diff --git a/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp b/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp
index a34fbbe859..f4e979af63 100644
--- a/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp
@@ -168,14 +168,15 @@ uORB::DeviceNode::copy_locked(void *dst, unsigned &generation)
 	bool updated = false;
 
 	if ((dst != nullptr) && (_data != nullptr)) {
+		unsigned current_generation = _generation.load();
 
-		if (_generation > generation + _queue_size) {
+		if (current_generation > generation + _queue_size) {
 			// Reader is too far behind: some messages are lost
-			_lost_messages += _generation - (generation + _queue_size);
-			generation = _generation - _queue_size;
+			_lost_messages += current_generation - (generation + _queue_size);
+			generation = current_generation - _queue_size;
 		}
 
-		if ((_generation == generation) && (generation > 0)) {
+		if ((current_generation == generation) && (generation > 0)) {
 			/* The subscriber already read the latest message, but nothing new was published yet.
 			 * Return the previous message
 			 */
@@ -184,7 +185,7 @@ uORB::DeviceNode::copy_locked(void *dst, unsigned &generation)
 
 		memcpy(dst, _data + (_meta->o_size * (generation % _queue_size)), _meta->o_size);
 
-		if (generation < _generation) {
+		if (generation < current_generation) {
 			++generation;
 		}
 
@@ -297,12 +298,13 @@ uORB::DeviceNode::write(cdev::file_t *filp, const char *buffer, size_t buflen)
 
 	/* Perform an atomic copy. */
 	ATOMIC_ENTER;
-	memcpy(_data + (_meta->o_size * (_generation % _queue_size)), buffer, _meta->o_size);
+	/* wrap-around happens after ~49 days, assuming a publisher rate of 1 kHz */
+	unsigned generation = _generation.fetch_add(1);
+
+	memcpy(_data + (_meta->o_size * (generation % _queue_size)), buffer, _meta->o_size);
 
 	/* update the timestamp and generation count */
 	_last_update = hrt_absolute_time();
-	/* wrap-around happens after ~49 days, assuming a publisher rate of 1 kHz */
-	_generation++;
 
 	_published = true;
 
diff --git a/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.hpp b/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.hpp
index 168293a356..b60163eacf 100644
--- a/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.hpp
+++ b/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <lib/cdev/CDev.hpp>
 
 #include <containers/List.hpp>
+#include <px4_platform_common/atomic.h>
 
 namespace uORB
 {
@@ -185,7 +186,7 @@ public:
 
 	uint32_t lost_message_count() const { return _lost_messages; }
 
-	unsigned published_message_count() const { return _generation; }
+	unsigned published_message_count() const { return _generation.load(); }
 
 	const orb_metadata *get_meta() const { return _meta; }
 
@@ -267,7 +268,7 @@ private:
 	const uint8_t _instance; /**< orb multi instance identifier */
 	uint8_t     *_data{nullptr};   /**< allocated object buffer */
 	hrt_abstime   _last_update{0}; /**< time the object was last updated */
-	volatile unsigned   _generation{0};  /**< object generation count */
+	px4::atomic<unsigned>  _generation{0};  /**< object generation count */
 	List<uORB::SubscriptionCallback *>	_callbacks;
 	uint8_t   _priority;  /**< priority of the topic */
 	bool _published{false};  /**< has ever data been published */