diff --git a/serial_link/protocol/triple_buffered_object.c b/serial_link/protocol/triple_buffered_object.c
index 77e45ec41..3fabb7d84 100644
--- a/serial_link/protocol/triple_buffered_object.c
+++ b/serial_link/protocol/triple_buffered_object.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ SOFTWARE.
 */
 
 #include "protocol/triple_buffered_object.h"
+#include "system/system.h"
 
 #define GET_READ_INDEX() object->state & 3
 #define GET_WRITE_INDEX() (object->state >> 2) & 3
@@ -42,11 +43,21 @@ void triple_buffer_init(triple_buffer_object_t* object) {
     SET_DATA_AVAILABLE(0);
 }
 
-static void triple_buffer_begin_read(uint16_t object_size, triple_buffer_object_t* object) {
-    uint8_t shared_index = GET_SHARED_INDEX();
-    uint8_t read_index = GET_READ_INDEX();
-    SET_READ_INDEX(shared_index);
-    SET_SHARED_INDEX(read_index);
+static bool triple_buffer_begin_read(uint16_t object_size, triple_buffer_object_t* object) {
+    serial_link_lock();
+    if (GET_DATA_AVAILABLE()) {
+        uint8_t shared_index = GET_SHARED_INDEX();
+        uint8_t read_index = GET_READ_INDEX();
+        SET_READ_INDEX(shared_index);
+        SET_SHARED_INDEX(read_index);
+        SET_DATA_AVAILABLE(false);
+        serial_link_unlock();
+        return true;
+    }
+    else {
+        serial_link_unlock();
+        return false;
+    }
 }
 
 static void triple_buffer_actual_read(uint16_t object_size, triple_buffer_object_t* object, void* dst) {
@@ -61,13 +72,21 @@ void triple_buffer_write(uint16_t object_size, triple_buffer_object_t* object, v
 
     uint8_t write_index = GET_WRITE_INDEX();
     memcpy(object->buffer + object_size * write_index, src, object_size);
+    serial_link_lock();
     uint8_t shared_index = GET_SHARED_INDEX();
     SET_SHARED_INDEX(write_index);
     SET_WRITE_INDEX(shared_index);
+    SET_DATA_AVAILABLE(true);
+    serial_link_unlock();
 }
 
-void triple_buffer_read(uint16_t object_size, triple_buffer_object_t* object, void* dst) {
-    triple_buffer_begin_read(object_size, object);
-    triple_buffer_actual_read(object_size, object, dst);
-    triple_buffer_end_read(object_size, object);
+bool triple_buffer_read(uint16_t object_size, triple_buffer_object_t* object, void* dst) {
+    if (triple_buffer_begin_read(object_size, object)) {
+        triple_buffer_actual_read(object_size, object, dst);
+        triple_buffer_end_read(object_size, object);
+        return true;
+    }
+    else {
+        return false;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/serial_link/protocol/triple_buffered_object.h b/serial_link/protocol/triple_buffered_object.h
index ebdbcae79..705f0c49f 100644
--- a/serial_link/protocol/triple_buffered_object.h
+++ b/serial_link/protocol/triple_buffered_object.h
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@ typedef struct {
     uint8_t buffer[];
 }triple_buffer_object_t;
 
+void triple_buffer_init(triple_buffer_object_t* object);
 void triple_buffer_write(uint16_t object_size, triple_buffer_object_t* object, void* src);
-void triple_buffer_read(uint16_t object_size, triple_buffer_object_t* object, void* dst);
+bool triple_buffer_read(uint16_t object_size, triple_buffer_object_t* object, void* dst);
 
 
 #endif
diff --git a/serial_link/system/system.h b/serial_link/system/system.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c798e6477
--- /dev/null
+++ b/serial_link/system/system.h
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+/*
+The MIT License (MIT)
+
+Copyright (c) 2016 Fred Sundvik
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
+*/
+
+#ifndef SERIAL_LINK_SYSTEM_H
+#define SERIAL_LINK_SYSTEM_H
+
+void serial_link_lock() {
+
+}
+
+void serial_link_unlock() {
+
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/serial_link/tests/triple_buffered_object_tests.c b/serial_link/tests/triple_buffered_object_tests.c
index 5fa1b8b62..cd3ecb6a2 100644
--- a/serial_link/tests/triple_buffered_object_tests.c
+++ b/serial_link/tests/triple_buffered_object_tests.c
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ Ensure(TripleBufferedObject, writes_and_reads_object) {
     assert_that(dst, is_equal_to(src));
 }
 
+Ensure(TripleBufferedObject, does_not_read_empty) {
+    uint32_t dst;
+    bool res = triple_buffer_read(4, (triple_buffer_object_t*)&test_object, &dst);
+    assert_that(res, is_equal_to(false));
+}
+
 Ensure(TripleBufferedObject, writes_and_reads_object_decomposed) {
     uint32_t src = 0x3456ABCC;
     uint32_t dst;
@@ -79,6 +85,7 @@ Ensure(TripleBufferedObject, performs_another_write_in_the_middle_of_read) {
     assert_that(dst, is_equal_to(1));
     triple_buffer_read(4, (triple_buffer_object_t*)&test_object, &dst);
     assert_that(dst, is_equal_to(2));
+    assert_that(triple_buffer_read(4, (triple_buffer_object_t*)&test_object, &dst), is_equal_to(false));
 }
 
 Ensure(TripleBufferedObject, performs_two_writes_in_the_middle_of_read) {
@@ -95,4 +102,5 @@ Ensure(TripleBufferedObject, performs_two_writes_in_the_middle_of_read) {
     assert_that(dst, is_equal_to(1));
     triple_buffer_read(4, (triple_buffer_object_t*)&test_object, &dst);
     assert_that(dst, is_equal_to(3));
+    assert_that(triple_buffer_read(4, (triple_buffer_object_t*)&test_object, &dst), is_equal_to(false));
 }