diff --git a/apps/modes_gui b/apps/modes_gui
index 11fb98a..985579e 100755
--- a/apps/modes_gui
+++ b/apps/modes_gui
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ from air_modes.gui_model import *
 import sqlite3
 
 class mainwindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):
+    live_data_changed_signal = QtCore.pyqtSignal(QtCore.QString, name='liveDataChanged')
     def __init__(self):
         QtGui.QMainWindow.__init__(self)
         self.ui = Ui_MainWindow()
@@ -116,6 +117,9 @@ class mainwindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):
         self.datamodel.dataChanged.connect(self.unmapped_widgets_dataChanged)
         self.ui.list_aircraft.selectionModel().currentRowChanged.connect(self.update_rssi_widget)
 
+        #hook up live data text box update signal
+        self.live_data_changed_signal.connect(self.on_append_live_data)
+
 ############ widget update functions for non-mapped widgets ############
     def update_heading_widget(self, index):
         if index.model() is not None:
@@ -274,7 +278,7 @@ class mainwindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):
             self.livedata = air_modes.output_print(my_position)
             #add output for live data box
             #TODO: this doesn't handle large volumes of data well; i get segfaults.
-            #self.outputs.append(self.output_live_data)
+            self.outputs.append(self.output_live_data)
 
             #create SQL database for KML and dashboard displays
             self.dbwriter = air_modes.output_sql(my_position, self.dbname)
@@ -304,11 +308,17 @@ class mainwindow(QtGui.QMainWindow):
                 #self.kmlgen.join()
                 #self.kmlgen = None
 
+    #slot to catch signal emitted by output_live_data (necessary for
+    #thread safety since output_live_data is called by another thread)
+    def on_append_live_data(self, msgstr):
+        self.ui.text_livedata.append(msgstr)
+        self.ui.text_livedata.verticalScrollBar().setSliderPosition(self.ui.text_livedata.verticalScrollBar().maximum())
+
     def output_live_data(self, msg):
         msgstr = self.livedata.parse(msg)
         if msgstr is not None:
-            self.ui.text_livedata.append(msgstr)
-            self.ui.text_livedata.verticalScrollBar().setSliderPosition(self.ui.text_livedata.verticalScrollBar().maximum())
+            self.live_data_changed_signal.emit(msgstr)
+
 
 
 #the output handler is a thread which runs the various registered output functions when there's a received message.