diff --git a/src/iofunc.c b/src/iofunc.c
index cdaa662f6..dc0c1937f 100644
--- a/src/iofunc.c
+++ b/src/iofunc.c
@@ -1339,10 +1339,14 @@ static int read_string_generic(hamlib_port_t *p,
          */
         do
         {
-            // The ioctl works on Linux but not mingw -- enable in 4.6 for non-mingw builds and see if it breaks anything
-            //int avail=0;
-            //ioctl(p->fd, FIONREAD, &avail);
+#if 0
+#ifndef __MINGW32__
+            // The ioctl works on Linux but not mingw 
+            int avail=0;
+            ioctl(p->fd, FIONREAD, &avail);
             //rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_ERR, "xs: avail=%d expected_len=%d, minlen=%d, direct=%d\n", __func__, avail, expected_len, minlen, direct);
+#endif
+#endif
             rd_count = port_read_generic(p, &rxbuffer[total_count],
                                          expected_len == 1 ? 1 : minlen, direct);
             rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_VERBOSE, "%s: read %d bytes\n", __func__, (int)rd_count);