A method for assessing the volume of a blood sample in an electrochemical biosensor having a working electrode and a counter electrode, comprising: applying a regular polling sequence in form of electrical pulses, through the electrodes (1006, 1008) to a location where a blood sample is placed, wherein the amplitudes and the pulse widths of the regular polling sequence are chosen such that irreversible alteration of glucose in the sample is prevented during the application of the regular polling sequence; receiving the sample output signal in form of regular output pulses; detecting the presence of the sample, wherein the detection of the presence of the sample includes detecting when at least one regular output pulse reaches at least one sample threshold; applying an extended polling sequence in the form of electrical pulses to the sample after detecting the presence of the sample, wherein the amplitudes and the pulse widths of the extended polling sequence are chosen such that irreversible alteration of glucose in the sample is prevented during the application of the extended polling sequence, the extended polling sequence having at least one different extended input pulse, the different extended input pulse having a different amplitude, pulse width, or both than input pulses of the regular polling sequence; receiving the volume output signal in the form of extended output pulses; detecting whether a sample volume is sufficient for analysis of glucose in the sample, wherein detecting whether the sample volume is sufficient for the analysis of glucose in the sample includes detecting when at least one different extended output pulse in a volume output signal, generated in response to the at least one different extended input pulse, reaches at least one volume threshold; indicating when the sample volume is insufficient for analysis of glucose in the sample when at least one different extended output pulse does not reach at least one volume threshold; and applying a test excitation signal when the sample volume is sufficient for analysis of glucose in the sample. applying a regular polling sequence in form of electrical pulses, through the electrodes (1006, 1008) to a location where a blood sample is placed, wherein the amplitudes and the pulse widths of the regular polling sequence are chosen such that irreversible alteration of glucose in the sample is prevented during the application of the regular polling sequence; receiving the sample output signal in form of regular output pulses; detecting the presence of the sample, wherein the detection of the presence of the sample includes detecting when at least one regular output pulse reaches at least one sample threshold; applying an extended polling sequence in the form of electrical pulses to the sample after detecting the presence of the sample, wherein the amplitudes and the pulse widths of the extended polling sequence are chosen such that irreversible alteration of glucose in the sample is prevented during the application of the extended polling sequence, the extended polling sequence having at least one different extended input pulse, the different extended input pulse having a different amplitude, pulse width, or both than input pulses of the regular polling sequence; receiving the volume output signal in the form of extended output pulses; detecting whether a sample volume is sufficient for analysis of glucose in the sample, wherein detecting whether the sample volume is sufficient for the analysis of glucose in the sample includes detecting when at least one different extended output pulse in a volume output signal, generated in response to the at least one different extended input pulse, reaches at least one volume threshold; indicating when the sample volume is insufficient for analysis of glucose in the sample when at least one different extended output pulse does not reach at least one volume threshold; and applying a test excitation signal when the sample volume is sufficient for analysis of glucose in the sample.