diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 64f3529d..8a143488 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -114,8 +114,7 @@ ModuleLiveScripts moduleLiveScripts = ModuleLiveScripts(&server, &esp32sveltekit
 ModuleChannels moduleChannels = ModuleChannels(&server, &esp32sveltekit);
 ModuleMoonLightInfo moduleMoonLightInfo = ModuleMoonLightInfo(&server, &esp32sveltekit);
 
-volatile xSemaphoreHandle effectSemaphore = xSemaphoreCreateBinary();
-volatile xSemaphoreHandle driverSemaphore = xSemaphoreCreateBinary();
+volatile xSemaphoreHandle lowLevelSemaphore = xSemaphoreCreateBinary();
 
 TaskHandle_t effectTaskHandle = NULL;
 TaskHandle_t driverTaskHandle = NULL;
@@ -128,20 +127,22 @@ void effectTask(void* pvParameters) {
   for (;;) {
     esp32sveltekit.lps++;  // 🌙 todo: not moonlight specific?
 
-    if (xSemaphoreTake(effectSemaphore, pdMS_TO_TICKS(100)) == pdFALSE) {
+    if (xSemaphoreTake(lowLevelSemaphore, pdMS_TO_TICKS(100)) == pdFALSE) {
       // EXT_LOGW(ML_TAG, "effectSemaphore wait too long"); //happens if no driver!, but let effects continue (for monitor) at 10 fps
+      //EXT_LOGW(ML_TAG, "effect: semaphore wait too long");
     }
+    else {
+      layerP.loop();  // run all the effects of all virtual layers (currently only one layer)
 
-    layerP.loop();  // run all the effects of all virtual layers (currently only one layer)
+      static unsigned long last20ms = 0;
+      if (millis() - last20ms >= 20) {
+        last20ms = millis();
+        layerP.loop20ms();
+      }
 
-    static unsigned long last20ms = 0;
-    if (millis() - last20ms >= 20) {
-      last20ms = millis();
-      layerP.loop20ms();
+      xSemaphoreGive(lowLevelSemaphore);
     }
 
-    xSemaphoreGive(driverSemaphore);
-
     vTaskDelay(1);  // yield to other tasks, 1 tick (~1ms)
   }
 }
@@ -152,12 +153,14 @@ void driverTask(void* pvParameters) {
   // layerP.setup() done in effectTask
 
   for (;;) {
-    xSemaphoreTake(driverSemaphore, pdMS_TO_TICKS(100));
-
-    layerP.loopDrivers();
-
-    xSemaphoreGive(effectSemaphore);
+    if (xSemaphoreTake(lowLevelSemaphore, pdMS_TO_TICKS(100))  == pdFALSE) {
+      //EXT_LOGW(ML_TAG, "driver: semaphore wait too long");
+    }
+    else {
+      layerP.loopDrivers();
 
+      xSemaphoreGive(lowLevelSemaphore);
+    }
     vTaskDelay(1);  // yield to other tasks, 1 tick (~1ms)
   }
 }
@@ -325,7 +328,7 @@ void setup() {
       false);
     #endif
 
-  xSemaphoreGive(effectSemaphore);  // Allow effectTask to run first
+  xSemaphoreGive(lowLevelSemaphore);
 
   // 🌙
   xTaskCreateUniversal(effectTask,                          // task function