diff --git a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Xacti.cpp b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Xacti.cpp
index eed9638375..410de2660c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Xacti.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Xacti.cpp
@@ -416,21 +416,13 @@ void AP_Mount_Xacti::send_target_angles(float pitch_rad, float yaw_rad, bool yaw
 }
 
 // subscribe to Xacti DroneCAN messages
-void AP_Mount_Xacti::subscribe_msgs(AP_DroneCAN* ap_dronecan)
+bool AP_Mount_Xacti::subscribe_msgs(AP_DroneCAN* ap_dronecan)
 {
-    // return immediately if DroneCAN is unavailable
-    if (ap_dronecan == nullptr) {
-        GCS_SEND_TEXT(MAV_SEVERITY_CRITICAL, "%s DroneCAN subscribe failed", send_text_prefix);
-        return;
-    }
+    const auto driver_index = ap_dronecan->get_driver_index();
 
-    if (Canard::allocate_sub_arg_callback(ap_dronecan, &handle_gimbal_attitude_status, ap_dronecan->get_driver_index()) == nullptr) {
-        AP_BoardConfig::allocation_error("gimbal_attitude_status_sub");
-    }
-
-    if (Canard::allocate_sub_arg_callback(ap_dronecan, &handle_gnss_status_req, ap_dronecan->get_driver_index()) == nullptr) {
-        AP_BoardConfig::allocation_error("gnss_status_req_sub");
-    }
+    return (Canard::allocate_sub_arg_callback(ap_dronecan, &handle_gimbal_attitude_status, driver_index) != nullptr)
+        && (Canard::allocate_sub_arg_callback(ap_dronecan, &handle_gnss_status_req, driver_index) != nullptr)
+    ;
 }
 
 // register backend in detected modules array used to map DroneCAN port and node id to backend
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Xacti.h b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Xacti.h
index 71ece3aed8..14643a7acc 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Xacti.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Mount/AP_Mount_Xacti.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public:
     void send_camera_settings(mavlink_channel_t chan) const override;
 
     // subscribe to Xacti DroneCAN messages
-    static void subscribe_msgs(AP_DroneCAN* ap_dronecan);
+    static bool subscribe_msgs(AP_DroneCAN* ap_dronecan);
 
     // xacti specific message handlers
     static void handle_gimbal_attitude_status(AP_DroneCAN* ap_dronecan, const CanardRxTransfer& transfer, const com_xacti_GimbalAttitudeStatus &msg);