diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_AK09916.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_AK09916.cpp
index 67a2e37db2..b844a1abdf 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_AK09916.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_AK09916.cpp
@@ -104,9 +104,7 @@ AP_Compass_Backend *AP_Compass_AK09916::probe_ICM20948(AP_HAL::OwnPtr<AP_HAL::I2
         return nullptr;
     }
 
-    if (!dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return nullptr;
-    }
+    dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     /* Allow ICM20x48 to shortcut auxiliary bus and host bus */
     uint8_t rval;
@@ -192,9 +190,10 @@ bool AP_Compass_AK09916::init()
 {
     AP_HAL::Semaphore *bus_sem = _bus->get_semaphore();
 
-    if (!bus_sem || !_bus->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
+    if (!bus_sem) {
         return false;
     }
+    _bus->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     if (!_bus->configure()) {
         hal.console->printf("AK09916: Could not configure the bus\n");
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_AK8963.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_AK8963.cpp
index b94698fbe1..a7e7f93f75 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_AK8963.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_AK8963.cpp
@@ -122,10 +122,11 @@ bool AP_Compass_AK8963::init()
 {
     AP_HAL::Semaphore *bus_sem = _bus->get_semaphore();
 
-    if (!bus_sem || !_bus->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
+    if (!bus_sem) {
         hal.console->printf("AK8963: Unable to get bus semaphore\n");
         return false;
     }
+    _bus->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     if (!_bus->configure()) {
         hal.console->printf("AK8963: Could not configure the bus\n");
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_BMM150.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_BMM150.cpp
index 75bd068e7a..98d237e3d8 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_BMM150.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_BMM150.cpp
@@ -142,10 +142,7 @@ bool AP_Compass_BMM150::init()
     uint8_t val = 0;
     bool ret;
 
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        hal.console->printf("BMM150: Unable to get bus semaphore\n");
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // 10 retries for init
     _dev->set_retries(10);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_HMC5843.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_HMC5843.cpp
index 7684c88f01..d8842841c3 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_HMC5843.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_HMC5843.cpp
@@ -152,10 +152,11 @@ bool AP_Compass_HMC5843::init()
 {
     AP_HAL::Semaphore *bus_sem = _bus->get_semaphore();
 
-    if (!bus_sem || !bus_sem->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
+    if (!bus_sem) {
         hal.console->printf("HMC5843: Unable to get bus semaphore\n");
         return false;
     }
+    bus_sem->take_blocking();
 
     // high retries for init
     _bus->set_retries(10);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_IST8308.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_IST8308.cpp
index c90aa7a8db..a48c0a2439 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_IST8308.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_IST8308.cpp
@@ -109,9 +109,7 @@ bool AP_Compass_IST8308::init()
 {
     uint8_t reset_count = 0;
 
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // high retries for init
     _dev->set_retries(10);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_IST8310.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_IST8310.cpp
index 7adc0eee80..351a6b2d2c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_IST8310.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_IST8310.cpp
@@ -105,9 +105,7 @@ bool AP_Compass_IST8310::init()
 {
     uint8_t reset_count = 0;
 
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // high retries for init
     _dev->set_retries(10);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LIS3MDL.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LIS3MDL.cpp
index 8d9e28c40a..859ba327f4 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LIS3MDL.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LIS3MDL.cpp
@@ -75,9 +75,7 @@ AP_Compass_LIS3MDL::AP_Compass_LIS3MDL(AP_HAL::OwnPtr<AP_HAL::Device> _dev,
 
 bool AP_Compass_LIS3MDL::init()
 {
-    if (!dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     if (dev->bus_type() == AP_HAL::Device::BUS_TYPE_SPI) {
         dev->set_read_flag(0xC0);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LSM303D.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LSM303D.cpp
index b6e7375893..3eb8cde8a0 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LSM303D.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LSM303D.cpp
@@ -282,9 +282,7 @@ bool AP_Compass_LSM303D::init(enum Rotation rotation)
 
 bool AP_Compass_LSM303D::_hardware_init()
 {
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("LSM303D: Unable to get semaphore");
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // initially run the bus at low speed
     _dev->set_speed(AP_HAL::Device::SPEED_LOW);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LSM9DS1.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LSM9DS1.cpp
index 073332f983..18094fa389 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LSM9DS1.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_LSM9DS1.cpp
@@ -83,10 +83,11 @@ bool AP_Compass_LSM9DS1::init()
 {
     AP_HAL::Semaphore *bus_sem = _dev->get_semaphore();
 
-    if (!bus_sem || !bus_sem->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
+    if (!bus_sem) {
         hal.console->printf("LSM9DS1: Unable to get bus semaphore\n");
         return false;
     }
+    bus_sem->take_blocking();
 
     if (!_check_id()) {
         hal.console->printf("LSM9DS1: Could not check id\n");
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_MAG3110.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_MAG3110.cpp
index 780de585ff..343c98121f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_MAG3110.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_MAG3110.cpp
@@ -135,9 +135,7 @@ bool AP_Compass_MAG3110::_hardware_init()
 {
 
     AP_HAL::Semaphore *bus_sem = _dev->get_semaphore();
-    if (!bus_sem->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("MAG3110: Unable to get semaphore");
-    }
+    bus_sem->take_blocking();
 
     // initially run the bus at low speed
     _dev->set_speed(AP_HAL::Device::SPEED_LOW);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_MMC3416.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_MMC3416.cpp
index 71a22b4e40..9dd110327c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_MMC3416.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_MMC3416.cpp
@@ -68,9 +68,7 @@ AP_Compass_MMC3416::AP_Compass_MMC3416(AP_HAL::OwnPtr<AP_HAL::Device> _dev,
 
 bool AP_Compass_MMC3416::init()
 {
-    if (!dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     dev->set_retries(10);
     
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.cpp
index 4097fc1357..3dfd10069d 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_QMC5883L.cpp
@@ -85,9 +85,7 @@ AP_Compass_QMC5883L::AP_Compass_QMC5883L(AP_HAL::OwnPtr<AP_HAL::Device> dev,
 
 bool AP_Compass_QMC5883L::init()
 {
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     _dev->set_retries(10);
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_RM3100.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_RM3100.cpp
index aa8745705d..ddcc87f702 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_RM3100.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_RM3100.cpp
@@ -93,9 +93,7 @@ AP_Compass_RM3100::AP_Compass_RM3100(AP_HAL::OwnPtr<AP_HAL::Device> _dev,
 
 bool AP_Compass_RM3100::init()
 {
-    if (!dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     if (dev->bus_type() == AP_HAL::Device::BUS_TYPE_SPI) {
         // read has high bit set for SPI