diff --git a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_DPS280.cpp b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_DPS280.cpp
index 0ae79d9431..af7151a702 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_DPS280.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_DPS280.cpp
@@ -131,9 +131,10 @@ void AP_Baro_DPS280::set_config_registers(void)
 
 bool AP_Baro_DPS280::init()
 {
-    if (!dev || !dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
+    if (!dev) {
         return false;
     }
+    dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // setup to allow reads on SPI
     if (dev->bus_type() == AP_HAL::Device::BUS_TYPE_SPI) {
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_FBM320.cpp b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_FBM320.cpp
index c2a5d9e9e7..2b20073a29 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_FBM320.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_FBM320.cpp
@@ -100,9 +100,10 @@ bool AP_Baro_FBM320::read_calibration(void)
 
 bool AP_Baro_FBM320::init()
 {
-    if (!dev || !dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
+    if (!dev) {
         return false;
     }
+    dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     dev->set_speed(AP_HAL::Device::SPEED_HIGH);
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_ICM20789.cpp b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_ICM20789.cpp
index 88989ebf1d..c05fa1c1a0 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_ICM20789.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_ICM20789.cpp
@@ -94,9 +94,7 @@ AP_Baro_Backend *AP_Baro_ICM20789::probe(AP_Baro &baro,
 */
 bool AP_Baro_ICM20789::imu_spi_init(void)
 {
-    if (!dev_imu->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("PANIC: AP_Baro_ICM20789: failed to take serial semaphore ICM");
-    }
+    dev_imu->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     dev_imu->set_read_flag(0x80);
 
@@ -172,9 +170,7 @@ bool AP_Baro_ICM20789::init()
 
     debug("Looking for 20789 baro\n");
 
-    if (!dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("PANIC: AP_Baro_ICM20789: failed to take serial semaphore for init");
-    }
+    dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     debug("Setting up IMU\n");
     if (dev_imu->bus_type() != AP_HAL::Device::BUS_TYPE_I2C) {
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_KellerLD.cpp b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_KellerLD.cpp
index 62d9bdcc3f..3baed90b9d 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_KellerLD.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_KellerLD.cpp
@@ -67,9 +67,7 @@ bool AP_Baro_KellerLD::_init()
         return false;
     }
 
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("PANIC: AP_Baro_KellerLD: failed to take serial semaphore for init");
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // high retries for init
     _dev->set_retries(10);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_LPS2XH.cpp b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_LPS2XH.cpp
index 627d4ae117..6a3f558e97 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_LPS2XH.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_LPS2XH.cpp
@@ -106,9 +106,7 @@ AP_Baro_Backend *AP_Baro_LPS2XH::probe_InvensenseIMU(AP_Baro &baro,
 */
 bool AP_Baro_LPS2XH::_imu_i2c_init(uint8_t imu_address)
 {
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // as the baro device is already locked we need to re-use it,
     // changing its address to match the IMU address
@@ -138,9 +136,10 @@ bool AP_Baro_LPS2XH::_imu_i2c_init(uint8_t imu_address)
 
 bool AP_Baro_LPS2XH::_init()
 {
-    if (!_dev || !_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
+    if (!_dev) {
         return false;
     }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     _has_sample = false;
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_MS5611.cpp b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_MS5611.cpp
index a23a17ef6b..172fdde8f3 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_MS5611.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Baro/AP_Baro_MS5611.cpp
@@ -82,9 +82,7 @@ bool AP_Baro_MS56XX::_init()
         return false;
     }
 
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("PANIC: AP_Baro_MS56XX: failed to take serial semaphore for init");
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // high retries for init
     _dev->set_retries(10);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Baro/examples/ICM20789/ICM20789.cpp b/libraries/AP_Baro/examples/ICM20789/ICM20789.cpp
index 4645729c81..fcdbd9987d 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Baro/examples/ICM20789/ICM20789.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Baro/examples/ICM20789/ICM20789.cpp
@@ -221,9 +221,7 @@ static bool read_calibration_data(void)
 // initialise baro on i2c
 static void i2c_init(void)
 {
-    if (!i2c_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("Failed to get baro semaphore");
-    }
+    i2c_dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     if (send_cmd16(CMD_READ_ID)) {
         printf("ICM20789: read ID ******\n");
@@ -249,9 +247,7 @@ static void i2c_init(void)
     i2c_dev->get_semaphore()->give();
 
     printf("checking baro\n");
-    if (!dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("Failed to get device semaphore");
-    }
+    dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     uint8_t regs[3] = { 0xC0, 0xC1, 0xC2 };
     for (uint8_t i=0; i<ARRAY_SIZE(regs); i++) {
@@ -274,10 +270,7 @@ void setup()
 #ifdef HAL_INS_MPU60x0_NAME
     spi_dev = std::move(hal.spi->get_device(HAL_INS_MPU60x0_NAME));
 
-    if (!spi_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        AP_HAL::panic("Failed to get spi semaphore");
-    }
-
+    spi_dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     i2c_dev = std::move(hal.i2c_mgr->get_device(1, 0x63));
     dev = std::move(hal.i2c_mgr->get_device(1, 0x29));