diff --git a/handler/serial/conn.go b/handler/serial/conn.go
index 2a58d778..ddc4c45f 100644
--- a/handler/serial/conn.go
+++ b/handler/serial/conn.go
@@ -40,8 +40,10 @@ func (c *recorderConn) Read(b []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	return
 }
 
-func (c *recorderConn) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
-	if c.recorder.Recorder != nil {
+func (c *recorderConn) Write(b []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	n, err = c.Conn.Write(b)
+
+	if n > 0 && c.recorder.Recorder != nil {
 		var buf bytes.Buffer
 		if c.recorder.Options != nil && c.recorder.Options.Direction {
 			buf.WriteByte('<')
@@ -53,11 +55,12 @@ func (c *recorderConn) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
 			buf.WriteByte('\n')
 		}
 		if c.recorder.Options != nil && c.recorder.Options.Hexdump {
-			buf.WriteString(hex.Dump(b))
+			buf.WriteString(hex.Dump(b[:n]))
 		} else {
-			buf.Write(b)
+			buf.Write(b[:n])
 		}
 		c.recorder.Recorder.Record(context.Background(), buf.Bytes())
 	}
-	return c.Conn.Write(b)
+
+	return
 }
diff --git a/handler/serial/handler.go b/handler/serial/handler.go
index e38d8ece..40cd1e4f 100644
--- a/handler/serial/handler.go
+++ b/handler/serial/handler.go
@@ -93,6 +93,11 @@ func (h *serialHandler) Handle(ctx context.Context, conn net.Conn, opts ...handl
 		return h.forwardSerial(ctx, conn, target, log)
 	}
 
+	if h.options.Router == nil {
+		err := errors.New("router not available")
+		log.Error(err)
+		return err
+	}
 	cc, err := h.options.Router.Dial(ctx, "tcp", "@")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error(err)
@@ -118,9 +123,12 @@ func (h *serialHandler) forwardSerial(ctx context.Context, conn net.Conn, target
 	cfg := serial.ParseConfigFromAddr(conn.LocalAddr().String())
 	cfg.Name = target.Addr
 
-	if opts := h.options.Router.Options(); opts != nil && opts.Chain != nil {
-		port, err = h.options.Router.Dial(ctx, "serial", serial.AddrFromConfig(cfg))
-	} else {
+	if h.options.Router != nil {
+		if opts := h.options.Router.Options(); opts != nil && opts.Chain != nil {
+			port, err = h.options.Router.Dial(ctx, "serial", serial.AddrFromConfig(cfg))
+		}
+	}
+	if port == nil && err == nil {
 		cfg.ReadTimeout = h.md.timeout
 		port, err = serial.OpenPort(cfg)
 	}