diff --git a/include/pollcat/struct.h b/include/pollcat/struct.h
index 38e044e..f820b35 100644
--- a/include/pollcat/struct.h
+++ b/include/pollcat/struct.h
@@ -95,7 +95,13 @@ struct pollcat *pollcat_iter_next (void);
 int pollcat_loop (int *poll_ret);
 
 
-/** Cause pollcat_loop() to return 0 on its next call
+/** Cause pollcat_loop() to return 0 on its next call only
+ *
+ *  \note  Each call of pollcat_loop_exit() causes pollcat_loop() to return 0 once;
+ *         pollcat_loop() then resets the flag to return nonzero until the next time
+ *         pollcat_loop_exit() has been called.  This allows the entire main loop to be
+ *         wrapped in an outer loop so tasks like updating firmware can be done without
+ *         affecting the pollcat loop.
  */
 void pollcat_loop_exit (void);
 
diff --git a/src/struct.c b/src/struct.c
index 0008e11..1f6d737 100644
--- a/src/struct.c
+++ b/src/struct.c
@@ -132,7 +132,10 @@ int pollcat_loop (int *poll_ret)
 
 	/* check whether pollcat_loop_exit() has been called, and return 0 if so */
 	if ( pollcat_loop_stop )
+	{
+		pollcat_loop_stop = 0;
 		return 0;
+	}
 
 	/* call pollcat_timer_reduce_timeout() to improve timer latency */
 	pollcat_timer_reduce_timeout();