diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
index 6fecd89..9acb9dd 100644
--- a/.vscode/launch.json
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
       "request": "launch",
       "module": "meshtastic",
       "justMyCode": true,
-      "args": ["--debug", "--info"]
+      "args": ["--info"]
     },
     {
       "name": "meshtastic debug",
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fe9b755..7aa8e20 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ then run the following python3 code:
 import meshtastic
 interface = meshtastic.SerialInterface() # By default will try to find a meshtastic device, otherwise provide a device path like /dev/ttyUSB0
 interface.sendText("hello mesh") # or sendData to send binary data, see documentations for other options.
+interface.close()
 ```
 
 For the rough notes/implementation plan see [TODO](https://github.com/meshtastic/Meshtastic-python/blob/master/TODO.md).
diff --git a/bin/prerelease-tests.sh b/bin/prerelease-tests.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b20380f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/prerelease-tests.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+set -e
+
+echo "Running (crude) prerelease tests to verify sanity"
+python3 tests/hello_world.py
+bin/run.sh --help
+bin/run.sh --info
+bin/run.sh --sendtext "Sanity complete"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/meshtastic/__init__.py b/meshtastic/__init__.py
index 2d4f272..a5a2ac0 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__init__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__init__.py
@@ -575,7 +575,8 @@ class StreamInterface(MeshInterface):
         self._rxBuf = bytes()  # empty
         self._wantExit = False
 
-        self._rxThread = threading.Thread(target=self.__reader, args=(), daemon=True)
+        # FIXME, figure out why daemon=True causes reader thread to exit too early
+        self._rxThread = threading.Thread(target=self.__reader, args=())
 
         MeshInterface.__init__(self, debugOut=debugOut, noProto=noProto)
 
@@ -595,6 +596,7 @@ class StreamInterface(MeshInterface):
         time.sleep(0.1)  # wait 100ms to give device time to start running
 
         self._rxThread.start()
+        self._waitConnected()
 
     def _disconnected(self):
         """We override the superclass implementation to close our port"""
diff --git a/meshtastic/__main__.py b/meshtastic/__main__.py
index 063f268..df646b2 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__main__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__main__.py
@@ -129,15 +129,18 @@ def onConnected(interface):
     closeNow = False  # Should we drop the connection after we finish?
     try:
         if args.settime:
+            closeNow = True
             print("Setting device RTC time")
             # can include lat/long/alt etc: latitude = 37.5, longitude = -122.1
             interface.sendPosition()
 
         if args.setowner:
+            closeNow = True
             print(f"Setting device owner to {args.setowner}")
             interface.setOwner(args.setowner)
 
         if args.sendtext:
+            closeNow = True
             print(f"Sending text message {args.sendtext} to {args.destOrAll}")
             interface.sendText(args.sendtext, args.destOrAll,
                                wantAck=True, wantResponse=True)
diff --git a/tests/hello_world.py b/tests/hello_world.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b938ec2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hello_world.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import meshtastic
+import time
+
+interface = meshtastic.SerialInterface() # By default will try to find a meshtastic device, otherwise provide a device path like /dev/ttyUSB0
+interface.sendText("hello mesh")
+interface.close()