diff --git a/src/io.c b/src/io.c
index c3171ce..9e8a749 100644
--- a/src/io.c
+++ b/src/io.c
@@ -122,19 +122,13 @@ void wiiuse_disconnect(struct wiimote_t* wm) {
 */
 void wiiuse_wait_report(struct wiimote_t *wm, int report, byte *buffer, int bufferLength)
 {
-	byte readReport;
 	for(;;)
 	{
 		if(wiiuse_os_read(wm, buffer, bufferLength) > 0) {
-#ifdef WIIUSE_WIN32
-			readReport = buffer[0];
-#else
-			readReport = buffer[1];
-#endif
-			if(readReport == report) {
+			if(buffer[0] == report) {
 				break;
 			} else {
-				WIIUSE_WARNING("(id %i) dropping report 0x%x, waiting for 0x%x", wm->unid, readReport, report);
+				WIIUSE_WARNING("(id %i) dropping report 0x%x, waiting for 0x%x", wm->unid, buffer[0], report);
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -153,7 +147,7 @@ void wiiuse_wait_report(struct wiimote_t *wm, int report, byte *buffer, int buff
 *    amount of data from the Wiimote.
 *
 */
-void wiiuse_read(struct wiimote_t *wm, byte memory, unsigned addr, unsigned short size, byte *data)
+void wiiuse_read_data_sync(struct wiimote_t *wm, byte memory, unsigned addr, unsigned short size, byte *data)
 {
 	byte pkt[6];
 	byte buf[MAX_PAYLOAD];
@@ -185,7 +179,7 @@ void wiiuse_read(struct wiimote_t *wm, byte memory, unsigned addr, unsigned shor
 	for(i = 0; i < n_full_reports; ++i)
 	{
 		wiiuse_wait_report(wm, WM_RPT_READ, buf, MAX_PAYLOAD);
-		memmove(output, buf + 7, 16);
+		memmove(output, buf + 6, 16);
 		output += 16;
 	}
 
@@ -193,7 +187,7 @@ void wiiuse_read(struct wiimote_t *wm, byte memory, unsigned addr, unsigned shor
 	if(last_report)
 	{
 		wiiuse_wait_report(wm, WM_RPT_READ, buf, MAX_PAYLOAD);
-		memmove(output, buf + 7, last_report);
+		memmove(output, buf + 6, last_report);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -240,7 +234,7 @@ void wiiuse_handshake(struct wiimote_t* wm, byte* data, uint16_t len)
 	{
 		struct accel_t* accel = &wm->accel_calib;
 
-		wiiuse_read(wm, 1, WM_MEM_OFFSET_CALIBRATION, 8, buf);
+		wiiuse_read_data_sync(wm, 1, WM_MEM_OFFSET_CALIBRATION, 8, buf);
 
 		/* received read data */
 		accel->cal_zero.x = buf[0];
diff --git a/src/io.h b/src/io.h
index 5f83ac1..9dd1da8 100644
--- a/src/io.h
+++ b/src/io.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ extern "C" {
 void wiiuse_handshake(struct wiimote_t* wm, byte* data, uint16_t len);
 
 void wiiuse_wait_report(struct wiimote_t *wm, int report, byte *buffer, int bufferLength);
-void wiiuse_read(struct wiimote_t *wm, byte memory, unsigned addr, unsigned short size, byte *data);
+void wiiuse_read_data_sync(struct wiimote_t *wm, byte memory, unsigned addr, unsigned short size, byte *data);
 /** @} */
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/motion_plus.c b/src/motion_plus.c
index 711f541..84a3699 100644
--- a/src/motion_plus.c
+++ b/src/motion_plus.c
@@ -47,23 +47,19 @@ void wiiuse_probe_motion_plus(struct wiimote_t *wm)
 {
     byte buf[MAX_PAYLOAD];
     unsigned id;
-	unsigned short offset = 0;
-#ifdef WIIUSE_WIN32
-	offset = 1;
-#endif
 
-    wiiuse_read(wm, 0, WM_EXP_MOTION_PLUS_IDENT, 6, buf);
+    wiiuse_read_data_sync(wm, 0, WM_EXP_MOTION_PLUS_IDENT, 6, buf);
 
     /* check error code */
-    if(buf[4-offset] & 0x0f)
+    if(buf[4] & 0x0f)
     {
         WIIUSE_DEBUG("No Motion+ available, stopping probe.");
         WIIMOTE_DISABLE_STATE(wm, WIIMOTE_STATE_MPLUS_PRESENT);
         return;
     }
 
-    /* decode the id*/
-    id = from_big_endian_uint32_t(buf + 2 - offset);
+    /* decode the id */
+    id = from_big_endian_uint32_t(buf + 2);
 
     if(id != EXP_ID_CODE_INACTIVE_MOTION_PLUS &&
                     id != EXP_ID_CODE_NLA_MOTION_PLUS &&
diff --git a/src/os.h b/src/os.h
index 779fa3f..7b86c44 100644
--- a/src/os.h
+++ b/src/os.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ int wiiuse_os_connect(struct wiimote_t** wm, int wiimotes);
 void wiiuse_os_disconnect(struct wiimote_t* wm);
 
 int wiiuse_os_poll(struct wiimote_t** wm, int wiimotes);
+/* buf[0] will be the report type, buf+1 the rest of the report */
 int wiiuse_os_read(struct wiimote_t* wm, byte* buf, int len);
 int wiiuse_os_write(struct wiimote_t* wm, byte* buf, int len);
 /** @} */
diff --git a/src/os_mac/os_mac.m b/src/os_mac/os_mac.m
index 1f64f45..8e2f57a 100644
--- a/src/os_mac/os_mac.m
+++ b/src/os_mac/os_mac.m
@@ -253,7 +253,8 @@
 	}
 	
 	// copy the data into the buffer
-	WiiuseReceivedData* newData = [[WiiuseReceivedData alloc] initWithBytes: data length: length];
+	// on Mac, we ignore the first byte
+	WiiuseReceivedData* newData = [[WiiuseReceivedData alloc] initWithBytes: data+1 length: length-1];
 	[receivedDataLock lock];
 	[receivedData addObject: newData];
 	[receivedDataLock unlock];
@@ -316,9 +317,9 @@
 	// log the received data
 #ifdef WITH_WIIUSE_DEBUG
 	{
-		printf("[DEBUG] (id %i) RECV: (%x) ", wm->unid, bytes[1]);
+		printf("[DEBUG] (id %i) RECV: (%.2x) ", wm->unid, bytes[0]);
 		int x;
-		for (x = 2; x < length; ++x)
+		for (x = 1; x < length; ++x)
 			printf("%.2x ", bytes[x]);
 		printf("\n");
 	}
diff --git a/src/os_mac/os_mac_interface.m b/src/os_mac/os_mac_interface.m
index c533d55..ed5adfa 100644
--- a/src/os_mac/os_mac_interface.m
+++ b/src/os_mac/os_mac_interface.m
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ int wiiuse_os_poll(struct wiimote_t** wm, int wiimotes) {
 		memset(read_buffer, 0, sizeof(read_buffer));
 		/* read */
 		if (wiiuse_os_read(wm[i], read_buffer, sizeof(read_buffer))) {
-			/* propagate the event, messages should be read as in linux, starting from the second element */
-			propagate_event(wm[i], read_buffer[1], read_buffer+2);
+			/* propagate the event */
+			propagate_event(wm[i], read_buffer[0], read_buffer+1);
 		} else {
 			/* send out any waiting writes */
 			wiiuse_send_next_pending_write_request(wm[i]);
diff --git a/src/os_nix.c b/src/os_nix.c
index 69349b1..c454f58 100644
--- a/src/os_nix.c
+++ b/src/os_nix.c
@@ -286,32 +286,12 @@ int wiiuse_os_poll(struct wiimote_t** wm, int wiimotes) {
 			clear_dirty_reads(wm[i]);
 
 			/* read the pending message into the buffer */
-			r = read(wm[i]->in_sock, read_buffer, sizeof(read_buffer));
-			if (r == -1) {
-				/* error reading data */
-				WIIUSE_ERROR("Receiving wiimote data (id %i).", wm[i]->unid);
-				perror("Error Details");
-
-				if (errno == ENOTCONN) {
-					/* this can happen if the bluetooth dongle is disconnected */
-					WIIUSE_ERROR("Bluetooth appears to be disconnected.  Wiimote unid %i will be disconnected.", wm[i]->unid);
-					wiiuse_os_disconnect(wm[i]);
-					wiiuse_disconnected(wm[i]);
-					wm[i]->event = WIIUSE_UNEXPECTED_DISCONNECT;
-				}
-
-				continue;
+			r = wiiuse_os_read(wm, read_buffer, sizeof(read_buffer));
+			if (r > 0) {
+				/* propagate the event */
+				propagate_event(wm[i], read_buffer[0], read_buffer+1);
+				evnt += (wm[i]->event != WIIUSE_NONE);
 			}
-			if (!r) {
-				/* remote disconnect */
-				wiiuse_disconnected(wm[i]);
-				evnt = 1;
-				continue;
-			}
-
-			/* propagate the event */
-			propagate_event(wm[i], read_buffer[1], read_buffer+2);
-			evnt += (wm[i]->event != WIIUSE_NONE);
 		} else {
 			/* send out any waiting writes */
 			wiiuse_send_next_pending_write_request(wm[i]);
@@ -324,11 +304,41 @@ int wiiuse_os_poll(struct wiimote_t** wm, int wiimotes) {
 
 int wiiuse_os_read(struct wiimote_t* wm, byte* buf, int len) {
 	int rc;
+	int i;
 
 	rc = read(wm->in_sock, buf, len);
 
-	if(rc <= 0)
+	if (r == -1) {
+		/* error reading data */
+		WIIUSE_ERROR("Receiving wiimote data (id %i).", wm->unid);
+		perror("Error Details");
+
+		if (errno == ENOTCONN) {
+			/* this can happen if the bluetooth dongle is disconnected */
+			WIIUSE_ERROR("Bluetooth appears to be disconnected. Wiimote unid %i will be disconnected.", wm->unid);
+			wiiuse_os_disconnect(wm);
+			wiiuse_disconnected(wm);
+		}
+	} else if(rc == 0) {
+		/* remote disconnect */
 		wiiuse_disconnected(wm);
+	} else {
+		/* read successful */
+		/* on *nix we ignore the first byte */
+		memmove(buf, buf+1, len-1);
+
+		/* log the received data */
+#ifdef WITH_WIIUSE_DEBUG
+		{
+			int i;
+			printf("[DEBUG] (id %i) RECV: (%.2x) ", wm->unid, buf[0]);
+			for(i = 1; i < rc; i++) {
+				printf("%.2x ", buf[i]);
+			}
+			printf("\n");
+		}
+#endif
+	}
 
 	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/src/os_win.c b/src/os_win.c
index 0b0c0fb..489ff40 100644
--- a/src/os_win.c
+++ b/src/os_win.c
@@ -240,12 +240,13 @@ int wiiuse_os_read(struct wiimote_t* wm, byte* buf, int len) {
 		if (!GetOverlappedResult(wm->dev_handle, &wm->hid_overlap, &b, 0))
 			return 0;
 
+		/* log the received data */
 #ifdef WITH_WIIUSE_DEBUG
 		{
 			int i;
-			printf("[DEBUG] (id %i) RECV: (%x) ", wm->unid, buf[0]);
+			printf("[DEBUG] (id %i) RECV: (%.2x) ", wm->unid, buf[0]);
 			for(i = 1; i < b; i++) {
-				printf("%x ", buf[i]);
+				printf("%.2x ", buf[i]);
 			}
 			printf("\n");
 		}
diff --git a/src/wiiuse.h b/src/wiiuse.h
index 7e1616a..f801e3c 100644
--- a/src/wiiuse.h
+++ b/src/wiiuse.h
@@ -307,12 +307,6 @@ typedef enum ir_position_t {
 #define WIIUSE_IS_LED_SET(wm, num)		((wm->leds & WIIMOTE_LED_##num) == WIIMOTE_LED_##num)
 /** @} */
 
-/*
- *	Largest known payload is 21 bytes.
- *	Add 2 for the prefix and round up to a power of 2.
- */
-#define MAX_PAYLOAD			32
-
 /*
  *	This is left over from an old hack, but it may actually
  *	be a useful feature to keep so it wasn't removed.
diff --git a/src/wiiuse_internal.h b/src/wiiuse_internal.h
index 39c1f1e..e4830c0 100644
--- a/src/wiiuse_internal.h
+++ b/src/wiiuse_internal.h
@@ -243,6 +243,12 @@
 
 #define NUNCHUK_IS_FLAG_SET(wm, s)		((*(wm->flags) & (s)) == (s))
 
+/*
+ *	Largest known payload is 21 bytes.
+ *	Add 1 (Win32) or 2 (Mac, *nix) for the prefix and round up to a power of 2.
+ */
+#define MAX_PAYLOAD			32
+
 /*
  *	Smooth tilt calculations are computed with the
  *	exponential moving average formula: