diff --git a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_BMI160.cpp b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_BMI160.cpp
index 9b0c405fe0..84476c3497 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_BMI160.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_BMI160.cpp
@@ -152,9 +152,7 @@ void AP_InertialSensor_BMI160::start()
 {
     bool r;
 
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     r = _configure_accel();
     if (!r) {
@@ -428,9 +426,7 @@ bool AP_InertialSensor_BMI160::_hardware_init()
 
     hal.scheduler->delay(BMI160_POWERUP_DELAY_MSEC);
 
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     _dev->set_speed(AP_HAL::Device::SPEED_LOW);
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_Invensense.cpp b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_Invensense.cpp
index fbba121974..881bbaa142 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_Invensense.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_Invensense.cpp
@@ -174,9 +174,7 @@ bool AP_InertialSensor_Invensense::_has_auxiliary_bus()
 
 void AP_InertialSensor_Invensense::start()
 {
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // initially run the bus at low speed
     _dev->set_speed(AP_HAL::Device::SPEED_LOW);
@@ -769,9 +767,7 @@ bool AP_InertialSensor_Invensense::_check_whoami(void)
 
 bool AP_InertialSensor_Invensense::_hardware_init(void)
 {
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // setup for register checking. We check much less often on I2C
     // where the cost of the checks is higher
@@ -985,10 +981,8 @@ void AP_Invensense_AuxiliaryBus::_configure_slaves()
         return;
     }
     
-    if (!backend._dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return;
-    }
-    
+    backend._dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
+
     /* Enable the I2C master to slaves on the auxiliary I2C bus*/
     if (!(backend._last_stat_user_ctrl & BIT_USER_CTRL_I2C_MST_EN)) {
         backend._last_stat_user_ctrl |= BIT_USER_CTRL_I2C_MST_EN;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_Invensensev2.cpp b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_Invensensev2.cpp
index d25821684e..f847218444 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_Invensensev2.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_Invensensev2.cpp
@@ -155,9 +155,7 @@ bool AP_InertialSensor_Invensensev2::_has_auxiliary_bus()
 
 void AP_InertialSensor_Invensensev2::start()
 {
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // initially run the bus at low speed
     _dev->set_speed(AP_HAL::Device::SPEED_LOW);
@@ -636,9 +634,7 @@ bool AP_InertialSensor_Invensensev2::_check_whoami(void)
 
 bool AP_InertialSensor_Invensensev2::_hardware_init(void)
 {
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // disabled setup of checked registers as it can't cope with bank switching
     // _dev->setup_checked_registers(7, _dev->bus_type() == AP_HAL::Device::BUS_TYPE_I2C?200:20);
@@ -835,10 +831,8 @@ void AP_Invensensev2_AuxiliaryBus::_configure_slaves()
 {
     auto &backend = AP_InertialSensor_Invensensev2::from(_ins_backend);
 
-    if (!backend._dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return;
-    }
-    
+    backend._dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
+
     /* Enable the I2C master to slaves on the auxiliary I2C bus*/
     if (!(backend._last_stat_user_ctrl & BIT_USER_CTRL_I2C_MST_EN)) {
         backend._last_stat_user_ctrl |= BIT_USER_CTRL_I2C_MST_EN;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_L3G4200D.cpp b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_L3G4200D.cpp
index 31f316139d..013183b011 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_L3G4200D.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_L3G4200D.cpp
@@ -122,9 +122,7 @@ AP_InertialSensor_Backend *AP_InertialSensor_L3G4200D::probe(AP_InertialSensor &
 
 bool AP_InertialSensor_L3G4200D::_init_sensor(void)
 {
-    if (!_dev->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // Init the accelerometer
     uint8_t data = 0;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS0.cpp b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS0.cpp
index a3495097a7..017d1ce713 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS0.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS0.cpp
@@ -449,9 +449,7 @@ bool AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS0::_init_sensor()
 
 bool AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS0::_hardware_init()
 {
-    if (!_spi_sem->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _spi_sem->take_blocking();
 
     uint8_t tries, whoami;
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS1.cpp b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS1.cpp
index 8cd79d3e18..69fe125976 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS1.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS1.cpp
@@ -246,9 +246,7 @@ bool AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS1::_init_sensor()
 
 bool AP_InertialSensor_LSM9DS1::_hardware_init()
 {
-    if (!_spi_sem->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _spi_sem->take_blocking();
 
     uint8_t tries, whoami;
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_RST.cpp b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_RST.cpp
index cb9619b456..dac8f0981c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_RST.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_InertialSensor/AP_InertialSensor_RST.cpp
@@ -222,9 +222,7 @@ bool AP_InertialSensor_RST::_init_gyro(void)
 {
     uint8_t whoami;
 
-    if (!_dev_gyro->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev_gyro->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     // set flag for reading registers
     _dev_gyro->set_read_flag(0x80);
@@ -285,9 +283,7 @@ bool AP_InertialSensor_RST::_init_accel(void)
 {
     uint8_t whoami;
 
-    if (!_dev_accel->get_semaphore()->take(HAL_SEMAPHORE_BLOCK_FOREVER)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    _dev_accel->get_semaphore()->take_blocking();
 
     _dev_accel->set_speed(AP_HAL::Device::SPEED_HIGH);