diff --git a/rigs/kenwood/k3.c b/rigs/kenwood/k3.c
index 05d6b2416..1f003fa7b 100644
--- a/rigs/kenwood/k3.c
+++ b/rigs/kenwood/k3.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "elecraft.h"
 #include "token.h"
 #include "cal.h"
+#include "iofunc.h"
 
 #define K3_MODES (RIG_MODE_CW|RIG_MODE_CWR|RIG_MODE_SSB|\
     RIG_MODE_RTTY|RIG_MODE_RTTYR|RIG_MODE_FM|RIG_MODE_AM|RIG_MODE_PKTUSB|\
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ const struct rig_caps k3_caps =
     RIG_MODEL(RIG_MODEL_K3),
     .model_name =       "K3",
     .mfg_name =     "Elecraft",
-    .version =      BACKEND_VER ".4",
+    .version =      BACKEND_VER ".5",
     .copyright =        "LGPL",
     .status =       RIG_STATUS_STABLE,
     .rig_type =     RIG_TYPE_TRANSCEIVER,
@@ -333,7 +334,7 @@ const struct rig_caps k3s_caps =
     RIG_MODEL(RIG_MODEL_K3S),
     .model_name =       "K3S",
     .mfg_name =     "Elecraft",
-    .version =      BACKEND_VER ".3",
+    .version =      BACKEND_VER ".4",
     .copyright =        "LGPL",
     .status =       RIG_STATUS_STABLE,
     .rig_type =     RIG_TYPE_TRANSCEIVER,
@@ -483,7 +484,7 @@ const struct rig_caps k4_caps =
     RIG_MODEL(RIG_MODEL_K4),
     .model_name =       "K4",
     .mfg_name =     "Elecraft",
-    .version =      BACKEND_VER ".3",
+    .version =      BACKEND_VER ".4",
     .copyright =        "LGPL",
     .status =       RIG_STATUS_ALPHA,
     .rig_type =     RIG_TYPE_TRANSCEIVER,
@@ -632,7 +633,7 @@ const struct rig_caps kx3_caps =
     RIG_MODEL(RIG_MODEL_KX3),
     .model_name =       "KX3",
     .mfg_name =     "Elecraft",
-    .version =      BACKEND_VER ".3",
+    .version =      BACKEND_VER ".4",
     .copyright =        "LGPL",
     .status =       RIG_STATUS_BETA,
     .rig_type =     RIG_TYPE_TRANSCEIVER,
@@ -781,7 +782,7 @@ const struct rig_caps kx2_caps =
     RIG_MODEL(RIG_MODEL_KX2),
     .model_name =       "KX2",
     .mfg_name =     "Elecraft",
-    .version =      BACKEND_VER ".3",
+    .version =      BACKEND_VER ".4",
     .copyright =        "LGPL",
     .status =       RIG_STATUS_BETA,
     .rig_type =     RIG_TYPE_TRANSCEIVER,
@@ -1193,19 +1194,20 @@ int k3_set_vfo(RIG *rig, vfo_t vfo)
 int k3_get_vfo(RIG *rig, vfo_t *vfo)
 {
     char buf[KENWOOD_MAX_BUF_LEN];
-    int err;
+    int ret;
 
-    err = kenwood_safe_transaction(rig, "IC", buf, KENWOOD_MAX_BUF_LEN, 3);
+    ret = write_block(&rig->state.rigport, "IC;", 3);
 
-    if (err != RIG_OK)
+    if (ret != RIG_OK)
     {
-        rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_VERBOSE, "%s: Cannot read K3 IC value\n", __func__);
-        RETURNFUNC(err);
+        rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_VERBOSE, "%s: Cannot write K3 IC value\n", __func__);
+        RETURNFUNC(ret);
     }
 
-    if (strlen(buf) != 8)
+    ret = read_block(&rig->state.rigport, buf, 8);
+    if (ret != 8)
     {
-        rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_ERR, "%s: expected 8 bytes from '%s', got %ld bytes\n", __func__, buf, strlen(buf));
+        rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_ERR, "%s: expected 8 bytes from '%s', got %d bytes\n", __func__, buf, ret);
         RETURNFUNC(-RIG_EPROTO);
     }
     if (buf[6] == '0') *vfo = RIG_VFO_B;