diff --git a/include/serial/impl/win.h b/include/serial/impl/win.h
index 2c0c6cd..d544190 100644
--- a/include/serial/impl/win.h
+++ b/include/serial/impl/win.h
@@ -198,6 +198,9 @@ private:
   HANDLE read_mutex;
   // Mutex used to lock the write functions
   HANDLE write_mutex;
+
+  OVERLAPPED ov_read;           // OVERLAPPED read
+  OVERLAPPED ov_write;          // OVERLAPPED write
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/src/impl/win.cc b/src/impl/win.cc
index 889e06f..2096f43 100644
--- a/src/impl/win.cc
+++ b/src/impl/win.cc
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::SerialImpl (const string &port, unsigned long baudrate,
     open ();
   read_mutex = CreateMutex(NULL, false, NULL);
   write_mutex = CreateMutex(NULL, false, NULL);
+  ov_read.hEvent = CreateEvent(NULL, 1, 0, NULL);
+  ov_write.hEvent = CreateEvent(NULL, 0, 0, NULL);
 }
 
 Serial::SerialImpl::~SerialImpl ()
@@ -50,6 +52,8 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::~SerialImpl ()
   this->close();
   CloseHandle(read_mutex);
   CloseHandle(write_mutex);
+  CloseHandle(ov_read.hEvent);
+  CloseHandle(ov_write.hEvent);
 }
 
 void
@@ -70,7 +74,7 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::open ()
                     0,
                     0,
                     OPEN_EXISTING,
-                    FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL,
+                    FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL | FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED,
                     0);
 
   if (fd_ == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) {
@@ -277,7 +281,23 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::reconfigurePort ()
 void
 Serial::SerialImpl::close ()
 {
-  if (is_open_ == true) {
+  if (is_open_) {
+    // Cancel a blocking operation.
+    DWORD rc;
+    WINBOOL err;
+    err = GetOverlappedResult(fd_, &ov_read, &rc, FALSE);
+    if (!err) {
+      rc = GetLastError();
+      if (rc == ERROR_IO_PENDING || rc == ERROR_IO_INCOMPLETE)
+        CancelIoEx(fd_, &ov_read);
+    }
+    err = GetOverlappedResult(fd_, &ov_write, &rc, FALSE);
+    if (!err) {
+      rc = GetLastError();
+      if (rc == ERROR_IO_PENDING || rc == ERROR_IO_INCOMPLETE)
+        CancelIoEx(fd_, &ov_write);
+    }
+
     if (fd_ != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) {
       int ret;
       ret = CloseHandle(fd_);
@@ -333,13 +353,31 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::read (uint8_t *buf, size_t size)
   if (!is_open_) {
     throw PortNotOpenedException ("Serial::read");
   }
-  DWORD bytes_read;
-  if (!ReadFile(fd_, buf, static_cast<DWORD>(size), &bytes_read, NULL)) {
-    stringstream ss;
-    ss << "Error while reading from the serial port: " << GetLastError();
-    THROW (IOException, ss.str().c_str());
+  if (size > 0) {
+    ResetEvent(ov_read.hEvent);
+    DWORD bytes_read;
+    WINBOOL read_ok = ReadFile(fd_, buf, static_cast<DWORD>(size), &bytes_read, &ov_read);
+    if (!read_ok) {
+      DWORD error = GetLastError();
+      if ((error != ERROR_SUCCESS) && (error != ERROR_IO_PENDING)) {
+        stringstream ss;
+        ss << "Error while reading from the serial port: " << error;
+        THROW (IOException, ss.str().c_str());
+      }
+    }
+    WINBOOL result_ok = GetOverlappedResult(fd_, &ov_read, &bytes_read, TRUE);
+    if (!result_ok) {
+      DWORD error = GetLastError();
+      if (error != ERROR_OPERATION_ABORTED) {
+        stringstream ss;
+        ss << "GetOverlappedResult failed: " << error;
+        THROW (IOException, ss.str().c_str());
+      }
+    }
+    return (size_t) (bytes_read);
+  } else {
+    return 0;
   }
-  return (size_t) (bytes_read);
 }
 
 size_t
@@ -349,12 +387,17 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::write (const uint8_t *data, size_t length)
     throw PortNotOpenedException ("Serial::write");
   }
   DWORD bytes_written;
-  if (!WriteFile(fd_, data, static_cast<DWORD>(length), &bytes_written, NULL)) {
+  int success = WriteFile(fd_, data, static_cast<DWORD>(length), &bytes_written, &ov_write);
+  DWORD error = success ? ERROR_SUCCESS : GetLastError();
+  if ((error == ERROR_INVALID_USER_BUFFER) || (error == ERROR_NOT_ENOUGH_MEMORY) || (error == ERROR_OPERATION_ABORTED)) {
+    return 0;
+  } else if ((error == ERROR_SUCCESS) || (error == ERROR_IO_PENDING)) {
+    return (size_t) (bytes_written);
+  } else {
     stringstream ss;
-    ss << "Error while writing to the serial port: " << GetLastError();
+    ss << "WriteFile failed: " << error;
     THROW (IOException, ss.str().c_str());
   }
-  return (size_t) (bytes_written);
 }
 
 void