diff --git a/keyboards/centromere/matrix.c b/keyboards/centromere/matrix.c
index bbd771f41bb..0218adf39b4 100644
--- a/keyboards/centromere/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/centromere/matrix.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "matrix.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 void matrix_init_custom(void) {
     uart_init(500000);
 }
@@ -39,11 +41,16 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
         //wait for the serial data, timeout if it's been too long
         while (!uart_available()) {
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000) {
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0
diff --git a/keyboards/dichotomy/matrix.c b/keyboards/dichotomy/matrix.c
index dc90e7501ea..0799554f0a9 100755
--- a/keyboards/dichotomy/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/dichotomy/matrix.c
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #define MAIN_ROWMASK 0xFFF0;
 #define LOWER_ROWMASK 0x3FC0;
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 /* matrix state(1:on, 0:off) */
 static matrix_row_t matrix[MATRIX_ROWS];
 
@@ -96,8 +98,6 @@ void matrix_init(void) {
 
 uint8_t matrix_scan(void)
 {
-    //xprintf("\r\nTRYING TO SCAN");
-
     uint32_t timeout = 0;
 
     //the s character requests the RF slave to send the matrix
@@ -113,18 +113,22 @@ uint8_t matrix_scan(void)
         //harm to leave it in here
         while(!uart_available()){
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000){
-		xprintf("\r\nTime out in keyboard.");
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0
     //will only show up here if the correct bytes were recieved
             uint8_t checksum = 0x00;
-            for (uint8_t z=0; z<10; z++){
+            for (uint8_t z = 0; z < 10; z++){
                 checksum = checksum^uart_data[z];
             }
             checksum = checksum ^ (uart_data[10] & 0xF0);
diff --git a/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ergo/matrix.c b/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ergo/matrix.c
index 603ad0f3860..32d7b09310a 100644
--- a/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ergo/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ergo/matrix.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "matrix.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 void matrix_init_custom(void) {
     uart_init(1000000);
 }
@@ -41,11 +43,16 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
         //harm to leave it in here
         while (!uart_available()) {
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000) {
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0
diff --git a/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ls/matrix.c b/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ls/matrix.c
index a92c3e84310..9a69724eb78 100644
--- a/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ls/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ls/matrix.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "matrix.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 void matrix_init_custom(void) {
     uart_init(1000000);
 }
@@ -41,11 +43,16 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
         //harm to leave it in here
         while (!uart_available()) {
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000) {
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0
diff --git a/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ortho/matrix.c b/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ortho/matrix.c
index a92c3e84310..9a69724eb78 100644
--- a/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ortho/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ortho/matrix.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "matrix.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 void matrix_init_custom(void) {
     uart_init(1000000);
 }
@@ -41,11 +43,16 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
         //harm to leave it in here
         while (!uart_available()) {
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000) {
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0
diff --git a/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ortho_plus/matrix.c b/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ortho_plus/matrix.c
index 603ad0f3860..32d7b09310a 100644
--- a/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ortho_plus/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/glenpickle/chimera_ortho_plus/matrix.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "matrix.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 void matrix_init_custom(void) {
     uart_init(1000000);
 }
@@ -41,11 +43,16 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
         //harm to leave it in here
         while (!uart_available()) {
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000) {
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0
diff --git a/keyboards/keyhive/honeycomb/matrix.c b/keyboards/keyhive/honeycomb/matrix.c
index 9a87ca9a2ec..c8a7992ec5f 100755
--- a/keyboards/keyhive/honeycomb/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/keyhive/honeycomb/matrix.c
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 # define ROW_SHIFTER  ((uint32_t)1)
 #endif
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 /* matrix state(1:on, 0:off) */
 static matrix_row_t matrix[MATRIX_ROWS];
 //extern int8_t encoderValue;
@@ -112,12 +114,16 @@ uint8_t matrix_scan(void)
         // harm to leave it in here
         while(!uart_available()){
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000){
-                xprintf("\r\nTime out in keyboard.");
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     // Check for the end packet, it's our checksum.
diff --git a/keyboards/mitosis/matrix.c b/keyboards/mitosis/matrix.c
index a92c3e84310..e5389bb113d 100644
--- a/keyboards/mitosis/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/mitosis/matrix.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "matrix.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 void matrix_init_custom(void) {
     uart_init(1000000);
 }
@@ -34,18 +36,23 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
     //trust the external keystates entirely, erase the last data
     uint8_t uart_data[11] = {0};
 
-    //there are 10 bytes corresponding to 10 columns, and an end byte
+    //there are 10 bytes corresponding to 10 columns, and then an end byte
     for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 11; i++) {
         //wait for the serial data, timeout if it's been too long
         //this only happened in testing with a loose wire, but does no
         //harm to leave it in here
         while (!uart_available()) {
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000) {
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0
diff --git a/keyboards/redox_w/matrix.c b/keyboards/redox_w/matrix.c
index 6a33e89976a..9c50c9cecea 100644
--- a/keyboards/redox_w/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/redox_w/matrix.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
     //trust the external keystates entirely, erase the last data
     uint8_t uart_data[11] = {0};
 
-    //there are 14 bytes corresponding to 14 columns, and an end byte
+    //there are 10 bytes corresponding to 10 columns, and then an end byte
     for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 11; i++) {
         //wait for the serial data, timeout if it's been too long
         //this only happened in testing with a loose wire, but does no
diff --git a/keyboards/satt/comet46/matrix.c b/keyboards/satt/comet46/matrix.c
index a92c3e84310..9a69724eb78 100644
--- a/keyboards/satt/comet46/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/satt/comet46/matrix.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "matrix.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 void matrix_init_custom(void) {
     uart_init(1000000);
 }
@@ -41,11 +43,16 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
         //harm to leave it in here
         while (!uart_available()) {
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000) {
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0
diff --git a/keyboards/sirius/uni660/rev1/matrix.c b/keyboards/sirius/uni660/rev1/matrix.c
index 919db5c80d5..f65bf0f26a0 100644
--- a/keyboards/sirius/uni660/rev1/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/sirius/uni660/rev1/matrix.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "matrix.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 void matrix_init_custom(void) {
     uart_init(1000000);
 }
@@ -41,11 +43,16 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
         //harm to leave it in here
         while (!uart_available()) {
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000) {
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0
diff --git a/keyboards/sirius/uni660/rev2/matrix.c b/keyboards/sirius/uni660/rev2/matrix.c
index 919db5c80d5..f65bf0f26a0 100644
--- a/keyboards/sirius/uni660/rev2/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/sirius/uni660/rev2/matrix.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "matrix.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 void matrix_init_custom(void) {
     uart_init(1000000);
 }
@@ -41,11 +43,16 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
         //harm to leave it in here
         while (!uart_available()) {
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000) {
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0
diff --git a/keyboards/telophase/matrix.c b/keyboards/telophase/matrix.c
index 44b7e4c9e9b..a18a2b20edd 100644
--- a/keyboards/telophase/matrix.c
+++ b/keyboards/telophase/matrix.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "matrix.h"
 #include "uart.h"
 
+#define UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT 10000
+
 void matrix_init_custom(void) {
     uart_init(1000000);
 }
@@ -41,11 +43,16 @@ bool matrix_scan_custom(matrix_row_t current_matrix[]) {
         //harm to leave it in here
         while (!uart_available()) {
             timeout++;
-            if (timeout > 10000) {
+            if (timeout > UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+
+        if (timeout < UART_MATRIX_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT) {
+            uart_data[i] = uart_read();
+        } else {
+            uart_data[i] = 0x00;
+        }
     }
 
     //check for the end packet, the key state bytes use the LSBs, so 0xE0