Index: trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/pcontrol/CheckBusyJob.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/pcontrol/CheckBusyJob.c	(revision 13684)
+++ trunk/Ohana/src/opihi/pcontrol/CheckBusyJob.c	(revision 16456)
@@ -56,5 +56,11 @@
   /** host is up, need to parse message **/
   p = memstr (buffer.buffer, "STATUS", buffer.Nbuffer);
-  ASSERT (p != NULL, "missing STATUS in pclient message");
+  // this condition means the message is garbage.  toss it and try again
+  if (p == NULL) {
+    PutHost (host, PCONTROL_HOST_BUSY, STACK_BOTTOM);
+    PutJob (job, PCONTROL_JOB_BUSY, STACK_BOTTOM);
+    FreeIOBuffer (&buffer);
+    return (FALSE);
+  }
 
   sscanf (p, "%*s %s", string);