diff --git a/src/SerialConsole.cpp b/src/SerialConsole.cpp
index 5aafc0630..2e55e31bb 100644
--- a/src/SerialConsole.cpp
+++ b/src/SerialConsole.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ SerialConsole::SerialConsole() : StreamAPI(&Port), RedirectablePrint(&Port), con
     Port.setRX(SERIAL2_RX);
 #endif
     Port.begin(SERIAL_BAUD);
+    // Boot with console TX in non-blocking mode: no host is provably listening yet.
+    setHostDraining(false);
     time_t timeout = millis();
     while (!Port) {
         if (Throttle::isWithinTimespanMs(timeout, FIVE_SECONDS_MS)) {
@@ -121,6 +123,28 @@ bool SerialConsole::checkIsConnected()
     return Throttle::isWithinTimespanMs(lastContactMsec, SERIAL_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT);
 }
 
+void SerialConsole::setHostDraining(bool draining)
+{
+#ifdef IS_USB_SERIAL
+    // Timeout 0 makes HWCDC writes drop instead of block when the host stops draining;
+    // bounded blocking is restored while an API client is connected so frames aren't truncated.
+    Port.setTxTimeoutMs(draining ? 100 : 0);
+#else
+    (void)draining;
+#endif
+}
+
+void SerialConsole::onConnectionChanged(bool connected)
+{
+    // Order matters on disconnect: make console TX non-blocking *before* the
+    // PowerFSM/close handling below emits more log lines to a dead port.
+    if (!connected)
+        setHostDraining(false);
+    StreamAPI::onConnectionChanged(connected);
+    if (connected)
+        setHostDraining(true);
+}
+
 /**
  * we override this to notice when we've received a protobuf over the serial
  * stream.  Then we shut off debug serial output.
@@ -129,6 +153,10 @@ bool SerialConsole::handleToRadio(const uint8_t *buf, size_t len)
 {
     // only talk to the API once the configuration has been loaded and we're sure the serial port is not disabled.
     if (config.has_lora && config.security.serial_enabled) {
+        // The host just sent us bytes, so it is alive and draining the port:
+        // restore normal bounded-blocking TX before any API response is written.
+        setHostDraining(true);
+
         // Switch to protobufs for log messages
         usingProtobufs = true;
         canWrite = true;
diff --git a/src/SerialConsole.h b/src/SerialConsole.h
index 98577e4bc..e81ded22f 100644
--- a/src/SerialConsole.h
+++ b/src/SerialConsole.h
@@ -40,8 +40,17 @@ class SerialConsole : public StreamAPI, public RedirectablePrint, private concur
 
     virtual void onNowHasData(uint32_t fromRadioNum) override;
 
+    /// Track serial API connect/disconnect so we can make console writes
+    /// non-blocking while no host is listening (see setHostDraining()).
+    virtual void onConnectionChanged(bool connected) override;
+
     /// Possibly switch to protobufs if we see a valid protobuf message
     virtual void log_to_serial(const char *logLevel, const char *format, va_list arg);
+
+  private:
+    /// On USB CDC targets, keep console TX non-blocking unless a host is draining the
+    /// port, so a dead host can't stall the main loop and trip the task watchdog.
+    void setHostDraining(bool draining);
 };
 
 // A simple wrapper to allow non class aware code write to the console