diff --git a/HTTPClient.cpp b/HTTPClient.cpp
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index dea3547..d21f4fd
--- a/HTTPClient.cpp
+++ b/HTTPClient.cpp
@@ -203,6 +203,10 @@ char
 HTTPClient::sendUriAndHeaders(FILE* stream, char* hostName, const char* requestType, char* uri,
     http_client_parameter parameters[], http_client_parameter headers[])
 {
+  if (stream == NULL)
+  {
+    return 0;
+  }
   fprintf_P(stream, requestType, uri);
   fprintf_P(stream, PSTR(" "), uri);
   //encode but use reserved characters
@@ -256,6 +260,10 @@ HTTPClient::sendUriAndHeaders(FILE* stream, char* hostName, const char* requestT
 char
 HTTPClient::sendContentPayload(FILE* stream, char* data)
 {
+  if (stream == NULL)
+  {
+    return 0;
+  }
   //calculate the content length
   int content_length = 0;
   if (data != NULL)
@@ -400,7 +408,22 @@ int
 HTTPClient::skipHeader(FILE* stream)
 {
   //skip over the header
-  fscanf_P(stream, PSTR("HTTP/1.1 %i"), &lastReturnCode);
+  int httpReturnCode;
+  lastReturnCode = NULL;
+
+  if (stream == NULL) return NULL;
+  http_stream_udata* udata = (http_stream_udata*) fdev_get_udata(stream);
+  HTTPClient* client = udata->client;
+
+  int delayReadHeaderCount=0;
+  // check if at least the first HTTP-response available, up to 1000ms=1s
+  while ((client->available()<17) && (delayReadHeaderCount++<HTTPCLIENT_HEADER_READ_DELAY_MAXCOUNT)) 
+     delay(HTTPCLIENT_HEADER_READ_DELAY_ONCE);
+
+  int res=fscanf_P(stream, PSTR("HTTP/1.1 %i"), &httpReturnCode);
+  if (res!=1) return NULL;
+  lastReturnCode = httpReturnCode; // only set class variable when successfully matched, else it is NULL
+  
   char inByte = '\0';
   char lastByte = '\0';
   while (!(inByte == '\n' && lastByte == '\n'))
@@ -427,10 +450,7 @@ HTTPClient::closeStream(FILE* stream)
   if (stream != NULL)
     {
       http_stream_udata* udata = (http_stream_udata*) fdev_get_udata(stream);
-      if (udata->client->connected())
-        {
-          udata->client->stop();
-        }
+	  udata->client->stop();
       free(udata);
       fclose(stream);
     }
diff --git a/HTTPClient.h b/HTTPClient.h
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 63bbe7c..31417b1
--- a/HTTPClient.h
+++ b/HTTPClient.h
@@ -26,7 +26,14 @@
 #define HTTPCLIENT_H_
 
 #include <inttypes.h>
-#include "EthernetClient.h"
+#include <EthernetClient.h>
+
+/* With this we try a delay of 20 ms before checking again if content is available
+ * and we try this up to 50 times.
+ * So max: 20x50ms=1000ms=1s
+ */
+#define HTTPCLIENT_HEADER_READ_DELAY_ONCE 20
+#define HTTPCLIENT_HEADER_READ_DELAY_MAXCOUNT 50
 
 /* This struct is used to pass parameters as URI paramters and additional HTTP headers.
  * normally you pass this as a array. The last entry must have the NULL-Pointer as name.