diff --git a/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp b/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
index aa7a17a22c..763c617bf9 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
@@ -967,19 +967,6 @@ int commander_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	int ret;
 
-	pthread_attr_t commander_low_prio_attr;
-	pthread_attr_init(&commander_low_prio_attr);
-	pthread_attr_setstacksize(&commander_low_prio_attr, 2000);
-
-	struct sched_param param;
-	(void)pthread_attr_getschedparam(&commander_low_prio_attr, &param);
-
-	/* low priority */
-	param.sched_priority = SCHED_PRIORITY_DEFAULT - 50;
-	(void)pthread_attr_setschedparam(&commander_low_prio_attr, &param);
-	pthread_create(&commander_low_prio_thread, &commander_low_prio_attr, commander_low_prio_loop, NULL);
-	pthread_attr_destroy(&commander_low_prio_attr);
-
 	/* Start monitoring loop */
 	unsigned counter = 0;
 	unsigned stick_off_counter = 0;
@@ -1144,6 +1131,20 @@ int commander_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	bool main_state_changed = false;
 	bool failsafe_old = false;
 
+	/* initialize low priority thread */
+	pthread_attr_t commander_low_prio_attr;
+	pthread_attr_init(&commander_low_prio_attr);
+	pthread_attr_setstacksize(&commander_low_prio_attr, 1600);
+
+	struct sched_param param;
+	(void)pthread_attr_getschedparam(&commander_low_prio_attr, &param);
+
+	/* low priority */
+	param.sched_priority = SCHED_PRIORITY_DEFAULT - 50;
+	(void)pthread_attr_setschedparam(&commander_low_prio_attr, &param);
+	pthread_create(&commander_low_prio_thread, &commander_low_prio_attr, commander_low_prio_loop, NULL);
+	pthread_attr_destroy(&commander_low_prio_attr);
+
 	while (!thread_should_exit) {
 
 		if (mavlink_fd < 0 && counter % (1000000 / MAVLINK_OPEN_INTERVAL) == 0) {
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.cpp b/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.cpp
index b5ec6c4e6f..a2e827a15e 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/commander_helper.cpp
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ int led_init()
 	/* then try RGB LEDs, this can fail on FMUv1*/
 	rgbleds = open(RGBLED0_DEVICE_PATH, 0);
 
-	if (rgbleds == -1) {
+	if (rgbleds < 0) {
 		warnx("No RGB LED found at " RGBLED0_DEVICE_PATH);
 	}
 
@@ -240,50 +240,64 @@ int led_init()
 
 void led_deinit()
 {
-	close(leds);
+	if (leds >= 0) {
+		close(leds);
+	}
 
-	if (rgbleds != -1) {
+	if (rgbleds >= 0) {
 		close(rgbleds);
 	}
 }
 
 int led_toggle(int led)
 {
+	if (leds < 0) {
+		return leds;
+	}
 	return ioctl(leds, LED_TOGGLE, led);
 }
 
 int led_on(int led)
 {
+	if (leds < 0) {
+		return leds;
+	}
 	return ioctl(leds, LED_ON, led);
 }
 
 int led_off(int led)
 {
+	if (leds < 0) {
+		return leds;
+	}
 	return ioctl(leds, LED_OFF, led);
 }
 
 void rgbled_set_color(rgbled_color_t color)
 {
 
-	if (rgbleds != -1) {
-		ioctl(rgbleds, RGBLED_SET_COLOR, (unsigned long)color);
+	if (rgbleds < 0) {
+		return;
 	}
+	ioctl(rgbleds, RGBLED_SET_COLOR, (unsigned long)color);
 }
 
 void rgbled_set_mode(rgbled_mode_t mode)
 {
 
-	if (rgbleds != -1) {
-		ioctl(rgbleds, RGBLED_SET_MODE, (unsigned long)mode);
+	if (rgbleds < 0) {
+		return;
 	}
+	ioctl(rgbleds, RGBLED_SET_MODE, (unsigned long)mode);
 }
 
 void rgbled_set_pattern(rgbled_pattern_t *pattern)
 {
 
-	if (rgbleds != -1) {
-		ioctl(rgbleds, RGBLED_SET_PATTERN, (unsigned long)pattern);
+	if (rgbleds < 0) {
+		return;
 	}
+	ioctl(rgbleds, RGBLED_SET_PATTERN, (unsigned long)pattern);
 }
 
 float battery_remaining_estimate_voltage(float voltage, float discharged, float throttle_normalized)