diff --git a/src/impl/unix.cc b/src/impl/unix.cc
index 24ad257..28243de 100644
--- a/src/impl/unix.cc
+++ b/src/impl/unix.cc
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ using serial::SerialExecption;
 using serial::PortNotOpenedException;
 using serial::IOException;
 
+
 Serial::SerialImpl::SerialImpl (const string &port, unsigned long baudrate,
                                 long timeout, bytesize_t bytesize,
                                 parity_t parity, stopbits_t stopbits,
@@ -114,8 +115,131 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::reconfigurePort ()
 #endif
 
   // setup baud rate
-  // TODO(ash_git): validate baud rate
-  cfsetspeed(&options, baudrate_);
+  bool custom_baud = false;
+  speed_t baud;
+  switch (baudrate_)
+  {
+#ifdef B0
+    case 0: baud = B0; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B50
+    case 50: baud = B50; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B75
+    case 75: baud = B75; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B110
+    case 110: baud = B110; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B134
+    case 134: baud = B134; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B150
+    case 150: baud = B150; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B200
+    case 200: baud = B200; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B300
+    case 300: baud = B300; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B600
+    case 600: baud = B600; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B1200
+    case 1200: baud = B1200; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B1800
+    case 1800: baud = B1800; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B2400
+    case 2400: baud = B2400; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B4800
+    case 4800: baud = B4800; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B7200
+    case 7200: baud = B7200; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B9600
+    case 9600: baud = B9600; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B14400
+    case 14400: baud = B14400; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B19200
+    case 19200: baud = B19200; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B28800
+    case 28800: baud = B28800; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B57600
+    case 57600: baud = B57600; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B76800
+    case 76800: baud = B76800; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B38400
+    case 38400: baud = B38400; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B115200
+    case 115200: baud = B115200; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B128000
+    case 128000: baud = B128000; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B153600
+    case 153600: baud = B153600; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B230400
+    case 230400: baud = B230400; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B256000
+    case 256000: baud = B256000; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B460800
+    case 460800: baud = B460800; break;
+#endif
+#ifdef B921600
+    case 921600: baud = B921600; break;
+#endif
+    default:
+      custom_baud = true;
+// Mac OS X 10.x Support
+#if defined(__APPLE__) && defined(__MACH__)
+#define IOSSIOSPEED _IOW('T', 2, speed_t)
+      int new_baud = static_cast<int> (baudrate_);
+      if (ioctl (fd_, IOSSIOSPEED, &new_baud, 1) < 0)
+      {
+        throw IOException (errno);
+      }
+// Linux Support
+#elif defined(__linux__)
+      struct serial_struct ser;
+      ioctl(fd_, TIOCGSERIAL, &ser);
+      // set custom divisor
+      ser.custom_divisor = ser.baud_base / baudrate;
+      // update flags
+      ser.flags &= ~ASYNC_SPD_MASK;
+      ser.flags |= ASYNC_SPD_CUST;
+
+      if (ioctl(fd_, TIOCSSERIAL, buf) < 0)
+      {
+        throw IOException (errno);
+      }
+#else
+      throw invalid_argument ("OS does not currently support custom bauds");
+#endif
+  }
+  if (custom_baud == false)
+  {
+#ifdef _BSD_SOURCE
+    ::cfsetspeed(&options, baud);
+#else
+    ::cfsetispeed(&options, baud);
+    ::cfsetospeed(&options, baud);
+#endif
+  }
 
   // setup char len
   options.c_cflag &= (unsigned long) ~CSIZE;
@@ -265,7 +389,6 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::read (char* buf, size_t size)
       bytes_read = ::read (fd_, buf, size);
       // read should always return some data as select reported it was
       // ready to read when we get to this point.
-      // printf("bytes_read: %lu\n", bytes_read);
       if (bytes_read < 1)
       {
         // Disconnected devices, at least on Linux, show the
@@ -291,25 +414,51 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::write (const string &data)
   {
     throw PortNotOpenedException ("Serial::write");
   }
-
-  ssize_t n = ::write (fd_, data.c_str (), data.length ());
-
-  if (n != static_cast<ssize_t> (data.length ()))
+  
+  fd_set writefds;
+  ssize_t bytes_written = 0;
+  while (true)
   {
-    throw IOException ("Write did not complete");
-  }
-  else if (n == -1)
-  {
-    if (errno == EINTR)
+    if (timeout_ != -1)
     {
-      return write (data);
+      FD_ZERO (&writefds);
+      FD_SET (fd_, &writefds);
+      struct timeval timeout;
+      timeout.tv_sec =                    timeout_ / 1000;
+      timeout.tv_usec = static_cast<int> (timeout_ % 1000) * 1000;
+      int r = select (fd_ + 1, NULL, &writefds, NULL, &timeout);
+
+      if (r == -1 && errno == EINTR)
+        continue;
+
+      if (r == -1)
+      {
+        throw IOException (errno);
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (timeout_ == -1 || FD_ISSET (fd_, &writefds))
+    {
+      bytes_written = ::write (fd_, data.c_str (), data.length ());
+      // read should always return some data as select reported it was
+      // ready to read when we get to this point.
+      if (bytes_written < 1)
+      {
+        // Disconnected devices, at least on Linux, show the
+        // behavior that they are always ready to read immediately
+        // but reading returns nothing.
+        throw SerialExecption ("device reports readiness to read but "
+                               "returned no data (device disconnected?)");
+      }
+      break;
     }
     else
     {
-      throw IOException (errno);
+      break;
     }
   }
-  return static_cast<size_t> (n);
+
+  return static_cast<size_t> (bytes_written);
 }
 
 void
@@ -538,3 +687,4 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::getCD()
   int s = ioctl (fd_, TIOCMGET, 0);
   return (s & TIOCM_CD) != 0;
 }
+