diff --git a/example/Example.hs b/example/Example.hs
--- a/example/Example.hs
+++ b/example/Example.hs
@@ -27,12 +27,16 @@
     openFd "fifo3" ReadOnly Nothing flags >>= \fd3 -> 
     openFd "fifo4" ReadOnly Nothing flags >>= \fd4 -> 
     putStrLn "The file was opened, so let the waiting game begin!" >>
-    --selectOrReadTChan [fd,fd2,fd3,fd4] [] [] (Time 15 0) c >>= \ret ->
-    selectOrTakeTMVar [fd,fd2,fd3,fd4] [] [] (Time 15 0) t >>= \ret ->
+    -- selectOrTakeTMVar [fd,fd2,fd3,fd4] [] [] (Time 15 0) t >>= \ret ->
+    --     case ret of
+    --       Left 0 -> putStrLn "select() timed out on the files."
+    --       Left x -> putStrLn "There's data in one of the files!"
+    --       Right s -> putStrLn $ "Oh no, the interruptor is here: " ++ s
+    selectOrElse' (readTChan c) [fd,fd2,fd3,fd4] [] [] (Time 15 0) >>= \ret ->
         case ret of
-          Left 0 -> putStrLn "select() timed out on the files."
-          Left x -> putStrLn "There's data in one of the files!"
-          Right s -> putStrLn $ "Oh no, the interruptor is here: " ++ s
+          Right 0 -> putStrLn "select() timed out on the files."
+          Right x -> putStrLn "There's data in one of the files!"
+          Left s -> putStrLn $ "Oh no, the interruptor is here: " ++ s   
 
 interruptor :: TMVar String -> IO ()
 interruptor t = threadDelay (10 * 1000000) >>
diff --git a/select.cabal b/select.cabal
--- a/select.cabal
+++ b/select.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:                select
-Version:             0.2
+Version:             0.2.1
 Synopsis:            Give the select(2) POSIX function a simple STM interface
 Homepage:            http://nonempty.org/software/haskell-select
 License:             BSD3
diff --git a/src/Control/Concurrent/STM/RunOrElse.hs b/src/Control/Concurrent/STM/RunOrElse.hs
--- a/src/Control/Concurrent/STM/RunOrElse.hs
+++ b/src/Control/Concurrent/STM/RunOrElse.hs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-module Control.Concurrent.STM.RunOrElse(runOrElse, runOrTakeTMVar) where
+module Control.Concurrent.STM.RunOrElse(runOrElse, runOrElse', runOrTakeTMVar) where
 
 import Control.Applicative
 import Control.Concurrent.STM
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@
 runOrElse :: IO a -> STM b -> IO (Either a b)
 runOrElse action stm = run action >>= \tm ->
                        atomically ((Left <$> takeTMVar tm) `orElse` (Right <$> stm))
+
+-- | A version of 'runOrElse' that prefers the STM operation to the IO
+-- action.
+runOrElse' :: STM a -> IO b -> IO (Either a b)
+runOrElse' stm action = run action >>= \tm ->
+                        atomically ((Left <$> stm) `orElse` (Right <$> takeTMVar tm))
 
 -- | This version of 'Control.Concurrent.STM.TMVarIO.run' takes an
 -- additional 'TMVar', and returns its content /or/ the result of the
diff --git a/src/System/Posix/IO/Select/STM.hs b/src/System/Posix/IO/Select/STM.hs
--- a/src/System/Posix/IO/Select/STM.hs
+++ b/src/System/Posix/IO/Select/STM.hs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 -- | Treat the POSIX @select(2)@ function as a 'TMVar' 'CInt'.
 
-module System.Posix.IO.Select.STM (select, selectOrTakeTMVar, selectOrElse, selectOrReadTChan, Timeout(Never, Time)) where
+module System.Posix.IO.Select.STM (select, selectOrTakeTMVar, selectOrElse, selectOrElse', selectOrReadTChan, Timeout(Never, Time)) where
 
 import System.Posix.IO.Select.Types
 import qualified System.Posix.IO.Select as S
@@ -39,6 +39,11 @@
 -- action in place of taking a 'TMVar'.
 selectOrElse :: [Fd] -> [Fd] -> [Fd] -> Timeout -> STM a -> IO (Either CInt a)
 selectOrElse readFds writeFds exceptFds timeout stm = ROE.runOrElse (S.select readFds writeFds exceptFds timeout) stm
+
+-- | A version of 'selectOrElse' that prefers the STM operation to
+-- 'select' when both are available.
+selectOrElse' :: STM a -> [Fd] -> [Fd] -> [Fd] -> Timeout -> IO (Either a CInt)
+selectOrElse' stm readFds writeFds exceptFds timeout = ROE.runOrElse' stm (S.select readFds writeFds exceptFds timeout)
 
 -- | Special case of 'selectOrElse' where the STM action is reading a
 -- 'TChan'.
diff --git a/src/System/Posix/IO/Select/select_wrapper.c b/src/System/Posix/IO/Select/select_wrapper.c
--- a/src/System/Posix/IO/Select/select_wrapper.c
+++ b/src/System/Posix/IO/Select/select_wrapper.c
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 #include <sys/select.h>
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #endif
 
 #include "select_wrapper.h"
@@ -63,6 +65,8 @@
 
   #ifndef NDEBUG
   printf("select_wrapper.c: Returning %d.\n", ret);
+  if (ret == -1)
+    printf("select_wrapper.c: Error code %d: %s\n", errno, strerror(errno));
   #endif
 
   return ret;