diff --git a/common.h b/common.h
index 93d12dcc..62dd2e18 100644
--- a/common.h
+++ b/common.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ typedef struct {
     char *password;
     char *apname;
     char *meta_dir;
+    int get_coverart;
     uint8_t hw_addr[6];
     int port;
     int resyncthreshold; // if it get's out of whack my more than this, resync. Zero means never resync.
diff --git a/mdns.h b/mdns.h
index e09b5686..a5dc88a4 100644
--- a/mdns.h
+++ b/mdns.h
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ typedef struct {
 
 // text and progress only -- picture feed really buggy from iTunes
 
-#define MDNS_RECORD_WITH_METADATA "tp=UDP", "sm=false", "ek=1", "et=0,1", "cn=0,1", "ch=2", "md=0,1,2", \
+#define METADATA_EXPRESSION config.get_coverart ? "md=0,1,2" : "md=0,2"
+
+#define MDNS_RECORD_WITH_METADATA "tp=UDP", "sm=false", "ek=1", "et=0,1", "cn=0,1", "ch=2", METADATA_EXPRESSION , \
                 "ss=16", "sr=44100", "vn=3", "txtvers=1", \
                 config.password ? "pw=true" : "pw=false"
 
diff --git a/rtsp.c b/rtsp.c
index d4c7d186..a4561c49 100644
--- a/rtsp.c
+++ b/rtsp.c
@@ -538,20 +538,39 @@ static enum rtsp_read_request_response rtsp_read_request(int fd, rtsp_message**
         buflen = msg_size;
     }
 
+    uint64_t threshold_time = get_absolute_time_in_fp() + ((uint64_t)5<<32); // i.e. five seconds from now
+    int warning_message_sent = 0;
+    
+    const size_t max_read_chunk = 50000;
     while (inbuf < msg_size) {
-        nread = read(fd, buf+inbuf, msg_size-inbuf);
-        if (!nread) {
-            reply = rtsp_read_request_response_error;
-            goto shutdown;
+    
+      // we are going to read the stream in chunks and time how long it takes to do so.
+      // If it's taking too long, (and we find out about it), we will send an error message as metadata
+      
+      if (warning_message_sent==0) {
+        uint64_t time_now = get_absolute_time_in_fp();
+        if (time_now>threshold_time) { // it's taking too long
+          debug(1,"Error receiving metadata from source -- transmission seems to be stalled.");
+          send_ssnc_metadata('stal',NULL,0,1);
+          warning_message_sent = 1;
         }
-        if (nread==EINTR)
-            continue;
-        if (nread < 0) {
-            perror("read failure");
-            reply = rtsp_read_request_response_error;
-            goto shutdown;
-        }
-        inbuf += nread;
+      }
+      ssize_t read_chunk = msg_size-inbuf;
+      if (read_chunk > max_read_chunk)
+        read_chunk = max_read_chunk;
+      nread = read(fd, buf+inbuf, read_chunk);
+      if (!nread) {
+        reply = rtsp_read_request_response_error;
+        goto shutdown;
+      }
+      if (nread==EINTR)
+        continue;
+      if (nread < 0) {
+        perror("read failure");
+        reply = rtsp_read_request_response_error;
+        goto shutdown;
+      }
+      inbuf += nread;
     }
 
     msg->contentlength = inbuf;
diff --git a/shairport.c b/shairport.c
index f0fc8539..e4d2f534 100644
--- a/shairport.c
+++ b/shairport.c
@@ -180,6 +180,8 @@ void usage(char *progname) {
     printf("    --statistics            print some interesting statistics -- output to the logfile if running as a daemon.\n");
     printf("    --tolerance=TOLERANCE   allow a synchronization error of TOLERANCE frames (default 88) before trying to correct it.\n");
     printf("    --password=PASSWORD     require PASSWORD to connect. Default is not to require a password.\n");
+    printf("    --meta-dir=DIR          get metadata from the source and pipe it to DIR/shairport-sync-metadata, e.g. --meta-dir=/tmp.\n");
+    printf("    --get-coverart          get cover art from the source and pipe it to DIR/shairport-sync-metadata, e.g. --meta-dir=/tmp.\n");
     printf("\n");
     mdns_ls_backends();
     printf("\n");
@@ -216,6 +218,7 @@ int parse_options(int argc, char **argv) {
     { "password", 0, POPT_ARG_STRING, &config.password, 0, NULL } ,
     { "tolerance", 0, POPT_ARG_INT, &config.tolerance, 0, NULL } ,
     { "meta-dir", 'M', POPT_ARG_STRING, &config.meta_dir, 0, NULL } ,
+    { "get-coverart", 'g', POPT_ARG_NONE, &config.get_coverart, 0, NULL },
     POPT_AUTOHELP
     { NULL, 0, 0, NULL, 0 }
   };
@@ -235,6 +238,10 @@ int parse_options(int argc, char **argv) {
       case 'v':
         debuglev++;
         break;
+      case 'g':
+        if (config.meta_dir==0)
+          die("If you want to get cover art, you must also select the --meta-dir option.");
+        break;
       case 'S':
         if (strcmp(stuffing,"basic")==0)           		
           config.packet_stuffing = ST_basic;
@@ -273,7 +280,7 @@ int parse_options(int argc, char **argv) {
   debug(2,"tolerance is %d frames.",config.tolerance);
   debug(2,"password is \"%s\".",config.password);
   debug(2,"metadata directory is \"%s\".",config.meta_dir);
-
+  debug(2,"get-coverart is %d.",config.get_coverart);
   return optind+1;
 }