diff --git a/libmaple/usart.c b/libmaple/usart.c
index 0bdc37ae8..7d6e7ca57 100644
--- a/libmaple/usart.c
+++ b/libmaple/usart.c
@@ -102,6 +102,11 @@ void usart_init(usart_dev *dev) {
     rb_init(dev->rb, USART_RX_BUF_SIZE, dev->rx_buf);
     rcc_clk_enable(dev->clk_id);
     nvic_irq_enable(dev->irq_num);
+
+    /* Set to max priority to avoid race condition where register presumably
+     * might change before it can be picked out by USART interrupt and cause
+     * it to lock up. */
+    nvic_irq_set_priority (dev->irq_num, 0);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/libmaple/usart.h b/libmaple/usart.h
index ed00e16cb..4b55b280f 100644
--- a/libmaple/usart.h
+++ b/libmaple/usart.h
@@ -309,7 +309,9 @@ static inline void usart_putstr(usart_dev *dev, const char* str) {
  * @see usart_data_available()
  */
 static inline uint8 usart_getc(usart_dev *dev) {
-    return rb_remove(dev->rb);
+    /* Use rb_safe_remove to avoid race in case another interrupt have reset
+     * or cleared the ringbuffer */
+    return rb_safe_remove (dev->rb);
 }
 
 /**