diff --git a/src/iofunc.c b/src/iofunc.c
index d49c0f266..0b994ee41 100644
--- a/src/iofunc.c
+++ b/src/iofunc.c
@@ -49,6 +49,130 @@
 #include "iofunc.h"
 #include "misc.h"
 
+#include "serial.h"
+#include "parallel.h"
+#include "usb_port.h"
+#include "network.h"
+
+
+/**
+ * \brief Open a hamlib_port based on its rig port type
+ * \param p rig port descriptor
+ * \return status
+ */
+int HAMLIB_API port_open(hamlib_port_t *p)
+{
+	int status;
+	int want_state_delay = 0;
+
+	p->fd = -1;
+
+	switch(p->type.rig) {
+	case RIG_PORT_SERIAL:
+		status = serial_open(p);
+		if (status < 0)
+			return status;
+		if (p->parm.serial.rts_state != RIG_SIGNAL_UNSET &&
+				p->parm.serial.handshake != RIG_HANDSHAKE_HARDWARE) {
+			status = ser_set_rts(p, 
+					p->parm.serial.rts_state == RIG_SIGNAL_ON);
+			want_state_delay = 1;
+		}
+		if (status != 0)
+			return status;
+		if (p->parm.serial.dtr_state != RIG_SIGNAL_UNSET) {
+			status = ser_set_dtr(p, 
+					p->parm.serial.dtr_state == RIG_SIGNAL_ON);
+			want_state_delay = 1;
+		}
+		if (status != 0)
+			return status;
+		/*
+		 * Wait whatever electrolytics in the circuit come up to voltage.
+		 * Is 100ms enough? Too much?
+		 */
+		if (want_state_delay)
+			usleep(100*1000);
+
+		break;
+
+	case RIG_PORT_PARALLEL:
+		status = par_open(p);
+		if (status < 0)
+			return status;
+		break;
+
+	case RIG_PORT_DEVICE:
+		status = open(p->pathname, O_RDWR, 0);
+		if (status < 0)
+			return -RIG_EIO;
+		p->fd = status;
+		break;
+
+	case RIG_PORT_USB:
+		status = usb_port_open(p);
+		if (status < 0)
+			return status;
+		break;
+
+	case RIG_PORT_NONE:
+	case RIG_PORT_RPC:
+		break;	/* ez :) */
+
+	case RIG_PORT_NETWORK:
+        /* FIXME: hardcoded network port */
+		status = network_open(p, 4532);
+		if (status < 0)
+			return status;
+		break;
+
+	default:
+		return -RIG_EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	return RIG_OK;
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Close a hamlib_port
+ * \param p rig port descriptor
+ * \param port_type equivalent rig port type
+ * \return status
+ *
+ * This function may also be used with ptt and dcd ports.
+ */
+int HAMLIB_API port_close(hamlib_port_t *p, rig_port_t port_type)
+{
+    int ret;
+
+	if (p->fd != -1) {
+		switch (port_type) {
+		case RIG_PORT_SERIAL:
+			ret = ser_close(p);
+			break;
+		case RIG_PORT_PARALLEL:
+			ret = par_close(p);
+			break;
+		case RIG_PORT_USB:
+			ret = usb_port_close(p);
+			break;
+		case RIG_PORT_NETWORK:
+			ret = network_close(p);
+			break;
+
+		default:
+		    rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_ERR, "%s: Unknown port type %d\n",
+						__func__, port_type);
+            /* fall through */
+		case RIG_PORT_DEVICE:
+			ret = close(p->fd);
+		}
+		p->fd = -1;
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 #if defined(WIN32) && !defined(HAVE_TERMIOS_H)
 #include "win32termios.h"
 
diff --git a/src/iofunc.h b/src/iofunc.h
index 6fcd021b9..8273e2152 100644
--- a/src/iofunc.h
+++ b/src/iofunc.h
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 #include <hamlib/rig.h>
 
 
+extern HAMLIB_EXPORT(int) port_open(hamlib_port_t *p);
+extern HAMLIB_EXPORT(int) port_close(hamlib_port_t *p, rig_port_t port_type);
+
 extern HAMLIB_EXPORT(int) read_block(hamlib_port_t *p, char *rxbuffer, size_t count);
 extern HAMLIB_EXPORT(int) write_block(hamlib_port_t *p, const char *txbuffer, size_t count);
 extern HAMLIB_EXPORT(int) read_string(hamlib_port_t *p, char *rxbuffer, size_t rxmax, const char *stopset, int stopset_len);
diff --git a/src/rig.c b/src/rig.c
index ca6005e62..75e909e5e 100644
--- a/src/rig.c
+++ b/src/rig.c
@@ -419,7 +419,6 @@ int HAMLIB_API rig_open(RIG *rig)
 	const struct rig_caps *caps;
 	struct rig_state *rs;
 	int status;
-	int want_state_delay = 0;
 
 	rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_VERBOSE,"rig:rig_open called \n");
 
@@ -434,69 +433,28 @@ int HAMLIB_API rig_open(RIG *rig)
 
 	rs->rigport.fd = -1;
 
-	switch(rs->rigport.type.rig) {
-	case RIG_PORT_SERIAL:
-		status = serial_open(&rs->rigport);
-		if (status < 0)
-			return status;
+	if (rs->rigport.type.rig == RIG_PORT_SERIAL) {
+
 		if (rs->rigport.parm.serial.rts_state != RIG_SIGNAL_UNSET &&
-				rs->rigport.type.ptt != RIG_PTT_SERIAL_RTS &&
-				rs->rigport.parm.serial.handshake != RIG_HANDSHAKE_HARDWARE) {
-			status = ser_set_rts(&rs->rigport, 
-					rs->rigport.parm.serial.rts_state == RIG_SIGNAL_ON);
-			want_state_delay = 1;
+				(rs->pttport.type.ptt == RIG_PTT_SERIAL_RTS ||
+				rs->rigport.parm.serial.handshake == RIG_HANDSHAKE_HARDWARE)) {
+
+			rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_ERR, "Cannot set RTS with PTT by RTS or hardware handshare \"%s\"\n",
+						rs->rigport.pathname);
+            return -RIG_ECONF;
 		}
-		if (status != 0)
-			return status;
 		if (rs->rigport.parm.serial.dtr_state != RIG_SIGNAL_UNSET &&
-				rs->rigport.type.ptt != RIG_PTT_SERIAL_DTR) {
-			status = ser_set_dtr(&rs->rigport, 
-					rs->rigport.parm.serial.dtr_state == RIG_SIGNAL_ON);
-			want_state_delay = 1;
+				rs->pttport.type.ptt == RIG_PTT_SERIAL_DTR) {
+			rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_ERR, "Cannot set DTR with PTT by DTR\"%s\"\n",
+						rs->rigport.pathname);
+            return -RIG_ECONF;
 		}
-		if (status != 0)
-			return status;
-		/*
-		 * Wait whatever electrolytics in the circuit come up to voltage.
-		 * Is 100ms enough? Too much?
-		 */
-		if (want_state_delay)
-			usleep(100*1000);
+    }
 
-		break;
+    status = port_open(&rs->rigport);
+    if (status < 0)
+        return status;
 
-	case RIG_PORT_PARALLEL:
-		status = par_open(&rs->rigport);
-		if (status < 0)
-			return status;
-		break;
-
-	case RIG_PORT_DEVICE:
-		status = open(rs->rigport.pathname, O_RDWR, 0);
-		if (status < 0)
-			return -RIG_EIO;
-		rs->rigport.fd = status;
-		break;
-
-	case RIG_PORT_USB:
-		status = usb_port_open(&rs->rigport);
-		if (status < 0)
-			return status;
-		break;
-
-	case RIG_PORT_NONE:
-	case RIG_PORT_RPC:
-		break;	/* ez :) */
-
-	case RIG_PORT_NETWORK:
-		status = network_open(&rs->rigport, 4532);
-		if (status < 0)
-			return status;
-		break;
-
-	default:
-		return -RIG_EINVAL;
-	}
 
 	/*
 	 * FIXME: what to do if PTT open fails or PTT unsupported?
@@ -633,10 +591,10 @@ int HAMLIB_API rig_close(RIG *rig)
 		break;
 	case RIG_PTT_SERIAL_RTS:
 	case RIG_PTT_SERIAL_DTR:
-		ser_close(&rs->pttport);
+        port_close(&rs->pttport, RIG_PORT_SERIAL);
 		break;
 	case RIG_PTT_PARALLEL:
-		par_close(&rs->pttport);
+        port_close(&rs->pttport, RIG_PORT_PARALLEL);
 		break;
 	default:
 		rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_ERR, "Unsupported PTT type %d\n",
@@ -650,10 +608,10 @@ int HAMLIB_API rig_close(RIG *rig)
 	case RIG_DCD_SERIAL_DSR:
 	case RIG_DCD_SERIAL_CTS:
 	case RIG_DCD_SERIAL_CAR:
-		ser_close(&rs->dcdport);
+        port_close(&rs->dcdport, RIG_PORT_SERIAL);
 		break;
 	case RIG_DCD_PARALLEL:
-		par_close(&rs->dcdport);
+        port_close(&rs->dcdport, RIG_PORT_PARALLEL);
 		break;
 	default:
 		rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_ERR, "Unsupported DCD type %d\n",
@@ -662,26 +620,7 @@ int HAMLIB_API rig_close(RIG *rig)
 
 	rs->dcdport.fd = rs->pttport.fd = -1;
 
-	if (rs->rigport.fd != -1) {
-		switch(rs->rigport.type.rig) {
-		case RIG_PORT_SERIAL:
-			ser_close(&rs->rigport);
-			break;
-		case RIG_PORT_PARALLEL:
-			par_close(&rs->rigport);
-			break;
-		case RIG_PORT_USB:
-			usb_port_close(&rs->rigport);
-			break;
-		case RIG_PORT_NETWORK:
-			network_close(&rs->rigport);
-			break;
-
-		default:
-			close(rs->rigport.fd);
-		}
-		rs->rigport.fd = -1;
-	}
+    port_close(&rs->rigport, rs->rigport.type.rig);
 
 	remove_opened_rig(rig);