diff --git a/hal/src/fsfw_hal/linux/gpio/LinuxLibgpioIF.cpp b/hal/src/fsfw_hal/linux/gpio/LinuxLibgpioIF.cpp
index bcc48e58..15c3d118 100644
--- a/hal/src/fsfw_hal/linux/gpio/LinuxLibgpioIF.cpp
+++ b/hal/src/fsfw_hal/linux/gpio/LinuxLibgpioIF.cpp
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ ReturnValue_t LinuxLibgpioIF::pullLow(gpioId_t gpioId) {
         return UNKNOWN_GPIO_ID;
     }
 
-    auto gpioType = gpioMapIter->second->gpioType;
+    auto& gpioType = gpioMapIter->second->gpioType;
     if(gpioType == gpio::GpioTypes::GPIO_REGULAR_BY_CHIP or
             gpioType == gpio::GpioTypes::GPIO_REGULAR_BY_LABEL) {
         auto regularGpio = dynamic_cast<GpiodRegularBase*>(gpioMapIter->second);
diff --git a/hal/src/fsfw_hal/linux/spi/SpiComIF.cpp b/hal/src/fsfw_hal/linux/spi/SpiComIF.cpp
index 6cf6675f..ec55f863 100644
--- a/hal/src/fsfw_hal/linux/spi/SpiComIF.cpp
+++ b/hal/src/fsfw_hal/linux/spi/SpiComIF.cpp
@@ -197,12 +197,26 @@ ReturnValue_t SpiComIF::performRegularSendOperation(SpiCookie *spiCookie, const
     if(gpioId != gpio::NO_GPIO) {
         result = spiMutex->lockMutex(timeoutType, timeoutMs);
         if (result != RETURN_OK) {
+#if FSFW_VERBOSE_LEVEL >= 1
 #if FSFW_CPP_OSTREAM_ENABLED == 1
             sif::error << "SpiComIF::sendMessage: Failed to lock mutex" << std::endl;
+#else
+            sif::printError("SpiComIF::sendMessage: Failed to lock mutex\n");
+#endif
+#endif
+            return result;
+        }
+        ReturnValue_t result = gpioComIF->pullLow(gpioId);
+        if(result != HasReturnvaluesIF::RETURN_OK) {
+#if FSFW_VERBOSE_LEVEL >= 1
+#if FSFW_CPP_OSTREAM_ENABLED == 1
+            sif::warning << "SpiComIF::sendMessage: Pulling low CS pin failed" << std::endl;
+#else
+            sif::printWarning("SpiComIF::sendMessage: Pulling low CS pin failed");
+#endif
 #endif
             return result;
         }
-        gpioComIF->pullLow(gpioId);
     }
 
     /* Execute transfer */