diff --git a/pylabrobot/io/usb.py b/pylabrobot/io/usb.py
index 6865e7001ab..f9d1c1afd7a 100644
--- a/pylabrobot/io/usb.py
+++ b/pylabrobot/io/usb.py
@@ -124,38 +124,49 @@ async def write(self, data: bytes, timeout: Optional[float] = None):
       )
     logger.log(LOG_LEVEL_IO, "%s write: %s", self._unique_id, data)
     capturer.record(
-      USBCommand(device_id=self._unique_id, action="write", data=data.decode("unicode_escape"))
+      USBCommand(
+        device_id=self._unique_id,
+        action="write",
+        data=data.decode("unicode_escape", errors="backslashreplace"),
+      )
     )
 
-  def _read_packet(self) -> Optional[bytearray]:
+  def _read_packet(self, size: Optional[int] = None) -> Optional[bytearray]:
     """Read a packet from the machine.
 
+    Args:
+      size: The maximum number of bytes to read. If `None`, read up to wMaxPacketSize bytes.
+
     Returns:
-      A string containing the decoded packet, or None if no packet was received.
+      A bytearray containing the data read, or None if no data was received.
     """
 
     assert self.dev is not None and self.read_endpoint is not None, "Device not connected."
 
+    read_size = size if size is not None else self.read_endpoint.wMaxPacketSize
+
     try:
       res = self.dev.read(
         self.read_endpoint,
-        self.read_endpoint.wMaxPacketSize,
+        read_size,
         timeout=int(self.packet_read_timeout * 1000),  # timeout in ms
       )
 
       if res is not None:
-        return bytearray(res)  # convert res into text
+        return bytearray(res)
       return None
     except usb.core.USBError:
       # No data available (yet), this will give a timeout error. Don't reraise.
       return None
 
-  async def read(self, timeout: Optional[int] = None) -> bytes:
+  async def read(self, timeout: Optional[int] = None, size: Optional[int] = None) -> bytes:
     """Read a response from the device.
 
     Args:
       timeout: The timeout for reading from the device in seconds. If `None`, use the default
         timeout (specified by the `read_timeout` attribute).
+      size: The maximum number of bytes to read. If `None`, read all available data until no
+        more packets arrive.
     """
 
     assert self.read_endpoint is not None, "Device not connected."
@@ -173,20 +184,27 @@ def read_or_timeout():
         resp = bytearray()
         last_packet: Optional[bytearray] = None
         while True:  # read while we have data, and while the last packet is the max size.
-          last_packet = self._read_packet()
+          remaining = size - len(resp) if size is not None else None
+          last_packet = self._read_packet(size=remaining)
           if last_packet is not None:
             resp += last_packet
           if self.read_endpoint is None:
             raise RuntimeError("Read endpoint is None. Call setup() first.")
           if last_packet is None or len(last_packet) != self.read_endpoint.wMaxPacketSize:
             break
+          if size is not None and len(resp) >= size:
+            break
 
         if len(resp) == 0:
           continue
 
         logger.log(LOG_LEVEL_IO, "%s read: %s", self._unique_id, resp)
         capturer.record(
-          USBCommand(device_id=self._unique_id, action="read", data=resp.decode("unicode_escape"))
+          USBCommand(
+            device_id=self._unique_id,
+            action="read",
+            data=resp.decode("unicode_escape", errors="backslashreplace"),
+          )
         )
         return resp
 
@@ -420,11 +438,12 @@ async def write(self, data: bytes, timeout: Optional[float] = None):
       and next_command.action == "write"
     ):
       raise ValidationError("next command is not write")
-    if not next_command.data == data.decode("unicode_escape"):
-      align_sequences(expected=next_command.data, actual=data.decode("unicode_escape"))
+    decoded = data.decode("unicode_escape", errors="backslashreplace")
+    if not next_command.data == decoded:
+      align_sequences(expected=next_command.data, actual=decoded)
       raise ValidationError("Data mismatch: difference was written to stdout.")
 
-  async def read(self, timeout: Optional[float] = None) -> bytes:
+  async def read(self, timeout: Optional[float] = None, size: Optional[int] = None) -> bytes:
     next_command = USBCommand(**self.cr.next_command())
     if not (
       next_command.module == "usb"
@@ -432,7 +451,10 @@ async def read(self, timeout: Optional[float] = None) -> bytes:
       and next_command.action == "read"
     ):
       raise ValidationError("next command is not read")
-    return next_command.data.encode()
+    data = next_command.data.encode()
+    if size is not None:
+      data = data[:size]
+    return data
 
   def ctrl_transfer(
     self,