diff --git a/calabash/Classes/FranklyServer/Routes/LPVersionRoute.h b/calabash/Classes/FranklyServer/Routes/LPVersionRoute.h
index 262833aca..b3b6d0574 100644
--- a/calabash/Classes/FranklyServer/Routes/LPVersionRoute.h
+++ b/calabash/Classes/FranklyServer/Routes/LPVersionRoute.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
  Do not change the 'CALABASH VERSION' portion of the following constant without
  updating the ruby API.
  ******************/
-#define kLPCALABASHVERSION @"CALABASH VERSION: 0.11.3"
+#define kLPCALABASHVERSION @"CALABASH VERSION: 0.11.4.pre1"
 
 @interface LPVersionRoute : NSObject <LPRoute>
 
diff --git a/calabash/Classes/Utils/LPUIAUserPrefsChannel.m b/calabash/Classes/Utils/LPUIAUserPrefsChannel.m
index 366a6c717..bb1e726be 100644
--- a/calabash/Classes/Utils/LPUIAUserPrefsChannel.m
+++ b/calabash/Classes/Utils/LPUIAUserPrefsChannel.m
@@ -27,13 +27,12 @@
 
 #import "LPUIAUserPrefsChannel.h"
 
-#define MAX_LOOP_COUNT 1200
-
 const static NSString *LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsRequestKey = @"__calabashRequest";
 const static NSString *LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsResponseKey = @"__calabashResponse";
 const static NSString *LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsIndexKey = @"index";
 const static NSString *LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsCommandKey = @"command";
 const static NSTimeInterval LPUIAChannelUIADelay = 0.1;
+const static NSInteger LPUIAChannelMaximumLoopCount = 1200;
 
 @implementation LPUIAUserPrefsChannel {
   dispatch_queue_t _uiaQueue;
@@ -59,11 +58,9 @@ - (id) init {
   return self;
 }
 
-
-// todo LPUIAChannel.m [super dealloc] should be called _last_
 - (void) dealloc {
-  [super dealloc];
   dispatch_release(_uiaQueue);
+  [super dealloc];
 }
 
 
@@ -78,15 +75,22 @@ - (void) runAutomationCommand:(NSString *) command then:(void (^)(NSDictionary *
 
   dispatch_async(_uiaQueue, ^{
     [self requestExecutionOf:command];
+    NSLog(@"requested execution of command: %@", command);
 
     NSDictionary *result = nil;
     NSUInteger loopCount = 0;
     while (1) {//Loop waiting for response
+      [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] synchronize];
       NSDictionary *resultPrefs = [self userPreferences];
       NSDictionary *currentResponse = [resultPrefs objectForKey:LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsResponseKey];
 
+      NSLog(@"Current request: %@", [resultPrefs objectForKey:LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsRequestKey]);
+
       if (currentResponse) {
         NSUInteger responseIndex = [(NSNumber *) [currentResponse objectForKey:LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsIndexKey] unsignedIntegerValue];
+        NSLog(@"Current response: %@", currentResponse);
+        NSLog(@"Server current index: %lu",(unsigned long) _scriptIndex);
+        NSLog(@"response current index: %lu",(unsigned long) responseIndex);
         if (responseIndex == _scriptIndex) {
           result = currentResponse;
           break;
@@ -94,7 +98,7 @@ - (void) runAutomationCommand:(NSString *) command then:(void (^)(NSDictionary *
       }
       [NSThread sleepForTimeInterval:LPUIAChannelUIADelay];
       loopCount++;
-      if (loopCount >= MAX_LOOP_COUNT) {
+      if (loopCount >= LPUIAChannelMaximumLoopCount) {
         NSLog(@"Timed out running command %@", command);
         NSLog(@"Server current index: %lu",(unsigned long) _scriptIndex);
         NSDictionary *prefs = [self userPreferences];
@@ -112,7 +116,6 @@ - (void) runAutomationCommand:(NSString *) command then:(void (^)(NSDictionary *
   });
 }
 
-
 - (void) requestExecutionOf:(NSString *) command {
 #if TARGET_IPHONE_SIMULATOR
   [self simulatorRequestExecutionOf:command];
@@ -121,7 +124,6 @@ - (void) requestExecutionOf:(NSString *) command {
 #endif
 }
 
-
 - (NSDictionary *) userPreferences {
   NSDictionary *prefs = nil;
 #if TARGET_IPHONE_SIMULATOR
@@ -134,24 +136,66 @@ - (NSDictionary *) userPreferences {
   return prefs;
 }
 
-
 #if TARGET_IPHONE_SIMULATOR
 -(void)simulatorRequestExecutionOf:(NSString *)command {
-  NSMutableDictionary *prefs = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:[self simulatorPreferencesPath]];
-  if (!prefs) {
-    prefs = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
-  }
-  NSDictionary *uiaRequest   = [self requestForCommand:command];
+  // In Xcode 6.1 and iOS 8.1, there is synchronization problem between IO
+  // performed by NSUserDefaults and the UIAutomation preferences API.  The
+  // if condition detects iOS 8.1 which is a proxy for Xcode 6.1 detection.
+  // When Xcode 6.1 and iOS 8.1; compensate for the synchronization problem.
+  // Earlier iOS versions in Xcode 6.1 do not suffer from the sync problem
+  // because NSUserDefaults and UIAutomation preferences API do IO on different
+  // files. (>_>)
+  NSString *preferencesPlist = [self simulatorPreferencesPath];
+  NSMutableDictionary *preferences;
+  NSString *systemVersion = [[UIDevice currentDevice] systemVersion];
+  if ([systemVersion compare:@"8.1" options:NSNumericSearch] != NSOrderedAscending) {
+    NSLog(@"iOS >= 8.1 detected; assuming Xcode >= 6.1");
+    NSInteger i = 0;
+    while (i < LPUIAChannelMaximumLoopCount) {
+      [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] synchronize];
+      preferences  = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:preferencesPlist];
+      if (!preferences) {
+        preferences = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
+        NSLog(@"Empty preferences... resetting");
+      }
+
+      NSDictionary *uiaRequest   = [self requestForCommand:command];
+      [preferences setObject:uiaRequest forKey:LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsRequestKey];
+      BOOL writeSuccess = [preferences writeToFile:preferencesPlist
+                                        atomically:YES];
 
-  [prefs setObject:uiaRequest forKey:LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsRequestKey];
-  [prefs writeToFile:[self simulatorPreferencesPath] atomically:YES];
+      if (!writeSuccess) {
+        NSLog(@"Preparing for retry of simulatorRequestExecutionOf:");
+      }
+
+      if ([self validateRequestWritten:uiaRequest]) {
+        return;
+      } else {
+        i++;
+        NSLog(@"Validation of request failed... Retrying - %@ of %@",
+              @(i), @(LPUIAChannelMaximumLoopCount));
+        [NSThread sleepForTimeInterval:LPUIAChannelUIADelay];
+      }
+    }
+  } else {
+    NSLog(@"iOS < 8.1 detected; assuming Xcode < 6.1");
+    preferences = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:preferencesPlist];
+
+    if (!preferences) {
+      preferences = [NSMutableDictionary dictionary];
+      NSLog(@"Empty preferences... resetting");
+    }
+    NSDictionary *uiaRequest   = [self requestForCommand:command];
+
+    [preferences setObject:uiaRequest forKey:LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsRequestKey];
+    [preferences writeToFile:preferencesPlist atomically:YES];
+  }
 }
 #endif // TARGET_IPHONE_SIMULATOR
 
-
 - (void) deviceRequestExecutionOf:(NSString *) command {
   NSInteger i=0;
-  while (i<MAX_LOOP_COUNT) {
+  while (i<LPUIAChannelMaximumLoopCount) {
     NSUserDefaults *defaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
     NSDictionary *uiaRequest = [self requestForCommand:command];
 
@@ -171,7 +215,8 @@ - (void) deviceRequestExecutionOf:(NSString *) command {
 }
 
 -(BOOL)validateRequestWritten:(NSDictionary*)uiaRequest {
-  NSDictionary *defaults = [self userPreferences];
+  NSUserDefaults *defaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
+  [defaults synchronize];
   NSDictionary *written = [defaults objectForKey:(NSString*)LPUIAChannelUIAPrefsRequestKey];
   if (!written) {
     return NO;