diff --git a/app/PdeBase.java b/app/PdeBase.java
index 2752deb97..e7b2c27ea 100644
--- a/app/PdeBase.java
+++ b/app/PdeBase.java
@@ -29,13 +29,18 @@ import java.io.*;
 import java.net.*;
 import java.util.*;
 import java.util.zip.*;
-import javax.comm.*;
 
 import javax.swing.*;
 import javax.swing.event.*;
 import javax.swing.text.*;
 import javax.swing.undo.*;
 
+#ifndef RXTX
+import javax.comm.*;
+#else
+import gnu.io.*;
+#endif
+
 #ifdef MACOS
 import com.apple.mrj.*;
 #endif
@@ -824,7 +829,7 @@ public class PdeBase extends Frame
         }
       }
     } catch (UnsatisfiedLinkError e) {
-      //e.printStackTrace();
+      e.printStackTrace();
       problem = true;
 
     } catch (Exception e) {
@@ -833,7 +838,7 @@ public class PdeBase extends Frame
     }
 
     if (serialMenu.getItemCount() == 0) {
-      //System.out.println("dimming serial menu");
+      System.out.println("dimming serial menu");
       serialMenu.setEnabled(false);
     }
 
@@ -842,6 +847,7 @@ public class PdeBase extends Frame
     // correct lib, but it's at least one that's loaded inside
     // the javacomm solaris stuff, which is the .jar that's included
     // with the osx release (and rxtx takes over)
+    /*
     if (platform == MACOSX) {
       try {
         System.loadLibrary("SolarisSerialParallel");
@@ -850,6 +856,7 @@ public class PdeBase extends Frame
         problem = true;
       }
     }
+    */
 
     // only warn them if this is the first time
     if (problem && firstTime) {
diff --git a/app/PdePreprocessor.java b/app/PdePreprocessor.java
index ab16202b5..ecdaedfe6 100644
--- a/app/PdePreprocessor.java
+++ b/app/PdePreprocessor.java
@@ -35,7 +35,11 @@ public class PdePreprocessor {
   static final String application_imports[] = {
     "java.applet", "java.awt", "java.awt.image", "java.awt.event",
     "java.io", "java.net", "java.text", "java.util", "java.util.zip",
+#ifndef RXTX
     "javax.comm",
+#else
+    "gnu.io",
+#endif
 
     // if jdk14 defined, jdk13 will be as well
 #ifdef JDK13
diff --git a/app/PdeRuntime.java b/app/PdeRuntime.java
index 569c619ef..d538b36a1 100644
--- a/app/PdeRuntime.java
+++ b/app/PdeRuntime.java
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ import java.awt.*; // for window
 import java.awt.event.*; // also for window
 import java.io.*;
 
+#ifndef RXTX
+import javax.comm.*;
+#else
+import gnu.io.*;
+#endif
+
 
 public class PdeRuntime implements PdeMessageConsumer {
 
@@ -83,7 +89,7 @@ public class PdeRuntime implements PdeMessageConsumer {
         applet.serialProperties(PdeBase.properties);
         applet.init();
         if (applet.exception != null) {
-          if (applet.exception instanceof javax.comm.PortInUseException) {
+          if (applet.exception instanceof PortInUseException) {
             throw new PdeException("Another program is already " +
                                    "using the serial port.");
           } else {