diff --git a/src/modules/sensors/sensors.cpp b/src/modules/sensors/sensors.cpp
index 60c4fa5e6e..f135529e02 100644
--- a/src/modules/sensors/sensors.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/sensors/sensors.cpp
@@ -2199,7 +2199,7 @@ Sensors::task_main()
 
 		/* this is undesirable but not much we can do - might want to flag unhappy status */
 		if (pret < 0) {
-			warnx("poll error %d, %d", pret, errno);
+			warnx("sens: poll error %d, %d", pret, errno);
 			continue;
 		}
 
@@ -2215,17 +2215,21 @@ Sensors::task_main()
 		mag_poll(raw);
 		baro_poll(raw);
 
+#ifndef __PX4_POSIX
 		/* work out if main gyro timed out and fail over to alternate gyro */
-		if (hrt_elapsed_time(&raw.gyro_timestamp[0]) > 20 * 1000) {
+		if (raw.gyro_timestamp[0] > 0 && hrt_elapsed_time(&raw.gyro_timestamp[0]) > 20 * 1000) {
 
 			/* if the secondary failed as well, go to the tertiary */
-			if (hrt_elapsed_time(&raw.gyro_timestamp[1]) > 20 * 1000) {
+			if (_gyro_sub[2] >= 0 && (hrt_elapsed_time(&raw.gyro_timestamp[1]) > 20 * 1000)) {
 				fds[0].fd = _gyro_sub[2];
+				warnx("failing over to third gyro");
 
-			} else {
+			} else if (_gyro_sub[1] >= 0) {
 				fds[0].fd = _gyro_sub[1];
+				warnx("failing over to second gyro");
 			}
 		}
+#endif
 
 		/* check battery voltage */
 		adc_poll(raw);