diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/HAL_AVR.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/HAL_AVR.cpp
index 0e965ff543..70565facd6 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/HAL_AVR.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/HAL_AVR.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ void HAL_AVR::init(void* opts) const {
    
     /* uart0 is the serial port used for the console, so lets make sure
      * it is initialized at boot */
-    // XXX maybe this should be 57600?
     uart0->begin(115200);
     console->init((void*)uart0);
     /* The AVR RCInput drivers take an AP_HAL_AVR::ISRRegistry*
@@ -16,6 +15,8 @@ void HAL_AVR::init(void* opts) const {
     rcin->init((void*)&isr_registry);
     rcout->init(NULL);
     spi->init(NULL);
+    i2c->begin();
+    i2c->setTimeout(100);
     analogin->init(NULL);
 };
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/I2CDriver.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/I2CDriver.cpp
index d22463a18b..c0d9635028 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/I2CDriver.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/I2CDriver.cpp
@@ -106,6 +106,13 @@ uint8_t AVRI2CDriver::writeRegisters(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg,
     return stat;
 }
 
+uint8_t AVRI2CDriver::writeRegister(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg, uint8_t val) {
+        /* Sometimes avr-gcc fails at dereferencing a uint8_t arg. */
+        uint8_t data[1];
+        data[0] = val;
+        return writeRegisters(addr, reg, 1, data);
+}
+
 uint8_t AVRI2CDriver::readRegisters(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg,
                                     uint8_t len, uint8_t* data){
     uint8_t stat;
@@ -137,6 +144,10 @@ uint8_t AVRI2CDriver::readRegisters(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg,
     return stat;
 }
 
+uint8_t AVRI2CDriver::readRegister(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg, uint8_t* data) {
+    return readRegisters(addr, reg, 1, data);
+}
+
 uint8_t AVRI2CDriver::_start() {
     TWCR = _BV(TWINT) | _BV(TWSTA) | _BV(TWEN);
     uint8_t stat = _waitInterrupt();
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/I2CDriver.h b/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/I2CDriver.h
index 2239017b42..a3be0b2eef 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/I2CDriver.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/I2CDriver.h
@@ -16,18 +16,10 @@ public:
     void setTimeout(uint16_t ms) { _timeoutDelay = ms; }
     void setHighSpeed(bool active);
 
-    uint8_t writeRegister(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg, uint8_t val) {
-        /* Sometimes avr-gcc fails at dereferencing a uint8_t arg. */
-        uint8_t data[1];
-        data[0] = val;
-        return writeRegisters(addr, reg, 1, data);
-    }
-
+    uint8_t writeRegister(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg, uint8_t val);
     uint8_t writeRegisters(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg,
                            uint8_t len, uint8_t* data);
-    uint8_t readRegister(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg, uint8_t* data) {
-        return readRegisters(addr, reg, 1, data);
-    }
+    uint8_t readRegister(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg, uint8_t* data);
     uint8_t readRegisters(uint8_t addr, uint8_t reg,
                           uint8_t len, uint8_t* data);
     uint8_t lockup_count() { return _lockup_count; }
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/examples/I2CDriver_HMC5883L/I2CDriver_HMC5883L.pde b/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/examples/I2CDriver_HMC5883L/I2CDriver_HMC5883L.pde
index efbffddad5..027aafe352 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/examples/I2CDriver_HMC5883L/I2CDriver_HMC5883L.pde
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_AVR/examples/I2CDriver_HMC5883L/I2CDriver_HMC5883L.pde
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ void setup() {
     hal.uart0->printf_P(PSTR("Initializing HMC5883L at address %x\r\n"),
                                 HMC5883L);
 
-    // configure device for continuous mode
-    hal.i2c->begin();
-    hal.i2c->setTimeout(100);
 
     uint8_t stat = hal.i2c->writeRegister(HMC5883L,0x02,0x00);
     if (stat == 0) {