diff --git a/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/kernel.js b/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/kernel.js
index f414507..42478ae 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/kernel.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/kernel.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ define([
         this.username = "username";
         this.session_id = utils.uuid();
         this._msg_callbacks = {};
+        this._msg_queue = Promise.resolve();
         this.info_reply = {}; // kernel_info_reply stored here after starting
 
         if (typeof(WebSocket) !== 'undefined') {
@@ -854,7 +855,10 @@ define([
     };
     
     Kernel.prototype._handle_ws_message = function (e) {
-        serialize.deserialize(e.data, $.proxy(this._finish_ws_message, this));
+        this._msg_queue = this._msg_queue.then(function() {
+            return serialize.deserialize(e.data);
+        }).then($.proxy(this._finish_ws_message, this))
+        .catch(utils.reject("Couldn't process kernel message", true));
     };
 
     Kernel.prototype._finish_ws_message = function (msg) {
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/serialize.js b/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/serialize.js
index 4da4c9a..9fb8d28 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/serialize.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/services/kernels/serialize.js
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ define([
         return msg;
     };
     
-    var _deserialize_binary = function(data, callback) {
+    var _deserialize_binary = function(data) {
         /**
          * deserialize the binary message format
          * callback will be called with a message whose buffers attribute
@@ -39,28 +39,31 @@ define([
         if (data instanceof Blob) {
             // data is Blob, have to deserialize from ArrayBuffer in reader callback
             var reader = new FileReader();
-            reader.onload = function () {
-                var msg = _deserialize_array_buffer(this.result);
-                callback(msg);
-            };
+            var promise = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
+                reader.onload = function () {
+                    var msg = _deserialize_array_buffer(this.result);
+                    resolve(msg);
+                };
+            });
             reader.readAsArrayBuffer(data);
+            return promise;
         } else {
             // data is ArrayBuffer, can deserialize directly
             var msg = _deserialize_array_buffer(data);
-            callback(msg);
+            return msg;
         }
     };
 
-    var deserialize = function (data, callback) {
+    var deserialize = function (data) {
         /**
-         * deserialize a message and pass the unpacked message object to callback
+         * deserialize a message and return a promise for the unpacked message
          */
         if (typeof data === "string") {
             // text JSON message
-            callback(JSON.parse(data));
+            return Promise.resolve(JSON.parse(data));
         } else {
             // binary message
-            _deserialize_binary(data, callback);
+            return Promise.resolve(_deserialize_binary(data));
         }
     };
     
@@ -117,4 +120,4 @@ define([
         serialize: serialize
     };
     return exports;
-});
\ No newline at end of file
+});