diff --git a/scp.c b/scp.c
index 15d9f44b..3970ed89 100644
--- a/scp.c
+++ b/scp.c
@@ -12438,6 +12438,15 @@ UPDATE_SIM_TIME;                                        /* update sim time */
 
 sim_debug (SIM_DBG_ACTIVATE, &sim_scp_dev, "Activating %s delay=%d\n", sim_uname (uptr), event_time);
 
+/* event_time being -1 is a special case which specifically pushes the */
+/* specified unit at the head of the event queue */
+if (event_time == -1) {
+    uptr->time = 0;
+    uptr->next = sim_clock_queue;
+    sim_clock_queue = uptr;
+    sim_interval = 0;
+    return SCPE_OK;
+    }
 prvptr = NULL;
 accum = 0;
 for (cptr = sim_clock_queue; cptr != QUEUE_LIST_END; cptr = cptr->next) {
diff --git a/sim_console.c b/sim_console.c
index 04dc329e..c3ace0ba 100644
--- a/sim_console.c
+++ b/sim_console.c
@@ -927,8 +927,8 @@ if (sim_vm_post != NULL)                        /* optionally let the simulator
     (*sim_vm_post) (TRUE);                      /* something might have changed */
 if (!sim_processing_event) {
     sim_ttrun ();                               /* set console mode */
-    sim_cancel (rem_con_data_unit);             /* force immediate activation of sim_rem_con_data_svc */
-    sim_activate (rem_con_data_unit, -1);
+    sim_cancel (rem_con_data_unit);             /* force immediate activation of sim_rem_con_data_svc with the */
+    sim_activate (rem_con_data_unit, -1);       /* special case delay (-1) which forces it to the head of the queue */
     }
 sim_switches = saved_switches;                  /* restore original switches */
 }
diff --git a/sim_frontpanel.c b/sim_frontpanel.c
index 4599fcb0..95a5b9e6 100644
--- a/sim_frontpanel.c
+++ b/sim_frontpanel.c
@@ -80,6 +80,26 @@ tp->tv_sec = (long)(now/10000000);
 tp->tv_nsec = (now%10000000)*100;
 return 0;
 }
+
+static const char *GetErrorText (DWORD dwError)
+{
+static __declspec (thread) char szMsgBuffer[2048];
+DWORD dwStatus;
+
+dwStatus = FormatMessageA(FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM|
+                          FORMAT_MESSAGE_IGNORE_INSERTS,     //  __in      DWORD dwFlags,
+                          NULL,                              //  __in_opt  LPCVOID lpSource,
+                          dwError,                           //  __in      DWORD dwMessageId,
+                          0,                                 //  __in      DWORD dwLanguageId,
+                          szMsgBuffer,                       //  __out     LPTSTR lpBuffer,
+                          2048,                              //  __in      DWORD nSize,
+                          NULL);                             //  __in_opt  va_list *Arguments
+if (0 == dwStatus)
+    _snprintf(szMsgBuffer, sizeof(szMsgBuffer), "Error Code: %d", dwError);
+while (isspace(szMsgBuffer[strlen(szMsgBuffer)-1]))
+    szMsgBuffer[strlen(szMsgBuffer)-1] = '\0';
+return szMsgBuffer;
+}
 #else /* NOT _WIN32 */
 #include <unistd.h>
 #define msleep(n) usleep(1000*n)
@@ -860,7 +880,7 @@ if (!simulator_panel) {
         p->dwProcessId = ProcessInfo.dwProcessId;
         }
     else { /* Creation Problem */
-        sim_panel_set_error (NULL, "CreateProcess Error: %d", GetLastError());
+        sim_panel_set_error (NULL, "CreateProcess Error: %d", GetErrorText(GetLastError()));
         goto Error_Return;
         }
 #else
@@ -1068,13 +1088,15 @@ if (panel) {
         /* Now close the socket which should stop a pending read that hasn't completed */
         sim_close_sock (sock);
         pthread_join (panel->io_thread, NULL);
+
+        if ((panel->Debug) && (panel->parent == NULL))
+            pthread_join (panel->debugflush_thread, NULL);
+        /* panel mutexes and condition variables are only initialize after a successful socket open */
+        pthread_mutex_destroy (&panel->io_lock);
+        pthread_mutex_destroy (&panel->io_send_lock);
+        pthread_mutex_destroy (&panel->io_command_lock);
+        pthread_cond_destroy (&panel->io_done);
         }
-    if ((panel->Debug) && (panel->parent == NULL))
-        pthread_join (panel->debugflush_thread, NULL);
-    pthread_mutex_destroy (&panel->io_lock);
-    pthread_mutex_destroy (&panel->io_send_lock);
-    pthread_mutex_destroy (&panel->io_command_lock);
-    pthread_cond_destroy (&panel->io_done);
 #if defined(_WIN32)
     if (panel->hProcess) {
         GenerateConsoleCtrlEvent (CTRL_BREAK_EVENT, panel->dwProcessId);
@@ -1082,6 +1104,7 @@ if (panel) {
         TerminateProcess (panel->hProcess, 0);
         WaitForSingleObject (panel->hProcess, INFINITE);
         CloseHandle (panel->hProcess);
+        panel->hProcess = NULL;
         }
 #else
     if (panel->pidProcess) {
@@ -1094,6 +1117,7 @@ if (panel) {
                 kill (panel->pidProcess, SIGKILL);
             }
         waitpid (panel->pidProcess, &status, 0);
+        panel->pidProcess = 0;
         }
 #endif
     free (panel->path);
diff --git a/sim_frontpanel.h b/sim_frontpanel.h
index 0e03a882..844c8343 100644
--- a/sim_frontpanel.h
+++ b/sim_frontpanel.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #if !defined(__VAX)         /* Unsupported platform */
 
-#define SIM_FRONTPANEL_VERSION   12
+#define SIM_FRONTPANEL_VERSION   13
 
 /**