diff --git a/include/globals.h b/include/globals.h
index 324c5328..2e4320d5 100644
--- a/include/globals.h
+++ b/include/globals.h
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #ifndef _GLOBALS_H
 #define _GLOBALS_H
+#endif
 
 // The mother of all embedded development...
 #include <Arduino.h>
@@ -49,6 +50,16 @@
   (xSemaphoreTake(I2Caccess, pdMS_TO_TICKS(DISPLAYREFRESH_MS)) == pdTRUE)
 #define I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK() (xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess))
 
+// pseudo system halt function, useful to prevent writeloops to NVRAM
+#ifndef _ASSERT
+#define _ASSERT(cond)                                                          \
+  if ((cond) == 0) {                                                           \
+    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "FAILURE in %s:%d", __FILE__, __LINE__);                     \
+    mask_user_IRQ();                                                           \
+    for (;;)                                                                   \
+      ;                                                                        \
+  }
+
 enum sendprio_t { prio_low, prio_normal, prio_high };
 enum timesource_t { _gps, _rtc, _lora, _unsynced };
 
diff --git a/include/main.h b/include/main.h
index acb64e95..397d6ad6 100644
--- a/include/main.h
+++ b/include/main.h
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@
 #include "timekeeper.h"
 #include "corona.h"
 
-#endif
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/display.cpp b/src/display.cpp
index c8d88694..a29cd974 100644
--- a/src/display.cpp
+++ b/src/display.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ void dp_setup(int contrast) {
                       MY_DISPLAY_INVERT, USE_HW_I2C, MY_DISPLAY_SDA,
                       MY_DISPLAY_SCL, MY_DISPLAY_RST,
                       OLED_FREQUENCY); // use standard I2C bus at 400Khz
-  assert(rc != OLED_NOT_FOUND);
+  _ASSERT (rc != OLED_NOT_FOUND);
 
   // set display buffer
   obdSetBackBuffer(&ssoled, displaybuf);
@@ -265,10 +265,10 @@ void dp_drawPage(time_t t, bool nextpage) {
     else
       dp_printf("WIFI:off");
     if (cfg.blescan)
-        if (!cfg.enscount)
-            dp_printf("BLTH:%-5d", macs_ble);
-        else
-      dp_printf(" CWA:%-5d", cwa_report());
+      if (!cfg.enscount)
+        dp_printf("BLTH:%-5d", macs_ble);
+      else
+        dp_printf(" CWA:%-5d", cwa_report());
     else
       dp_printf(" BLTH:off");
 #elif ((WIFICOUNTER) && (!BLECOUNTER))
@@ -279,10 +279,9 @@ void dp_drawPage(time_t t, bool nextpage) {
 #elif ((!WIFICOUNTER) && (BLECOUNTER))
     if (cfg.blescan) {
       dp_printf("BLTH:%-5d", macs_ble);
-        if (cfg.enscount)
-            dp_printf("(CWA:%d)", cwa_report());
-    } 
-    else
+      if (cfg.enscount)
+        dp_printf("(CWA:%d)", cwa_report());
+    } else
       dp_printf("BLTH:off");
 #else
     dp_printf("Sniffer disabled");
diff --git a/src/gpsread.cpp b/src/gpsread.cpp
index 75206e59..00e3c90a 100644
--- a/src/gpsread.cpp
+++ b/src/gpsread.cpp
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ time_t get_gpstime(void) {
 // GPS serial feed FreeRTos Task
 void gps_loop(void *pvParameters) {
 
-  configASSERT(((uint32_t)pvParameters) == 1); // FreeRTOS check
+  _ASSERT((uint32_t)pvParameters == 1); // FreeRTOS check
 
   while (1) {
 
diff --git a/src/irqhandler.cpp b/src/irqhandler.cpp
index a169f4b1..82b1690c 100644
--- a/src/irqhandler.cpp
+++ b/src/irqhandler.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ static const char TAG[] = __FILE__;
 // irq handler task, handles all our application level interrupts
 void irqHandler(void *pvParameters) {
 
-  configASSERT(((uint32_t)pvParameters) == 1); // FreeRTOS check
+  _ASSERT((uint32_t)pvParameters == 1); // FreeRTOS check
 
   uint32_t InterruptStatus;
 
diff --git a/src/lmic_config.h b/src/lmic_config.h
index 00df54d5..992e4a18 100644
--- a/src/lmic_config.h
+++ b/src/lmic_config.h
@@ -22,9 +22,8 @@
 #define LMIC_USE_INTERRUPTS 1
 #endif
 
-// avoid lmic warning if we don't configure radio because we don't have one
-#define CFG_sx1276_radio 1
-#if ! (defined(CFG_sx1272_radio) || defined(CFG_sx1276_radio))
+// avoid lmic warning if we don't configure radio in case we haven't one
+#if !(defined(CFG_sx1272_radio) || defined(CFG_sx1276_radio))
 #define CFG_sx1276_radio 1
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/lorawan.cpp b/src/lorawan.cpp
index 34cc4a0b..d7567d50 100644
--- a/src/lorawan.cpp
+++ b/src/lorawan.cpp
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ void showLoraKeys(void) {
 
 // LMIC send task
 void lora_send(void *pvParameters) {
-  configASSERT(((uint32_t)pvParameters) == 1); // FreeRTOS check
+  _ASSERT((uint32_t)pvParameters == 1); // FreeRTOS check
 
   MessageBuffer_t SendBuffer;
 
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ void lora_stack_reset() {
 }
 
 esp_err_t lora_stack_init(bool do_join) {
-  assert(SEND_QUEUE_SIZE);
+  _ASSERT(SEND_QUEUE_SIZE > 0);
   LoraSendQueue = xQueueCreate(SEND_QUEUE_SIZE, sizeof(MessageBuffer_t));
   if (LoraSendQueue == 0) {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Could not create LORA send queue. Aborting.");
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ void lora_queuereset(void) { xQueueReset(LoraSendQueue); }
 
 // LMIC lorawan stack task
 void lmictask(void *pvParameters) {
-  configASSERT(((uint32_t)pvParameters) == 1);
+  _ASSERT((uint32_t)pvParameters == 1);
 
   // setup LMIC stack
   os_init_ex(&myPinmap); // initialize lmic run-time environment
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index d787f97a..cabfa1e7 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ PMUIRQ          -> PMU chip gpio
 fired by software (Ticker.h)
 TIMESYNC_IRQ    -> setTimeSyncIRQ()
 CYCLIC_IRQ      -> setCyclicIRQ()
-SENDCYCLE_IRQ   -> setSendIRQ()  
-BME_IRQ         -> setBMEIRQ()     
+SENDCYCLE_IRQ   -> setSendIRQ()
+BME_IRQ         -> setBMEIRQ()
 MQTT_IRQ        -> setMqttIRQ()
 
 ClockTask (Core 1), see timekeeper.cpp
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ void setup() {
 
   // create some semaphores for syncing / mutexing tasks
   I2Caccess = xSemaphoreCreateMutex(); // for access management of i2c bus
-  assert(I2Caccess != NULL);
+  _ASSERT(I2Caccess != NULL);
   I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK();
 
   // disable brownout detection
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ void setup() {
 #endif
 
   // read (and initialize on first run) runtime settings from NVRAM
-  assert(loadConfig()); // includes initialize if necessary
+  _ASSERT(loadConfig()); // includes initialize if necessary
 
   // now that we are powered, we scan i2c bus for devices
   i2c_scan();
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ void setup() {
 #endif
 
 #ifdef BOARD_HAS_PSRAM
-  assert(psramFound());
+  _ASSERT(psramFound());
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "PSRAM found and initialized");
   strcat_P(features, " PSRAM");
 #endif
@@ -343,20 +343,20 @@ void setup() {
 #if (HAS_LORA)
   strcat_P(features, " LORA");
   // kick off join, except we come from sleep
-  assert(lora_stack_init(RTC_runmode == RUNMODE_WAKEUP ? false : true) ==
+  _ASSERT(lora_stack_init(RTC_runmode == RUNMODE_WAKEUP ? false : true) ==
          ESP_OK);
 #endif
 
 // initialize SPI
 #ifdef HAS_SPI
   strcat_P(features, " SPI");
-  assert(spi_init() == ESP_OK);
+  _ASSERT(spi_init() == ESP_OK);
 #endif
 
 // initialize MQTT
 #ifdef HAS_MQTT
   strcat_P(features, " MQTT");
-  assert(mqtt_init() == ESP_OK);
+  _ASSERT(mqtt_init() == ESP_OK);
 #endif
 
 #if (HAS_SDCARD)
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ void setup() {
 // initialize RTC
 #ifdef HAS_RTC
   strcat_P(features, " RTC");
-  assert(rtc_init());
+  _ASSERT(rtc_init());
 #endif
 
 #if defined HAS_DCF77
@@ -446,11 +446,13 @@ void setup() {
   strcat_P(features, " BMP180");
 #endif
   if (bme_init())
-    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Starting BME sensor...");
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "BME sensor initialized");
+  else
+    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "BME sensor could not be initialized");
 #endif
 
   // starting timers and interrupts
-  assert(irqHandlerTask != NULL); // has interrupt handler task started?
+  _ASSERT(irqHandlerTask != NULL); // has interrupt handler task started?
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Starting Timers...");
 
 // display interrupt
@@ -505,7 +507,7 @@ void setup() {
 #endif
 
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Starting Timekeeper...");
-  assert(timepulse_init()); // setup pps timepulse
+  _ASSERT(timepulse_init()); // setup pps timepulse
   timepulse_start();        // starts pps and cyclic time sync
 
 #endif // TIME_SYNC_INTERVAL
@@ -520,4 +522,4 @@ void setup() {
 
 } // setup()
 
-void loop() { vTaskDelete(NULL); }
+void loop() { vTaskDelete(NULL); }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/mqttclient.cpp b/src/mqttclient.cpp
index c17fd049..25d7ee04 100644
--- a/src/mqttclient.cpp
+++ b/src/mqttclient.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ esp_err_t mqtt_init(void) {
   mqttClient.begin(MQTT_SERVER, MQTT_PORT, netClient);
   mqttClient.onMessageAdvanced(mqtt_callback);
 
-  assert(SEND_QUEUE_SIZE);
+  _ASSERT(SEND_QUEUE_SIZE > 0);
   MQTTSendQueue = xQueueCreate(SEND_QUEUE_SIZE, sizeof(MessageBuffer_t));
   if (MQTTSendQueue == 0) {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Could not create MQTT send queue. Aborting.");
diff --git a/src/spislave.cpp b/src/spislave.cpp
index 4d3a75ab..3e581318 100644
--- a/src/spislave.cpp
+++ b/src/spislave.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ void spi_slave_task(void *param) {
 }
 
 esp_err_t spi_init() {
-  assert(SEND_QUEUE_SIZE);
+  _ASSERT(SEND_QUEUE_SIZE > 0);
   SPISendQueue = xQueueCreate(SEND_QUEUE_SIZE, sizeof(MessageBuffer_t));
   if (SPISendQueue == 0) {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Could not create SPI send queue. Aborting.");
diff --git a/src/timekeeper.cpp b/src/timekeeper.cpp
index 051f77c3..3354b45d 100644
--- a/src/timekeeper.cpp
+++ b/src/timekeeper.cpp
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ void clock_init(void) {
                           &ClockTask,           // task handle
                           1);                   // CPU core
 
-  assert(ClockTask); // has clock task started?
+  _ASSERT(ClockTask != NULL); // has clock task started?
 } // clock_init
 
 void clock_loop(void *taskparameter) { // ClockTask
diff --git a/src/wifiscan.cpp b/src/wifiscan.cpp
index aa7a7041..dd8ce4a1 100644
--- a/src/wifiscan.cpp
+++ b/src/wifiscan.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ IRAM_ATTR void wifi_sniffer_packet_handler(void *buff,
 
 // Software-timer driven Wifi channel rotation callback function
 void switchWifiChannel(TimerHandle_t xTimer) {
-  configASSERT(xTimer);
+  _ASSERT(xTimer != NULL);
   channel =
       (channel % WIFI_CHANNEL_MAX) + 1; // rotate channel 1..WIFI_CHANNEL_MAX
   esp_wifi_set_channel(channel, WIFI_SECOND_CHAN_NONE);
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ void wifi_sniffer_init(void) {
 }
 
 void switch_wifi_sniffer(uint8_t state) {
-  assert(WifiChanTimer);
+  _ASSERT(WifiChanTimer != NULL);
   if (state) {
     // switch wifi sniffer on
     ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_wifi_start());