diff --git a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.cpp b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.cpp
index f2c0aba46f..e63f7c8618 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor.cpp
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ AP_InertialSensor::detect_backends(void)
     _enable_mask.set(found_mask);
 
     if (_backend_count == 0) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("No INS backends available");
+        AP_BoardConfig::sensor_config_error("INS: unable to initialise driver");
     }
 }