diff --git a/include/usbhost/usbhost.h b/include/usbhost/usbhost.h
index 1d67c12..d26e931 100644
--- a/include/usbhost/usbhost.h
+++ b/include/usbhost/usbhost.h
@@ -189,6 +189,13 @@
 int usb_device_connect_kernel_driver(struct usb_device *device,
         unsigned int interface, int connect);
 
+/* Sets the current configuration for the device to the specified configuration */
+int usb_device_set_configuration(struct usb_device *device, int configuration);
+
+/* Sets the specified interface of a USB device */
+int usb_device_set_interface(struct usb_device *device, unsigned int interface,
+                            unsigned int alt_setting);
+
 /* Sends a control message to the specified device on endpoint zero */
 int usb_device_control_transfer(struct usb_device *device,
                             int requestType,
diff --git a/libusbhost/usbhost.c b/libusbhost/usbhost.c
index 8be393e..ab1b856 100644
--- a/libusbhost/usbhost.c
+++ b/libusbhost/usbhost.c
@@ -453,6 +453,8 @@
     int i, result;
     int languageCount = 0;
 
+    if (id == 0) return NULL;
+
     string[0] = 0;
     memset(languages, 0, sizeof(languages));
 
@@ -486,31 +488,19 @@
 char* usb_device_get_manufacturer_name(struct usb_device *device)
 {
     struct usb_device_descriptor *desc = (struct usb_device_descriptor *)device->desc;
-
-    if (desc->iManufacturer)
-        return usb_device_get_string(device, desc->iManufacturer);
-    else
-        return NULL;
+    return usb_device_get_string(device, desc->iManufacturer);
 }
 
 char* usb_device_get_product_name(struct usb_device *device)
 {
     struct usb_device_descriptor *desc = (struct usb_device_descriptor *)device->desc;
-
-    if (desc->iProduct)
-        return usb_device_get_string(device, desc->iProduct);
-    else
-        return NULL;
+    return usb_device_get_string(device, desc->iProduct);
 }
 
 char* usb_device_get_serial(struct usb_device *device)
 {
     struct usb_device_descriptor *desc = (struct usb_device_descriptor *)device->desc;
-
-    if (desc->iSerialNumber)
-        return usb_device_get_string(device, desc->iSerialNumber);
-    else
-        return NULL;
+    return usb_device_get_string(device, desc->iSerialNumber);
 }
 
 int usb_device_is_writeable(struct usb_device *device)
@@ -556,6 +546,21 @@
     return ioctl(device->fd, USBDEVFS_IOCTL, &ctl);
 }
 
+int usb_device_set_configuration(struct usb_device *device, int configuration)
+{
+    return ioctl(device->fd, USBDEVFS_SETCONFIGURATION, &configuration);
+}
+
+int usb_device_set_interface(struct usb_device *device, unsigned int interface,
+                            unsigned int alt_setting)
+{
+    struct usbdevfs_setinterface ctl;
+
+    ctl.interface = interface;
+    ctl.altsetting = alt_setting;
+    return ioctl(device->fd, USBDEVFS_SETINTERFACE, &ctl);
+}
+
 int usb_device_control_transfer(struct usb_device *device,
                             int requestType,
                             int request,