diff --git a/pw_hdlc/py/pw_hdlc/rpc_console.py b/pw_hdlc/py/pw_hdlc/rpc_console.py
index 27d4028..38bc6e0 100644
--- a/pw_hdlc/py/pw_hdlc/rpc_console.py
+++ b/pw_hdlc/py/pw_hdlc/rpc_console.py
@@ -256,7 +256,11 @@
         serial_impl = SerialWithLogging
 
     if socket_addr is None:
-        serial_device = serial_impl(device, baudrate, timeout=1)
+        serial_device = serial_impl(
+            device,
+            baudrate,
+            timeout=0,  # Non-blocking mode
+        )
         read = lambda: serial_device.read(8192)
         write = serial_device.write
     else:
diff --git a/pw_system/py/pw_system/console.py b/pw_system/py/pw_system/console.py
index 2a676e0..8a9de01 100644
--- a/pw_system/py/pw_system/console.py
+++ b/pw_system/py/pw_system/console.py
@@ -263,7 +263,11 @@
 
     timestamp_decoder = None
     if socket_addr is None:
-        serial_device = serial_impl(device, baudrate, timeout=1)
+        serial_device = serial_impl(
+            device,
+            baudrate,
+            timeout=0,  # Non-blocking mode
+        )
         read = lambda: serial_device.read(8192)
         write = serial_device.write