diff --git a/include/globals.h b/include/globals.h
index 2b421d6d..f8ef5fa5 100644
--- a/include/globals.h
+++ b/include/globals.h
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@
 #define BLE_MODE (0x40)
 #define SCREEN_MODE (0x80)
 
+// I2C bus access control
+#define I2C_MUTEX_LOCK()    xSemaphoreTake(I2Caccess, (DISPLAYREFRESH_MS / portTICK_PERIOD_MS)) != pdTRUE
+#define I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK()  xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess)
+
 // Struct holding devices's runtime configuration
 typedef struct {
   uint8_t lorasf;      // 7-12, lora spreadfactor
diff --git a/src/bme680mems.cpp b/src/bme680mems.cpp
index bb420db4..924bc656 100644
--- a/src/bme680mems.cpp
+++ b/src/bme680mems.cpp
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@ int bme_init(void) {
   // return = 0 -> error / return = 1 -> success
 
   // block i2c bus access
-  if (xSemaphoreTake(I2Caccess, (DISPLAYREFRESH_MS / portTICK_PERIOD_MS)) ==
-      pdTRUE) {
+  if (I2C_MUTEX_LOCK()) {
 
     Wire.begin(HAS_BME);
     iaqSensor.begin(BME_ADDR, Wire);
@@ -62,17 +61,16 @@ int bme_init(void) {
       ESP_LOGE(TAG, "BSEC subscription error");
       goto error;
     }
-
   } else {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "I2c bus busy - BME680 initialization error");
     goto error;
   }
 
-  xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess); // release i2c bus access
+  I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK(); // release i2c bus access
   return 1;
 
 error:
-  xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess); // release i2c bus access
+  I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK(); // release i2c bus access
   return 0;
 
 } // bme_init()
@@ -106,24 +104,24 @@ void bme_loop(void *pvParameters) {
   configASSERT(((uint32_t)pvParameters) == 1); // FreeRTOS check
 
 #ifdef HAS_BME
-  // block i2c bus access
-  while (xSemaphoreTake(I2Caccess, portMAX_DELAY) == pdTRUE) {
-
-    if (iaqSensor.run()) { // If new data is available
-      bme_status.raw_temperature = iaqSensor.rawTemperature;
-      bme_status.raw_humidity = iaqSensor.rawHumidity;
-      bme_status.temperature = iaqSensor.temperature;
-      bme_status.humidity = iaqSensor.humidity;
-      bme_status.pressure =
-          (iaqSensor.pressure / 100.0); // conversion Pa -> hPa
-      bme_status.iaq = iaqSensor.iaqEstimate;
-      bme_status.iaq_accuracy = iaqSensor.iaqAccuracy;
-      bme_status.gas = iaqSensor.gasResistance;
-      updateState();
+  while (1) {
+    // block i2c bus access
+    if (I2C_MUTEX_LOCK()) {
+      if (iaqSensor.run()) { // If new data is available
+        bme_status.raw_temperature = iaqSensor.rawTemperature;
+        bme_status.raw_humidity = iaqSensor.rawHumidity;
+        bme_status.temperature = iaqSensor.temperature;
+        bme_status.humidity = iaqSensor.humidity;
+        bme_status.pressure =
+            (iaqSensor.pressure / 100.0); // conversion Pa -> hPa
+        bme_status.iaq = iaqSensor.iaqEstimate;
+        bme_status.iaq_accuracy = iaqSensor.iaqAccuracy;
+        bme_status.gas = iaqSensor.gasResistance;
+        updateState();
+      }
+      I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK();
     }
-    xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess); // release i2c bus access
-
-  } // while
+  }
 #endif
   ESP_LOGE(TAG, "BME task ended");
   vTaskDelete(BmeTask); // should never be reached
diff --git a/src/display.cpp b/src/display.cpp
index 861328fd..af472397 100644
--- a/src/display.cpp
+++ b/src/display.cpp
@@ -99,8 +99,7 @@ void init_display(const char *Productname, const char *Version) {
 void refreshtheDisplay() {
 
   // block i2c bus access
-  if (xSemaphoreTake(I2Caccess, (DISPLAYREFRESH_MS / portTICK_PERIOD_MS)) ==
-      pdTRUE) {
+  if (I2C_MUTEX_LOCK()) {
 
     // set display on/off according to current device configuration
     if (DisplayState != cfg.screenon) {
@@ -193,7 +192,7 @@ void refreshtheDisplay() {
 
 #endif // HAS_LORA
 
-    xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess); // release i2c bus access
+    I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK(); // release i2c bus access
   }
 
 } // refreshDisplay()
diff --git a/src/rtctime.cpp b/src/rtctime.cpp
index 624e30e4..50ee9fb4 100644
--- a/src/rtctime.cpp
+++ b/src/rtctime.cpp
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ int rtc_init(void) {
   // return = 0 -> error / return = 1 -> success
 
   // block i2c bus access
-  if (xSemaphoreTake(I2Caccess, (DISPLAYREFRESH_MS / portTICK_PERIOD_MS)) ==
-      pdTRUE) {
+  if (I2C_MUTEX_LOCK()) {
 
     Wire.begin(HAS_RTC);
     Rtc.Begin();
@@ -48,12 +47,12 @@ int rtc_init(void) {
     goto error;
   }
 
-  xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess); // release i2c bus access
+  I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK(); // release i2c bus access
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "RTC initialized");
   return 1;
 
 error:
-  xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess); // release i2c bus access
+  I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK(); // release i2c bus access
   return 0;
 
 } // rtc_init()
@@ -61,9 +60,9 @@ error:
 int set_rtctime(uint32_t UTCTime) {
   // return = 0 -> error / return = 1 -> success
   // block i2c bus access
-  while (xSemaphoreTake(I2Caccess, DISPLAYREFRESH_MS) == pdTRUE) {
+  if (I2C_MUTEX_LOCK()) {
     Rtc.SetDateTime(RtcDateTime(UTCTime));
-    xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess); // release i2c bus access
+    I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK(); // release i2c bus access
     return 1;
   }
   return 0;
@@ -72,9 +71,9 @@ int set_rtctime(uint32_t UTCTime) {
 int set_rtctime(RtcDateTime t) {
   // return = 0 -> error / return = 1 -> success
   // block i2c bus access
-  while (xSemaphoreTake(I2Caccess, DISPLAYREFRESH_MS) == pdTRUE) {
+  if (I2C_MUTEX_LOCK()) {
     Rtc.SetDateTime(t);
-    xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess); // release i2c bus access
+    I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK(); // release i2c bus access
     return 1;
   }
   return 0;
@@ -84,14 +83,14 @@ time_t get_rtctime(void) {
   // never call now() in this function, would cause recursion!
   time_t tt = 0;
   // block i2c bus access
-  if (xSemaphoreTake(I2Caccess, DISPLAYREFRESH_MS) == pdTRUE) {
+  if (I2C_MUTEX_LOCK()) {
     if (!Rtc.IsDateTimeValid()) {
       ESP_LOGW(TAG, "RTC lost confidence in the DateTime");
     } else {
       RtcDateTime t = Rtc.GetDateTime();
       tt = t.Epoch32Time();
     }
-    xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess); // release i2c bus access
+    I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK(); // release i2c bus access
     return tt;
   }
   return tt;
@@ -115,9 +114,9 @@ void sync_rtctime(void) {
 
 float get_rtctemp(void) {
   // block i2c bus access
-  while (xSemaphoreTake(I2Caccess, DISPLAYREFRESH_MS) == pdTRUE) {
+  if (I2C_MUTEX_LOCK()) {
     RtcTemperature temp = Rtc.GetTemperature();
-    xSemaphoreGive(I2Caccess); // release i2c bus access
+    I2C_MUTEX_UNLOCK(); // release i2c bus access
     return temp.AsFloatDegC();
   } // while
   return 0;