diff --git a/core/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/trace/symbolic/protocol/MasterProtocolHandler.kt b/core/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/trace/symbolic/protocol/MasterProtocolHandler.kt
index cd663306e..0912a446c 100644
--- a/core/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/trace/symbolic/protocol/MasterProtocolHandler.kt
+++ b/core/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/trace/symbolic/protocol/MasterProtocolHandler.kt
@@ -50,16 +50,13 @@ interface Worker2MasterConnection : AutoCloseable {
 // Impl
 
 class MasterProtocolSocketHandler(
-    clientPort: Int
+    override val clientPort: Int
 ) : MasterProtocolHandler {
-    private val clientListener = ServerSocket(clientPort)
     private val workerListener = ServerSocket(0)
-
-    override val clientPort get() = clientListener.localPort
     override val workerPort get() = workerListener.localPort
 
     override fun receiveClientConnection(): Master2ClientConnection {
-        val socket = clientListener.accept()
+        val socket = Socket("localhost", clientPort)
         return Master2ClientSocketConnection(socket)
     }
 
@@ -79,6 +76,9 @@ class Master2ClientSocketConnection(private val socket: Socket) : Master2ClientC
     }
 
     override fun receive(): String {
+        while (!reader.ready()) {
+            log.debug("Waiting, reader is not ready yet")
+        }
         return reader.readLine().also {
             log.debug("Master received a request $it")
         }
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ class Master2ClientSocketConnection(private val socket: Socket) : Master2ClientC
         log.debug("Master sends a response")
         writer.write(result)
         writer.newLine()
+        writer.flush()
     }
 
     override fun close() {
@@ -127,21 +128,12 @@ class Master2WorkerSocketConnection(private val socket: Socket) : Master2WorkerC
 @InternalSerializationApi
 class Client2MasterSocketConnection(
     val serializer: KexSerializer,
-    private val port: Int
+    private val socket: Socket
 ) : Client2MasterConnection {
-    private lateinit var socket: Socket
     private lateinit var writer: BufferedWriter
     private lateinit var reader: BufferedReader
 
     override fun connect(timeout: Duration): Boolean {
-        log.debug("Trying to connect to master at port $port")
-        socket = Socket()
-        try {
-            socket.connect(InetSocketAddress("localhost", port), timeout.inWholeMilliseconds.toInt())
-        } catch (_: SocketTimeoutException) {
-            log.error("Could not connect to master, timeout exception")
-            return false
-        }
         writer = socket.getOutputStream().bufferedWriter()
         reader = socket.getInputStream().bufferedReader()
         log.debug("Connected to master")
diff --git a/kex-executor/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/worker/ExecutorMaster.kt b/kex-executor/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/worker/ExecutorMaster.kt
index 4194aa1bb..ba9f3aba3 100644
--- a/kex-executor/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/worker/ExecutorMaster.kt
+++ b/kex-executor/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/worker/ExecutorMaster.kt
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class ExecutorMaster(
                 reInit()
 
             val request = clientConnection.receive()
-            log.debug("Worker $id receiver request $request")
+            log.debug("Worker $id received request $request")
             workerConnection.send(request)
             val result = try {
                 workerConnection.receive()
diff --git a/kex-runner/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/trace/runner/SymbolicExternalTracingRunner.kt b/kex-runner/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/trace/runner/SymbolicExternalTracingRunner.kt
index a0efe864e..25f392128 100644
--- a/kex-runner/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/trace/runner/SymbolicExternalTracingRunner.kt
+++ b/kex-runner/src/main/kotlin/org/vorpal/research/kex/trace/runner/SymbolicExternalTracingRunner.kt
@@ -28,17 +28,12 @@ import kotlin.time.Duration.Companion.seconds
 @InternalSerializationApi
 internal object ExecutorMasterController : AutoCloseable {
     private lateinit var process: Process
-    private val masterPort: Int
+    private val controllerSocket = ServerSocket(0)
     private val serializers = mutableMapOf<ClassManager, KexSerializer>()
 
     init {
-        val tempSocket = ServerSocket(0)
-        masterPort = tempSocket.localPort
-        tempSocket.close()
-        // this is fucked up
-        Thread.sleep(2000)
         Runtime.getRuntime().addShutdownHook(thread(start = false) {
-            if (process.isAlive) process.destroy()
+            if (::process.isInitialized && process.isAlive) process.destroy()
         })
     }
 
@@ -81,14 +76,13 @@ internal object ExecutorMasterController : AutoCloseable {
             executorKlass,
             "--output", "${outputDir.toAbsolutePath()}",
             "--config", "$executorConfigPath",
-            "--port", "$masterPort",
+            "--port", "${controllerSocket.localPort}",
             "--kfgClassPath", kfgClassPath.joinToString(getPathSeparator()),
             "--workerClassPath", workerClassPath.joinToString(getPathSeparator()),
             "--numOfWorkers", "$numberOfWorkers"
         )
         log.debug("Starting executor master process with command: '${pb.command().joinToString(" ")}'")
         process = pb.start()
-        Thread.sleep(1000)
     }
 
     fun getClientConnection(ctx: ExecutionContext): Client2MasterConnection {
@@ -97,7 +91,7 @@ internal object ExecutorMasterController : AutoCloseable {
                 ctx.cm,
                 prettyPrint = false
             )
-        }, masterPort)
+        }, controllerSocket.accept())
     }
 
     override fun close() {