diff --git a/src/network/net_pcap.c b/src/network/net_pcap.c
index e704d1b00..5acc9c170 100644
--- a/src/network/net_pcap.c
+++ b/src/network/net_pcap.c
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ poll_thread(void *arg)
 	if (pcap == NULL) break;
 
 	/* Wait for the next packet to arrive. */
-	if (network_wait)
+	if (network_get_wait())
 		data = NULL;
 	else
 		data = (uint8_t *)f_pcap_next((void *)pcap, &h);
diff --git a/src/network/net_slirp.c b/src/network/net_slirp.c
index a726d133d..8b8304854 100644
--- a/src/network/net_slirp.c
+++ b/src/network/net_slirp.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ poll_thread(void *arg)
 	/* Wait for the next packet to arrive. */
 	data_valid = 0;
 
-	if (!network_wait && (QueuePeek(slirpq) != 0)) {
+	if (!network_get_wait() && (QueuePeek(slirpq) != 0)) {
 		/* Grab a packet from the queue. */
 		// ui_sb_update_icon(SB_NETWORK, 1);
 
diff --git a/src/network/network.c b/src/network/network.c
index 869da50b3..6cff7945d 100644
--- a/src/network/network.c
+++ b/src/network/network.c
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ static netcard_t net_cards[] = {
 int		network_type;
 int		network_ndev;
 int		network_card;
-volatile int	network_wait = 0;
+static volatile int	net_wait = 0;
 char		network_host[522];
 netdev_t	network_devs[32];
 #ifdef ENABLE_NIC_LOG
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ network_attach(void *dev, uint8_t *mac, NETRXCB rx)
     net_cards[network_card].rx = rx;
     network_mac = mac;
 
-    network_wait = 0;
+    network_set_wait(0);
 
     /* Create the network events. */
     poll_data.wake_poll_thread = thread_create_event();
@@ -450,5 +450,19 @@ network_card_get_from_internal_name(char *s)
 void
 network_set_wait(int wait)
 {
-    network_wait = wait;
+    network_wait(1);
+    net_wait = wait;
+    network_wait(0);
+}
+
+
+int
+network_get_wait(void)
+{
+    int ret;
+
+    network_wait(1);
+    ret = net_wait;
+    network_wait(0);
+    return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/network/network.h b/src/network/network.h
index e5c72ce5e..feae064ee 100644
--- a/src/network/network.h
+++ b/src/network/network.h
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ extern "C" {
 /* Global variables. */
 extern int	nic_do_log;				/* config */
 extern int      network_ndev;
-extern volatile int	network_wait;
 extern netdev_t network_devs[32];
 
 
@@ -126,6 +125,7 @@ extern int	network_card_get_from_internal_name(char *);
 extern const device_t	*network_card_getdevice(int);
 
 extern void	network_set_wait(int wait);
+extern int	network_get_wait(void);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }