diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6e12244226..0822e547df 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -100,3 +100,6 @@ ENV/
 
 # Vim swap files
 *.swp
+
+# Pycharm/IntelliJ files
+.idea
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/avatar2/avatar2.py b/avatar2/avatar2.py
index fe9e61c4a5..ba70eaecdb 100644
--- a/avatar2/avatar2.py
+++ b/avatar2/avatar2.py
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ def _handle_remote_memory_write_msg(self, message):
 
     def run(self):
         """
-        The code of the Thread managing the asyncronous messages received.
+        The code of the Thread managing the asynchronous messages received.
         Default behavior: wait for the priority queue to hold a message and call
         the _async_handler method to process it.
         """
@@ -261,7 +261,6 @@ def run(self):
             if self._close.is_set():
                 break
 
-            message = None
             try:
                 message = self.queue.get(timeout=0.5)
             except:
@@ -281,7 +280,7 @@ def run(self):
 
     def stop(self):
         """
-        Stop the thread which manages the asyncronous messages.
+        Stop the thread which manages the asynchronous messages.
         """
         self._close.set()
         self.join()
diff --git a/avatar2/protocols/gdb.py b/avatar2/protocols/gdb.py
index 8ef322bd71..e19a09ebe8 100644
--- a/avatar2/protocols/gdb.py
+++ b/avatar2/protocols/gdb.py
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@
 class GDBResponseListener(Thread):
     """
     This class creates objects waiting for responses from the gdb-process
-    Depending whether a syncronous or asyncronous message is received,
-    it is either put in a syncronous dictionary or parsed/lifted
+    Depending whether a synchronous or asynchronous message is received,
+    it is either put in a synchronous dictionary or parsed/lifted
     to an AvatarMessage and added to the Queue of the according target
     """
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def __init__(self, gdb_protocol, gdb_controller, avatar_queue, origin=None):
             logging.getLogger(self.__class__.__name__)
 
     def get_token(self):
-        """Gets a token for a syncronous request
+        """Gets a token for a synchronous request
         :returns: An (integer) token
         """
         self._token += 1