diff --git a/include/LCDDisplay.hpp b/include/LCDDisplay.hpp
index 457e751..2b2c872 100644
--- a/include/LCDDisplay.hpp
+++ b/include/LCDDisplay.hpp
@@ -18,14 +18,18 @@
 
 class LCDDisplay {
    private:
-    uint8_t _lcd;
+    uint8_t _lcd = -1;
+    std::string _dev;
     char writebuf[LCD_LINES * LCD_COLS + 8];                       // 4x40 chars + 2x4 setcursor commands
     static constexpr bool dualDisp = (LCD_LINES * LCD_COLS > 80);  // is it dual display device or not, evauluated from the size at compile time
     void writeLines(std::array<std::string, 4> lines);             // do not use
-
+    
+    
    public:
     LCDDisplay(std::string dev, uint32_t baud = 0010002);  // from termios-baud.h, B115200
     ~LCDDisplay();
+    void _open();
+    void _close();
 
     void clear();
     void setContrast(uint8_t contrast);
diff --git a/src/LCDDisplay.cpp b/src/LCDDisplay.cpp
index a3c732f..6d7e0fc 100644
--- a/src/LCDDisplay.cpp
+++ b/src/LCDDisplay.cpp
@@ -2,23 +2,17 @@
 
 /* lcd size hardcoded to 4x40 idgaf */
 LCDDisplay::LCDDisplay(std::string dev, uint32_t baud) {
-    log(LOG::INF, "LCDDisplay", "Opening LCD at \"{}\"", dev);
+    _dev = dev;
+    _open();
+
     struct termios term;
-    int lcd = open(dev.c_str(), O_RDWR | O_NOCTTY | O_NONBLOCK);
-
-    if (lcd < 0) {
-        log(LOG::ERR, "LCDDisplay", "Error opening serial port \"{}\"", dev);  // err
-        exit(lcd);
-    }
-
     // Setup the serial port 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stopbit, no flow control
     term.c_cflag = baud | CS8 | CSTOPB | CLOCAL | CREAD;
     term.c_iflag = 0;
     term.c_oflag = 0;
     term.c_lflag = 0;
-    tcflush(lcd, TCIFLUSH);
-    tcsetattr(lcd, TCSANOW, &term);
-    _lcd = lcd;
+    tcflush(_lcd, TCIFLUSH);
+    tcsetattr(_lcd, TCSANOW, &term);
 
     // init linebuf to spaces
     clearBuf();
@@ -32,7 +26,21 @@ LCDDisplay::LCDDisplay(std::string dev, uint32_t baud) {
 }
 
 LCDDisplay::~LCDDisplay() {
-    close(_lcd);
+    _close();
+}
+
+void LCDDisplay::_open() {
+    _lcd = open(_dev.c_str(), O_RDWR | O_NOCTTY | O_NONBLOCK);
+    if (_lcd < 0) {
+        log(LOG::ERR, "LCDDisplay", "Error opening serial port \"{}\"", dev);  // err
+        exit(_lcd);
+    }
+    log(LOG::INF, "LCDDisplay", "Opened LCD at \"{}\"", _dev);
+}
+
+void LCDDisplay::_close() {
+    if (_lcd >= 0) close(_lcd);
+    _lcd = -1;
     log(LOG::INF, "LCDDisplay", "LCD port closed");
 }
 
@@ -117,7 +125,9 @@ void LCDDisplay::flushBuf() {
     std::memcpy(&writebuf[2 * LCD_COLS + 4], setDisp, 4);
     writebuf[2 * LCD_COLS + 7] = 3;  // overwrite set cursor c1 l1 to c1 l3
 
+    _open();
     write(_lcd, writebuf, sizeof(writebuf));
+    _close();
 }
 
 char LCDDisplay::bar(uint8_t char_id, double value) {