diff --git a/soem/ethercatcoe.c b/soem/ethercatcoe.c
index 4bc2ed9..86667b5 100644
--- a/soem/ethercatcoe.c
+++ b/soem/ethercatcoe.c
@@ -856,13 +856,11 @@ int ecx_readPDOmap(ecx_contextt *context, uint16 Slave, int *Osize, int *Isize)
    /* positive result from slave ? */
    if ((wkc > 0) && (nSM > 2))
    {
-      /* make nSM equal to number of defined SM */
-      nSM--;
       /* limit to maximum number of SM defined, if true the slave can't be configured */
       if (nSM > EC_MAXSM)
          nSM = EC_MAXSM;
       /* iterate for every SM type defined */
-      for (iSM = 2 ; iSM <= nSM ; iSM++)
+      for (iSM = 2 ; iSM < nSM ; iSM++)
       {
          rdl = sizeof(tSM); tSM = 0;
          /* read SyncManager Communication Type */
@@ -958,8 +956,7 @@ int ecx_readPDOmapCA(ecx_contextt *context, uint16 Slave, int *Osize, int *Isize
    /* positive result from slave ? */
    if ((wkc > 0) && (context->SMcommtype->n > 2))
    {
-      /* make nSM equal to number of defined SM */
-      nSM = context->SMcommtype->n - 1;
+      nSM = context->SMcommtype->n;
       /* limit to maximum number of SM defined, if true the slave can't be configured */
       if (nSM > EC_MAXSM)
       {
@@ -967,7 +964,7 @@ int ecx_readPDOmapCA(ecx_contextt *context, uint16 Slave, int *Osize, int *Isize
          ecx_packeterror(context, Slave, 0, 0, 10); /* #SM larger than EC_MAXSM */
       }
       /* iterate for every SM type defined */
-      for (iSM = 2 ; iSM <= nSM ; iSM++)
+      for (iSM = 2 ; iSM < nSM ; iSM++)
       {
          tSM = context->SMcommtype->SMtype[iSM];
 
@@ -1235,7 +1232,8 @@ int ecx_readODdescription(ecx_contextt *context, uint16 Item, ec_ODlistt *pODlis
 int ecx_readOEsingle(ecx_contextt *context, uint16 Item, uint8 SubI, ec_ODlistt *pODlist, ec_OElistt *pOElist)
 {
    ec_SDOservicet *SDOp, *aSDOp;
-   uint16 wkc, Index, Slave;
+   int wkc;
+   uint16 Index, Slave;
    int16 n;
    ec_mbxbuft MbxIn, MbxOut;
    uint8 cnt;
diff --git a/soem/ethercatconfig.c b/soem/ethercatconfig.c
index 12cf717..62f78a8 100644
--- a/soem/ethercatconfig.c
+++ b/soem/ethercatconfig.c
@@ -176,7 +176,17 @@ int ecx_detect_slaves(ecx_contextt *context)
    wkc = ecx_BRD(context->port, 0x0000, ECT_REG_TYPE, sizeof(w), &w, EC_TIMEOUTSAFE);  /* detect number of slaves */
    if (wkc > 0)
    {
-      *(context->slavecount) = wkc;
+      /* this is strictly "less than" since the master is "slave 0" */
+      if (wkc < EC_MAXSLAVE)
+      {
+         *(context->slavecount) = wkc;
+      }
+      else
+      {
+         EC_PRINT("Error: too many slaves on network: num_slaves=%d, EC_MAXSLAVE=%d\n",
+               wkc, EC_MAXSLAVE);
+         return -2;
+      }
    }
    return wkc;
 }
@@ -1273,7 +1283,8 @@ int ecx_config_map_group(ecx_contextt *context, void *pIOmap, uint8 group)
 int ecx_recover_slave(ecx_contextt *context, uint16 slave, int timeout)
 {
    int rval;
-   uint16 ADPh, configadr, readadr, wkc;
+   int wkc;
+   uint16 ADPh, configadr, readadr;
 
    rval = 0;
    configadr = context->slavelist[slave].configadr;
diff --git a/soem/ethercatdc.c b/soem/ethercatdc.c
index 98ccbf4..f3883d0 100644
--- a/soem/ethercatdc.c
+++ b/soem/ethercatdc.c
@@ -292,8 +292,10 @@ boolean ecx_configdc(ecx_contextt *context)
    context->slavelist[0].hasdc = FALSE;
    context->grouplist[0].hasdc = FALSE;
    ht = 0;
-   mastertime = osal_current_time();
+
    ecx_BWR(context->port, 0, ECT_REG_DCTIME0, sizeof(ht), &ht, EC_TIMEOUTRET);  /* latch DCrecvTimeA of all slaves */
+   mastertime = osal_current_time();
+   mastertime.sec -= 946684800UL;  /* EtherCAT uses 2000-01-01 as epoch start instead of 1970-01-01 */
    mastertime64 = (((uint64)mastertime.sec * 1000000) + (uint64)mastertime.usec) * 1000;
    for (i = 1; i <= *(context->slavecount); i++)
    {
diff --git a/soem/ethercatmain.c b/soem/ethercatmain.c
index e8314dd..bdb3b73 100644
--- a/soem/ethercatmain.c
+++ b/soem/ethercatmain.c
@@ -784,9 +784,9 @@ int ecx_readstate(ecx_contextt *context)
          configadr = context->slavelist[slave].configadr;
          rval = etohs(sl[slave - fslave].alstatus);
          context->slavelist[slave].ALstatuscode = etohs(sl[slave - fslave].alstatuscode);
-         if (rval < lowest)
+         if ((rval & 0xf) < lowest)
          {
-            lowest = rval;
+            lowest = (rval & 0xf);
          }
          context->slavelist[slave].state = rval;
          context->slavelist[0].ALstatuscode |= context->slavelist[slave].ALstatuscode;
@@ -800,26 +800,29 @@ int ecx_readstate(ecx_contextt *context)
 
 /** Write slave state, if slave = 0 then write to all slaves.
  * The function does not check if the actual state is changed.
- * @param[in]  context = context struct
+ * @param[in]  context        = context struct
  * @param[in] slave    = Slave number, 0 = master
- * @return 0
+ * @return Workcounter or EC_NOFRAME
  */
 int ecx_writestate(ecx_contextt *context, uint16 slave)
 {
+   int ret;
    uint16 configadr, slstate;
 
    if (slave == 0)
    {
       slstate = htoes(context->slavelist[slave].state);
-      ecx_BWR(context->port, 0, ECT_REG_ALCTL, sizeof(slstate), &slstate, EC_TIMEOUTRET3); /* write slave status */
+      ret = ecx_BWR(context->port, 0, ECT_REG_ALCTL, sizeof(slstate),
+	            &slstate, EC_TIMEOUTRET3);
    }
    else
    {
       configadr = context->slavelist[slave].configadr;
 
-      ecx_FPWRw(context->port, configadr, ECT_REG_ALCTL, htoes(context->slavelist[slave].state), EC_TIMEOUTRET3); /* write slave status */
+      ret = ecx_FPWRw(context->port, configadr, ECT_REG_ALCTL,
+	        htoes(context->slavelist[slave].state), EC_TIMEOUTRET3);
    }
-   return 0;
+   return ret;
 }
 
 /** Check actual slave state.
diff --git a/soem/ethercatprint.h b/soem/ethercatprint.h
index 3e22113..688012f 100644
--- a/soem/ethercatprint.h
+++ b/soem/ethercatprint.h
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ extern "C"
 {
 #endif
 
-char* ec_sdoerror2string( uint16 sdoerrorcode);
+char* ec_sdoerror2string( uint32 sdoerrorcode);
 char* ec_ALstatuscode2string( uint16 ALstatuscode);
 char* ec_soeerror2string( uint16 errorcode);
 char* ecx_elist2string(ecx_contextt *context);