeofday(&now, NULL);
diff --git a/src/target/target.h b/src/target/target.h
index f1c61e3bf..05dbbb91c 100644
--- a/src/target/target.h
+++ b/src/target/target.h
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ extern int target_write_buffer(struct target_s *target, u32 address, u32 size, u
 extern int target_read_buffer(struct target_s *target, u32 address, u32 size, u8 *buffer);
 extern int target_checksum_memory(struct target_s *target, u32 address, u32 size, u32* crc);
 extern int target_blank_check_memory(struct target_s *target, u32 address, u32 size, u32* blank);
+extern int target_wait_state(target_t *target, enum target_state state, int ms);
 
 /* DANGER!!!!!
  *