diff --git a/src/drivers/dshot/DShot.cpp b/src/drivers/dshot/DShot.cpp
index 3582dab43c..5fc7291db2 100644
--- a/src/drivers/dshot/DShot.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/dshot/DShot.cpp
@@ -144,9 +144,9 @@ void DShot::enable_dshot_outputs(const bool enabled)
 			}
 		}
 
-		_bdshot = _param_bidirectional_enable.get();
+		_bidirectional_dshot_enabled = _param_bidirectional_enable.get();
 
-		int ret = up_dshot_init(_output_mask, dshot_frequency, _bdshot);
+		int ret = up_dshot_init(_output_mask, dshot_frequency, _bidirectional_dshot_enabled);
 
 		if (ret < 0) {
 			PX4_ERR("up_dshot_init failed (%i)", ret);
@@ -160,8 +160,6 @@ void DShot::enable_dshot_outputs(const bool enabled)
 			if (((1 << i) & _output_mask) == 0) {
 				_mixing_output.disableFunction(i);
 
-			} else {
-				_dshot_esc_count++;
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -173,7 +171,7 @@ void DShot::enable_dshot_outputs(const bool enabled)
 
 		_outputs_initialized = true;
 
-		if (_bdshot) {
+		if (_bidirectional_dshot_enabled) {
 			init_telemetry(NULL);
 		}
 	}
@@ -263,12 +261,11 @@ int DShot::handle_new_telemetry_data(const int telemetry_index, const DShotTelem
 void DShot::publish_esc_status(void)
 {
 	esc_status_s &esc_status = _telemetry->esc_status_pub.get();
-	uint8_t channel;
 
 	// clear data of the esc that are offline
-	for (channel = 0; (channel < _telemetry->last_telemetry_index); channel++) {
-		if ((esc_status.esc_online_flags & (1 << channel)) == 0) {
-			memset(&esc_status.esc[channel], 0, sizeof(struct esc_report_s));
+	for (int index = 0; (index < _telemetry->last_telemetry_index); index++) {
+		if ((esc_status.esc_online_flags & (1 << index)) == 0) {
+			memset(&esc_status.esc[index], 0, sizeof(struct esc_report_s));
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -276,14 +273,14 @@ void DShot::publish_esc_status(void)
 	esc_status.esc_online_flags = (1 << esc_status.esc_count) - 1;
 	esc_status.esc_armed_flags = (1 << esc_status.esc_count) - 1;
 
-	if (_bdshot) {
+	if (_bidirectional_dshot_enabled) {
 		esc_status.esc_online_flags |= _output_mask;
 		esc_status.esc_armed_flags |= _output_mask;
-		esc_status.esc_count = _dshot_esc_count;
+		esc_status.esc_count = _telemetry->handler.numMotors();
 
-		for (channel = 0; (channel < 8); channel++) {
-			if (up_bdshot_channel_status(channel) == 0) {
-				esc_status.esc_online_flags &= ~(1 << channel);
+		for (int index = 0; (index < esc_status.esc_count); index++) {
+			if (up_bdshot_channel_status(index) == 0) {
+				esc_status.esc_online_flags &= ~(1 << index);
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -544,7 +541,7 @@ void DShot::Run()
 			need_to_publish = handle_new_telemetry_data(telem_update, _telemetry->handler.latestESCData());
 		}
 
-		if (_bdshot) {
+		if (_bidirectional_dshot_enabled) {
 			// Add bdshot data to esc status
 			need_to_publish += handle_new_bdshot_erpm();
 		}
@@ -794,7 +791,7 @@ int DShot::print_status()
 	}
 
 	/* Print dshot status */
-	if (_bdshot) {
+	if (_bidirectional_dshot_enabled) {
 		up_bdshot_status();
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/drivers/dshot/DShot.h b/src/drivers/dshot/DShot.h
index 2dcab5696f..e60b33b862 100644
--- a/src/drivers/dshot/DShot.h
+++ b/src/drivers/dshot/DShot.h
@@ -162,11 +162,10 @@ private:
 	bool _outputs_initialized{false};
 	bool _outputs_on{false};
 	bool _waiting_for_esc_info{false};
-	bool _bdshot{false};
+	bool _bidirectional_dshot_enabled{false};
 
 	static constexpr unsigned _num_outputs{DIRECT_PWM_OUTPUT_CHANNELS};
 	uint32_t _output_mask{0};
-	uint32_t _dshot_esc_count{0};
 
 	perf_counter_t	_cycle_perf{perf_alloc(PC_ELAPSED, MODULE_NAME": cycle")};