Index: firmware/App/Tasks/TaskGeneral.c
===================================================================
diff -u -rbe83f01a4d54cbd0d92b68cb95a15dcbb06a9a51 -r070554b23739bf16ea2bf9528ebabda1ce0ffeb3
--- firmware/App/Tasks/TaskGeneral.c	(.../TaskGeneral.c)	(revision be83f01a4d54cbd0d92b68cb95a15dcbb06a9a51)
+++ firmware/App/Tasks/TaskGeneral.c	(.../TaskGeneral.c)	(revision 070554b23739bf16ea2bf9528ebabda1ce0ffeb3)
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "Common.h"
 #include "AlarmLamp.h"
+#include "BloodFlow.h"
 #include "OperationModes.h"
 #include "SystemComm.h"
 #include "WatchdogMgmt.h"
@@ -29,6 +30,10 @@
     static BOOL lastUserPress = FALSE;
 #endif
 
+// ********** private data **********
+
+static BOOL uiHasCheckedIn = FALSE;
+
 /*************************************************************************
  * @brief taskGeneral
  * The taskGeneral function handles the scheduled General Task interrupt.\n
@@ -48,34 +53,45 @@
     // manage data received from other sub-systems
     execSystemCommRx();
 
-    // run operation mode state machine
-    execOperationModes();
+    // prevent most processing until UI has started communicating
+    if ( TRUE == uiHasCheckedIn )
+    {
+        // control blood pump
+        execBloodFlowController();
 
-    // manage alarm state
-    execAlarmMgmt();
+        // run operation mode state machine
+        execOperationModes();
 
-    // control alarm lamp
-    execAlarmLamp();
+        // manage alarm state
+        execAlarmMgmt();
 
+        // control alarm lamp
+        execAlarmLamp();
+
 #ifdef RM46_EVAL_BOARD_TARGET
-    if ( getUserButtonState() == PIN_SIGNAL_LOW )
-    {
-        if ( lastUserPress == FALSE )
+        if ( getUserButtonState() == PIN_SIGNAL_LOW )
         {
-            lastUserPress = TRUE;
-            setUserLED( FALSE );
-            sendOffButtonMsgToUI(TRUE);
+            if ( lastUserPress == FALSE )
+            {
+                lastUserPress = TRUE;
+                setUserLED( FALSE );
+                sendOffButtonMsgToUI(TRUE);
+            }
         }
+        else
+        {
+            lastUserPress = FALSE;
+        }
+#endif
+
+        // manage data to be transmitted to other sub-systems
+        execSystemCommTx();
     }
     else
     {
-        lastUserPress = FALSE;
+        uiHasCheckedIn = uiCommunicated();
     }
-#endif
 
-    // manage data to be transmitted to other sub-systems
-    execSystemCommTx();
-
     // toggle GPIO to indicate general task has executed
 //    gioToggleBit( gioPORTB, 1 );
 }