diff --git a/src/modules/simulator/simulator.cpp b/src/modules/simulator/simulator.cpp
index d69ea01c65..f595f2e507 100644
--- a/src/modules/simulator/simulator.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/simulator/simulator.cpp
@@ -45,10 +45,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <sys/types.h> 
 #include <drivers/drv_led.h>
-#ifndef __PX4_QURT
-#include <sys/socket.h>
-#include <netinet/in.h>
-#endif
+
 #include "simulator.h"
 
 using namespace simulator;
@@ -378,6 +375,11 @@ void Simulator::updateSamples()
 	// this is used to time message sending
 	_time_last = hrt_absolute_time();
 
+	// make socket non-blocking
+	int flags = fcntl(_fd,F_GETFL);
+	flags |= O_NONBLOCK;
+	fcntl(_fd, F_SETFL, flags);
+
 	int len = 0;
 	// wait for new mavlink messages to arrive
 	for (;;) {
diff --git a/src/modules/simulator/simulator.h b/src/modules/simulator/simulator.h
index 72b8cb33fb..654ddf0f5d 100644
--- a/src/modules/simulator/simulator.h
+++ b/src/modules/simulator/simulator.h
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@
 #include <uORB/uORB.h>
 #include <v1.0/mavlink_types.h>
 #include <v1.0/common/mavlink.h>
+#include <sys/socket.h>
+#ifndef __PX4_QURT
+#include <netinet/in.h>
+#endif
 
 namespace simulator {