diff --git a/goTool/client_api.go b/goTool/client_api.go
index a57fa05..1ec0cb1 100644
--- a/goTool/client_api.go
+++ b/goTool/client_api.go
@@ -417,9 +417,16 @@ func (m *managedSerial) FindMe(clientID uint32) error {
 }
 
 func (m *managedSerial) Restart(clientID uint32) error {
-	return m.withPort(func(sp *serialPort) error {
+	err := m.withPort(func(sp *serialPort) error {
 		return runRestartClient(sp, clientID)
 	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if clientID == 0 {
+		m.recoverAfterMasterRestart()
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (s *serialPort) ledRingProgress(req *pb.LedRingProgressRequest) (*pb.LedRingProgressResponse, error) {
diff --git a/goTool/ota_upload.go b/goTool/ota_upload.go
index 8dfcba6..b1f3ba1 100644
--- a/goTool/ota_upload.go
+++ b/goTool/ota_upload.go
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ func readUartMessageUntil(sp *serialPort, deadline time.Time, want pb.MessageTyp
 		if err := sp.port.SetReadTimeout(wait); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		payload, err := uartframe.ReadFrame(sp.port, nil)
+		payload, err := uartframe.ReadFrame(sp.port, nil, wait)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ func waitOtaStatus(sp *serialPort, want uint32, timeout time.Duration, onPrepari
 		if err := sp.port.SetReadTimeout(readWait); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		payload, err := uartframe.ReadFrame(sp.port, nil)
+		payload, err := uartframe.ReadFrame(sp.port, nil, readWait)
 		if err != nil {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ func waitOtaStatus(sp *serialPort, want uint32, timeout time.Duration, onPrepari
 }
 
 func readOtaStatus(sp *serialPort) (*pb.OtaStatusPayload, error) {
-	payload, err := uartframe.ReadFrame(sp.port, nil)
+	payload, err := uartframe.ReadFrame(sp.port, nil, readTimeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("read response: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/goTool/serial_link.go b/goTool/serial_link.go
index 2cdcd69..1799a46 100644
--- a/goTool/serial_link.go
+++ b/goTool/serial_link.go
@@ -105,6 +105,26 @@ func (m *managedSerial) withPortLocked(poll bool, fn func(*serialPort) error) er
 	return err
 }
 
+func (m *managedSerial) recoverAfterMasterRestart() {
+	const bootWait = 6 * time.Second
+
+	m.mu.Lock()
+	m.closeLocked()
+	m.mu.Unlock()
+
+	log.Printf("UART: master restart — waiting %s for boot", bootWait)
+	time.Sleep(bootWait)
+
+	m.mu.Lock()
+	defer m.mu.Unlock()
+	if err := m.openLocked(); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("UART reconnect after master restart: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+	flushSerialInput(m.sp)
+	log.Printf("UART %s ready after master restart", m.portName)
+}
+
 func (m *managedSerial) exchangePayload(payload []byte, cmdName string) ([]byte, error) {
 	return m.exchangePayloadVia(m.withPort, payload, cmdName)
 }
diff --git a/goTool/serialport.go b/goTool/serialport.go
index a05ad08..f2001f4 100644
--- a/goTool/serialport.go
+++ b/goTool/serialport.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func (s *serialPort) exchangePayloadLocked(payload []byte, cmdName string, timeo
 	}
 	defer func() { _ = s.port.SetReadTimeout(readTimeout) }()
 
-	respPayload, err := uartframe.ReadFrame(s.port, nil)
+	respPayload, err := uartframe.ReadFrame(s.port, nil, timeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("read response: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func (s *serialPort) exchangeLocked(cmdID byte, cmdName string) ([]byte, error)
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("write: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	payload, err := uartframe.ReadFrame(s.port, nil)
+	payload, err := uartframe.ReadFrame(s.port, nil, readTimeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("read response: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/goTool/uart/frame.go b/goTool/uart/frame.go
index 63c3795..a49e07b 100644
--- a/goTool/uart/frame.go
+++ b/goTool/uart/frame.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"time"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -98,13 +99,22 @@ func (p *Parser) Feed(b byte) (payload []byte, ok bool, err error) {
 }
 
 // ReadFrame reads bytes from r until one full frame is parsed or an error occurs.
-func ReadFrame(r io.Reader, buf []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+// maxWait bounds total wait time; zero means no limit (serial read timeouts retry forever).
+func ReadFrame(r io.Reader, buf []byte, maxWait time.Duration) ([]byte, error) {
 	if buf == nil {
 		buf = make([]byte, 256)
 	}
 	parser := NewParser()
 
+	var deadline time.Time
+	if maxWait > 0 {
+		deadline = time.Now().Add(maxWait)
+	}
+
 	for {
+		if !deadline.IsZero() && !time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+			return nil, ErrTimeout
+		}
 		n, err := r.Read(buf)
 		if n > 0 {
 			for i := 0; i < n; i++ {