diff --git a/include/zenoh-pico/api/macros.h b/include/zenoh-pico/api/macros.h
index c7cb700a9..f40e5dcf8 100644
--- a/include/zenoh-pico/api/macros.h
+++ b/include/zenoh-pico/api/macros.h
@@ -279,8 +279,10 @@ template<> inline int8_t z_drop(z_owned_publisher_t* v) { return z_undeclare_pub
 template<> inline void z_drop(z_owned_keyexpr_t* v) { z_keyexpr_drop(v); }
 template<> inline void z_drop(z_owned_config_t* v) { z_config_drop(v); }
 template<> inline void z_drop(z_owned_scouting_config_t* v) { z_scouting_config_drop(v); }
+#if Z_FEATURE_SUBSCRIPTION==1
 template<> inline int8_t z_drop(z_owned_pull_subscriber_t* v) { return z_undeclare_pull_subscriber(v); }
 template<> inline int8_t z_drop(z_owned_subscriber_t* v) { return z_undeclare_subscriber(v); }
+#endif
 template<> inline int8_t z_drop(z_owned_queryable_t* v) { return z_undeclare_queryable(v); }
 template<> inline void z_drop(z_owned_reply_t* v) { z_reply_drop(v); }
 template<> inline void z_drop(z_owned_hello_t* v) { z_hello_drop(v); }
diff --git a/include/zenoh-pico/collections/refcount.h b/include/zenoh-pico/collections/refcount.h
index c348d16b7..ce1bdd36e 100644
--- a/include/zenoh-pico/collections/refcount.h
+++ b/include/zenoh-pico/collections/refcount.h
@@ -43,9 +43,9 @@
 
 // c11 atomic variant
 #define _ZP_RC_CNT_TYPE _z_atomic(unsigned int)
-#define _ZP_RC_OP_INIT_CNT _z_atomic_store_explicit(&p.in->_cnt, 1, _z_memory_order_relaxed);
-#define _ZP_RC_OP_INCR_CNT _z_atomic_fetch_add_explicit(&p->in->_cnt, 1, _z_memory_order_relaxed);
-#define _ZP_RC_OP_DECR_AND_CMP _z_atomic_fetch_sub_explicit(&p->in->_cnt, 1, _z_memory_order_release) > 1
+#define _ZP_RC_OP_INIT_CNT _z_atomic_store_explicit(&p.in->_cnt, (unsigned int)1, _z_memory_order_relaxed);
+#define _ZP_RC_OP_INCR_CNT _z_atomic_fetch_add_explicit(&p->in->_cnt, (unsigned int)1, _z_memory_order_relaxed);
+#define _ZP_RC_OP_DECR_AND_CMP _z_atomic_fetch_sub_explicit(&p->in->_cnt, (unsigned int)1, _z_memory_order_release) > 1
 #define _ZP_RC_OP_SYNC atomic_thread_fence(_z_memory_order_acquire);
 
 #else  // ZENOH_C_STANDARD == 99
diff --git a/include/zenoh-pico/system/platform/espidf.h b/include/zenoh-pico/system/platform/espidf.h
index 6210a9abc..7511cb72a 100644
--- a/include/zenoh-pico/system/platform/espidf.h
+++ b/include/zenoh-pico/system/platform/espidf.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 #include <driver/uart.h>
 #include <freertos/FreeRTOS.h>
+#include <freertos/event_groups.h>
 #include <freertos/task.h>
 
 #include "zenoh-pico/config.h"
@@ -24,8 +25,20 @@
 #if Z_FEATURE_MULTI_THREAD == 1
 #include <pthread.h>
 
-typedef TaskHandle_t zp_task_t;
-typedef void *zp_task_attr_t;  // Not used in ESP32
+typedef struct {
+    const char *name;
+    UBaseType_t priority;
+    size_t stack_depth;
+#if (configSUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION == 1)
+    _Bool static_allocation;
+    StackType_t *stack_buffer;
+    StaticTask_t *task_buffer;
+#endif /* SUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION */
+} zp_task_attr_t;
+typedef struct {
+    TaskHandle_t handle;
+    EventGroupHandle_t join_event;
+} zp_task_t;
 typedef pthread_mutex_t zp_mutex_t;
 typedef pthread_cond_t zp_condvar_t;
 #endif  // Z_FEATURE_MULTI_THREAD == 1
@@ -39,7 +52,11 @@ typedef struct {
         int _fd;
 #endif
 #if Z_FEATURE_LINK_SERIAL == 1
-        uart_port_t _serial;
+        struct {
+            uart_port_t _serial;
+            uint8_t *before_cobs;
+            uint8_t *after_cobs;
+        };
 #endif
     };
 } _z_sys_net_socket_t;
diff --git a/src/api/api.c b/src/api/api.c
index 73350bd23..a2ded70d4 100644
--- a/src/api/api.c
+++ b/src/api/api.c
@@ -647,6 +647,7 @@ int8_t z_put(z_session_t zs, z_keyexpr_t keyexpr, const uint8_t *payload, z_zint
 #endif
     );
 
+#if Z_FEATURE_SUBSCRIPTION == 1
     // Trigger local subscriptions
     _z_trigger_local_subscriptions(&zs._val.in->val, keyexpr, payload, payload_len,
                                    _z_n_qos_make(0, opt.congestion_control == Z_CONGESTION_CONTROL_BLOCK, opt.priority)
@@ -655,7 +656,7 @@ int8_t z_put(z_session_t zs, z_keyexpr_t keyexpr, const uint8_t *payload, z_zint
                                    opt.attachment
 #endif
     );
-
+#endif
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -746,7 +747,7 @@ int8_t z_publisher_put(const z_publisher_t pub, const uint8_t *payload, size_t l
                    opt.attachment
 #endif
     );
-
+#if Z_FEATURE_SUBSCRIPTION == 1
     // Trigger local subscriptions
     _z_trigger_local_subscriptions(&pub._val->_zn.in->val, pub._val->_key, payload, len, _Z_N_QOS_DEFAULT
 #if Z_FEATURE_ATTACHMENT == 1
@@ -754,7 +755,7 @@ int8_t z_publisher_put(const z_publisher_t pub, const uint8_t *payload, size_t l
                                    opt.attachment
 #endif
     );
-
+#endif
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/session/subscription.c b/src/session/subscription.c
index 1b9345b0d..04cb808fd 100644
--- a/src/session/subscription.c
+++ b/src/session/subscription.c
@@ -184,8 +184,11 @@ int8_t _z_trigger_subscriptions(_z_session_t *zn, const _z_keyexpr_t keyexpr, co
 #if Z_FEATURE_MULTI_THREAD == 1
     zp_mutex_lock(&zn->_mutex_inner);
 #endif  // Z_FEATURE_MULTI_THREAD == 1
+#if Z_FEATURE_SUBSCRIPTION == 1
 
-    _Z_DEBUG("Resolving %d - %s on mapping 0x%x", keyexpr._id, keyexpr._suffix, _z_keyexpr_mapping_id(&keyexpr));
+//    _Z_DEBUG(" %x - %s", keyexpr._id, keyexpr._suffix);
+//    _Z_DEBUG("Resolving %d - %s on mapping 0x%x", keyexpr._id, keyexpr._suffix, _z_keyexpr_mapping_id(&keyexpr));
+#endif
     _z_keyexpr_t key = __unsafe_z_get_expanded_key_from_key(zn, &keyexpr);
     _Z_DEBUG("Triggering subs for %d - %s", key._id, key._suffix);
     if (key._suffix != NULL) {
diff --git a/src/system/espidf/network.c b/src/system/espidf/network.c
index f11d60658..f750436a1 100644
--- a/src/system/espidf/network.c
+++ b/src/system/espidf/network.c
@@ -591,9 +591,10 @@ int8_t _z_open_serial_from_dev(_z_sys_net_socket_t *sock, char *dev, uint32_t ba
     uart_set_pin(sock->_serial, txpin, rxpin, UART_PIN_NO_CHANGE, UART_PIN_NO_CHANGE);
 
     const int uart_buffer_size = (1024 * 2);
-    QueueHandle_t uart_queue;
-    uart_driver_install(sock->_serial, uart_buffer_size, 0, 100, &uart_queue, 0);
-
+    uart_driver_install(sock->_serial, uart_buffer_size, 0, 100, NULL, 0);
+    uart_flush_input(sock->_serial);
+    sock->after_cobs = (uint8_t *)zp_malloc(_Z_SERIAL_MFS_SIZE);
+    sock->before_cobs = (uint8_t *)zp_malloc(_Z_SERIAL_MAX_COBS_BUF_SIZE);
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -622,65 +623,75 @@ int8_t _z_listen_serial_from_dev(_z_sys_net_socket_t *sock, char *dev, uint32_t
     return ret;
 }
 
-void _z_close_serial(_z_sys_net_socket_t *sock) { uart_driver_delete(sock->_serial); }
+void _z_close_serial(_z_sys_net_socket_t *sock) {
+    printf("Closing serial %d\n", sock->_serial);
+    uart_wait_tx_done(sock->_serial, 1000);
+    uart_flush(sock->_serial);
+    uart_driver_delete(sock->_serial);
+    zp_free(sock->after_cobs);
+    zp_free(sock->before_cobs);
+}
 
 size_t _z_read_serial(const _z_sys_net_socket_t sock, uint8_t *ptr, size_t len) {
     int8_t ret = _Z_RES_OK;
 
-    uint8_t *before_cobs = (uint8_t *)zp_malloc(_Z_SERIAL_MAX_COBS_BUF_SIZE);
     size_t rb = 0;
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < _Z_SERIAL_MAX_COBS_BUF_SIZE; i++) {
-        size_t len = 0;
-        do {
-            uart_get_buffered_data_len(sock._serial, &len);
-            if (len < 1) {
-                zp_sleep_ms(10);  // FIXME: Yield by sleeping.
-            } else {
-                break;
+    while (rb < _Z_SERIAL_MAX_COBS_BUF_SIZE) {
+        int r = uart_read_bytes(sock._serial, &sock.before_cobs[rb], 1, 1000);
+        if (r == 0) {
+            _Z_DEBUG("Timeout reading from serial");
+            if ( rb == 0 ) {
+                ret = _Z_ERR_GENERIC;
             }
-        } while (1);
-        uart_read_bytes(sock._serial, &before_cobs[i], 1, 100);
-        rb = rb + (size_t)1;
-        if (before_cobs[i] == (uint8_t)0x00) {
             break;
+        } else if (r == 1) {
+            rb = rb + (size_t)1;
+            if (sock.before_cobs[rb-1] == (uint8_t)0x00) {
+                break;
+            }
+        } else {
+            _Z_ERROR("Error reading from serial");
+            ret = _Z_ERR_GENERIC;
         }
     }
-
-    uint8_t *after_cobs = (uint8_t *)zp_malloc(_Z_SERIAL_MFS_SIZE);
-    size_t trb = _z_cobs_decode(before_cobs, rb, after_cobs);
-
-    size_t i = 0;
     uint16_t payload_len = 0;
-    for (i = 0; i < sizeof(payload_len); i++) {
-        payload_len |= (after_cobs[i] << ((uint8_t)i * (uint8_t)8));
-    }
 
-    if (trb == (size_t)(payload_len + (uint16_t)6)) {
-        (void)memcpy(ptr, &after_cobs[i], payload_len);
-        i = i + (size_t)payload_len;
-
-        uint32_t crc = 0;
-        for (uint8_t j = 0; j < sizeof(crc); j++) {
-            crc |= (uint32_t)(after_cobs[i] << (j * (uint8_t)8));
-            i = i + (size_t)1;
+    if (ret == _Z_RES_OK) {
+        _Z_DEBUG("Read %u bytes from serial", rb);
+        size_t trb = _z_cobs_decode(sock.before_cobs, rb, sock.after_cobs);
+        _Z_DEBUG("Decoded %u bytes from serial", trb);
+        size_t i = 0;
+        for (i = 0; i < sizeof(payload_len); i++) {
+            payload_len |= (sock.after_cobs[i] << ((uint8_t)i * (uint8_t)8));
         }
+        _Z_DEBUG("payload_len = %u <= %X %X", payload_len, sock.after_cobs[1], sock.after_cobs[0]);
+
+        if (trb == (size_t)(payload_len + (uint16_t)6)) {
+            (void)memcpy(ptr, &sock.after_cobs[i], payload_len);
+            i = i + (size_t)payload_len;
+
+            uint32_t crc = 0;
+            for (uint8_t j = 0; j < sizeof(crc); j++) {
+                crc |= (uint32_t)(sock.after_cobs[i] << (j * (uint8_t)8));
+                i = i + (size_t)1;
+            }
 
-        uint32_t c_crc = _z_crc32(ptr, payload_len);
-        if (c_crc != crc) {
+            uint32_t c_crc = _z_crc32(ptr, payload_len);
+            if (c_crc != crc) {
+                _Z_ERROR("CRC mismatch: %d != %d ", c_crc, crc);
+                ret = _Z_ERR_GENERIC;
+            }
+        } else {
+            _Z_ERROR("length mismatch => %d <> %d ", trb, payload_len + (uint16_t)6);
             ret = _Z_ERR_GENERIC;
         }
-    } else {
-        ret = _Z_ERR_GENERIC;
     }
 
-    zp_free(before_cobs);
-    zp_free(after_cobs);
-
     rb = payload_len;
     if (ret != _Z_RES_OK) {
         rb = SIZE_MAX;
     }
-
+    _Z_DEBUG("return _z_read_serial() = %d ", rb);
     return rb;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/system/espidf/system.c b/src/system/espidf/system.c
index 12633ad2b..47194c31e 100644
--- a/src/system/espidf/system.c
+++ b/src/system/espidf/system.c
@@ -50,48 +50,77 @@ void zp_free(void *ptr) { heap_caps_free(ptr); }
 // In FreeRTOS, tasks created using xTaskCreate must end with vTaskDelete.
 // A task function should __not__ simply return.
 typedef struct {
-    void *(*_fun)(void *);
-    void *_arg;
+    void *(*fun)(void *);
+    void *arg;
+    EventGroupHandle_t join_event;
 } z_task_arg;
 
-void z_task_wrapper(z_task_arg *targ) {
-    targ->_fun(targ->_arg);
+static void z_task_wrapper(void *arg) {
+    z_task_arg *targ = (z_task_arg *)arg;
+    targ->fun(targ->arg);
+    xEventGroupSetBits(targ->join_event, 1);
     vTaskDelete(NULL);
-    zp_free(targ);
 }
 
-/*------------------ Task ------------------*/
-int8_t zp_task_init(zp_task_t *task, zp_task_attr_t *attr, void *(*fun)(void *), void *arg) {
-    int ret = 0;
+static zp_task_attr_t z_default_task_attr = {
+    .name = "",
+    .priority = configMAX_PRIORITIES / 2,
+    .stack_depth = 5120,
+#if (configSUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION == 1)
+    .static_allocation = false,
+    .stack_buffer = NULL,
+    .task_buffer = NULL,
+#endif /* SUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION */
+};
 
+/*------------------ Thread ------------------*/
+int8_t zp_task_init(zp_task_t *task, zp_task_attr_t *attr, void *(*fun)(void *), void *arg) {
     z_task_arg *z_arg = (z_task_arg *)zp_malloc(sizeof(z_task_arg));
-    if (z_arg != NULL) {
-        z_arg->_fun = fun;
-        z_arg->_arg = arg;
-        if (xTaskCreate((void *)z_task_wrapper, "", 5120, z_arg, configMAX_PRIORITIES / 2, task) != pdPASS) {
-            ret = -1;
+    if (z_arg == NULL) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    z_arg->fun = fun;
+    z_arg->arg = arg;
+    z_arg->join_event = task->join_event = xEventGroupCreate();
+
+    if (attr == NULL) {
+        attr = &z_default_task_attr;
+    }
+
+#if (configSUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION == 1)
+    if (attr->static_allocation) {
+        task->handle = xTaskCreateStatic(z_task_wrapper, attr->name, attr->stack_depth, z_arg, attr->priority,
+                                         attr->stack_buffer, attr->task_buffer);
+        if (task->handle == NULL) {
+            return -1;
         }
     } else {
-        ret = -1;
+#endif /* SUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION */
+        if (xTaskCreate(z_task_wrapper, attr->name, attr->stack_depth, z_arg, attr->priority, &task->handle) !=
+            pdPASS) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+#if (configSUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION == 1)
     }
+#endif /* SUPPORT_STATIC_ALLOCATION */
 
-    return ret;
+    return 0;
 }
 
 int8_t zp_task_join(zp_task_t *task) {
-    // Note: task/thread join not supported on FreeRTOS API, so we force its deletion instead.
-    return zp_task_cancel(task);
+    xEventGroupWaitBits(task->join_event, 1, pdFALSE, pdFALSE, portMAX_DELAY);
+    return 0;
 }
 
 int8_t zp_task_cancel(zp_task_t *task) {
-    vTaskDelete(*task);
+    vTaskDelete(task->handle);
     return 0;
 }
 
 void zp_task_free(zp_task_t **task) {
-    zp_task_t *ptr = *task;
-    zp_free(ptr);
-    *task = NULL;
+    zp_free((*task)->join_event);
+    zp_free(*task);
 }
 
 /*------------------ Mutex ------------------*/
@@ -125,7 +154,8 @@ int zp_sleep_ms(size_t time) {
     // This may compound, so this approach may make sleeps longer than expected.
     // This extra check tries to minimize the amount of extra time it might sleep.
     while (zp_time_elapsed_ms(&start) < time) {
-        zp_sleep_us(1000);
+        //zp_sleep_us(1000);
+        vTaskDelay(1/portTICK_PERIOD_MS);
     }
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/src/transport/unicast/read.c b/src/transport/unicast/read.c
index 3b02ff597..7b5e6083a 100644
--- a/src/transport/unicast/read.c
+++ b/src/transport/unicast/read.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ void *_zp_unicast_read_task(void *ztu_arg) {
         }
         // Wrap the main buffer for to_read bytes
         _z_zbuf_t zbuf = _z_zbuf_view(&ztu->_zbuf, to_read);
-
+        
         // Mark the session that we have received data
         ztu->_received = true;