diff --git a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/Connection.java b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/Connection.java
index 1765d385..d34016a4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/Connection.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/Connection.java
@@ -182,11 +182,12 @@ public boolean isOpen() {
                                       @Nullable TypeReference<T> typeRef) {
         try {
             return runAsync(term, optArgs, fetchMode, typeRef).join();
-        } catch (CompletionException e) {
-            if (e.getCause() instanceof ReqlError) {
-                throw ((ReqlError) e.getCause());
+        } catch (CompletionException ce) {
+            Throwable t = ce.getCause();
+            if (t instanceof ReqlError) {
+                throw ((ReqlError) t);
             }
-            throw e;
+            throw new ReqlDriverError(t);
         }
     }
 
@@ -212,12 +213,12 @@ public boolean isOpen() {
     public @NotNull Server server() {
         try {
             return serverAsync().join();
-        } catch (
-            CompletionException e) {
-            if (e.getCause() instanceof ReqlError) {
-                throw ((ReqlError) e.getCause());
+        } catch (CompletionException ce) {
+            Throwable t = ce.getCause();
+            if (t instanceof ReqlError) {
+                throw ((ReqlError) t);
             }
-            throw e;
+            throw new ReqlDriverError(t);
         }
     }
 
@@ -236,11 +237,12 @@ public boolean isOpen() {
     public void noreplyWait() {
         try {
             noreplyWaitAsync().join();
-        } catch (CompletionException e) {
-            if (e.getCause() instanceof ReqlError) {
-                throw ((ReqlError) e.getCause());
+        } catch (CompletionException ce) {
+            Throwable t = ce.getCause();
+            if (t instanceof ReqlError) {
+                throw ((ReqlError) t);
             }
-            throw e;
+            throw new ReqlDriverError(t);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/DefaultConnectionFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/DefaultConnectionFactory.java
index 674a4f9d..32b3b28a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/DefaultConnectionFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/rethinkdb/net/DefaultConnectionFactory.java
@@ -106,25 +106,30 @@ public void write(@NotNull ByteBuffer buffer) {
 
         @Override
         public @NotNull String readCString(@Nullable Long deadline) {
-            try {
-                final StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
-                int next;
-                char c;
-                while ((next = inputStream.read()) != -1 && (c = (char) next) != '\0') {
-                    // is there a deadline?
-                    if (deadline != null) {
-                        // have we timed-out?
-                        if (deadline < System.currentTimeMillis()) { // reached time-out
-                            throw new ReqlDriverError("Connection timed out.");
-                        }
+            Long timeout = deadline == null ? null : System.currentTimeMillis() + deadline;
+            final StringBuilder b = new StringBuilder();
+            int has;
+            int next;
+            char c;
+            while (timeout == null || System.currentTimeMillis() < timeout) {
+                try {
+                    has = inputStream.available();
+                    if (has < 0) {
+                        break;
+                    }
+                    if (has == 0) {
+                        Thread.yield();
+                        continue;
                     }
-                    sb.append(c);
+                    if ((next = inputStream.read()) == -1 || (c = (char) next) == '\0') {
+                        return b.toString();
+                    }
+                } catch (IOException e) {
+                    throw new ReqlDriverError(e);
                 }
-
-                return sb.toString();
-            } catch (IOException e) {
-                throw new ReqlDriverError(e);
+                b.append(c);
             }
+            throw new ReqlDriverError("Read timed out.");
         }
 
         @Override
@@ -231,5 +236,10 @@ private void shutdown(Exception e) {
         public void shutdownPump() {
             shutdown(new ReqlDriverError("Response pump closed."));
         }
+
+        @Override
+        public String toString() {
+            return "ThreadResponsePump";
+        }
     }
 }