diff --git a/src/main/drivers/pwm_output.c b/src/main/drivers/pwm_output.c
index 2f9931e95a..441f64835e 100644
--- a/src/main/drivers/pwm_output.c
+++ b/src/main/drivers/pwm_output.c
@@ -673,8 +673,11 @@ FAST_CODE uint16_t prepareDshotPacket(motorDmaOutput_t *const motor)
         csum ^=  csum_data;   // xor data by nibbles
         csum_data >>= 4;
     }
-    csum &= 0xf;
     // append checksum
+    if (useDshotTelemetry) {
+        csum = ~csum;
+    }
+    csum &= 0xf;
     packet = (packet << 4) | csum;
 
     return packet;
diff --git a/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot.c b/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot.c
index b68e359607..12f3928536 100644
--- a/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot.c
+++ b/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot.c
@@ -269,14 +269,12 @@ void pwmDshotMotorHardwareConfig(const timerHardware_t *timerHardware, uint8_t m
     const bool configureTimer = (timerIndex == dmaMotorTimerCount-1);
 
     uint8_t pupMode = 0;
+    pupMode = (output & TIMER_OUTPUT_INVERTED) ? GPIO_PuPd_DOWN : GPIO_PuPd_UP;
 #ifdef USE_DSHOT_TELEMETRY
-    if (!useDshotTelemetry) {
-        pupMode = (output & TIMER_OUTPUT_INVERTED) ? GPIO_PuPd_DOWN : GPIO_PuPd_UP;
-    } else
-#endif
-    {
-        pupMode = (output & TIMER_OUTPUT_INVERTED) ? GPIO_PuPd_UP : GPIO_PuPd_DOWN;
+    if (useDshotTelemetry) {
+        output ^= TIMER_OUTPUT_INVERTED;
     }
+#endif
 
     IOConfigGPIOAF(motorIO, IO_CONFIG(GPIO_Mode_AF, GPIO_Speed_50MHz, GPIO_OType_PP, pupMode), timerHardware->alternateFunction);
 
@@ -395,6 +393,10 @@ void pwmDshotMotorHardwareConfig(const timerHardware_t *timerHardware, uint8_t m
         ( 2 + (motor->useProshot ? 4 * MOTOR_NIBBLE_LENGTH_PROSHOT : 16 * MOTOR_BITLENGTH))
         / getDshotHz(pwmProtocolType);
     pwmDshotSetDirectionOutput(motor, true);
+    if (useDshotTelemetry) {
+        // avoid high line during startup to prevent bootloader activation
+        *timerChCCR(timerHardware) = 0xffff;
+    }
 #else
     pwmDshotSetDirectionOutput(motor, true, &OCINIT, &DMAINIT);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot_hal.c b/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot_hal.c
index e61fc0c8ba..d56ee9810b 100644
--- a/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot_hal.c
+++ b/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot_hal.c
@@ -241,16 +241,12 @@ void pwmDshotMotorHardwareConfig(const timerHardware_t *timerHardware, uint8_t m
     const uint8_t timerIndex = getTimerIndex(timer);
     const bool configureTimer = (timerIndex == dmaMotorTimerCount - 1);
 
-    uint8_t pupMode = 0;
+    uint8_t pupMode = (output & TIMER_OUTPUT_INVERTED) ? GPIO_PULLDOWN : GPIO_PULLUP;
 #ifdef USE_DSHOT_TELEMETRY
-    if (!useDshotTelemetry) {
-        pupMode = (output & TIMER_OUTPUT_INVERTED) ? GPIO_PULLDOWN : GPIO_PULLUP;
-    } else
-#endif
-    {
-        pupMode = (output & TIMER_OUTPUT_INVERTED) ? GPIO_PULLUP : GPIO_PULLDOWN;
+    if (useDshotTelemetry) {
+        output ^= TIMER_OUTPUT_INVERTED;
     }
-
+#endif
 
     IOConfigGPIOAF(motorIO, IO_CONFIG(GPIO_MODE_AF_PP, GPIO_SPEED_FREQ_VERY_HIGH, pupMode), timerHardware->alternateFunction);
 
@@ -358,6 +354,10 @@ void pwmDshotMotorHardwareConfig(const timerHardware_t *timerHardware, uint8_t m
         ( 2 + (motor->useProshot ? 4 * MOTOR_NIBBLE_LENGTH_PROSHOT : 16 * MOTOR_BITLENGTH))
         / getDshotHz(pwmProtocolType);
     pwmDshotSetDirectionOutput(motor, true);
+    if (useDshotTelemetry) {
+        // avoid high line during startup to prevent bootloader activation
+        *timerChCCR(timerHardware) = 0xffff;
+    }
 #else
     pwmDshotSetDirectionOutput(motor, true, &OCINIT, &DMAINIT);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot_shared.c b/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot_shared.c
index 0f6f4bbe66..56fd092b34 100644
--- a/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot_shared.c
+++ b/src/main/drivers/pwm_output_dshot_shared.c
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ static uint16_t decodeDshotPacket(uint32_t buffer[])
     csum = csum ^ (csum >> 8); // xor bytes
     csum = csum ^ (csum >> 4); // xor nibbles
 
-    if (csum & 0xf) {
+    if ((csum & 0xf) != 0xf) {
         return 0xffff;
     }
     return value >> 4;
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ static uint16_t decodeProshotPacket(uint32_t buffer[])
     csum = csum ^ (csum >> 8); // xor bytes
     csum = csum ^ (csum >> 4); // xor nibbles
 
-    if (csum & 0xf) {
+    if ((csum & 0xf) != 0xf) {
         return 0xffff;
     }
     return value >> 4;
diff --git a/src/main/fc/core.c b/src/main/fc/core.c
index 3ffb428e45..728c77cf84 100644
--- a/src/main/fc/core.c
+++ b/src/main/fc/core.c
@@ -414,14 +414,6 @@ void tryArm(void)
             return;
         }
 
-#ifdef USE_DSHOT_TELEMETRY
-        if (isMotorProtocolDshot()) {
-            pwmWriteDshotCommand(
-                255, getMotorCount(), motorConfig()->dev.useDshotTelemetry ?
-                DSHOT_CMD_SIGNAL_LINE_CONTINUOUS_ERPM_TELEMETRY : DSHOT_CMD_SIGNAL_LINE_TELEMETRY_DISABLE, false);
-        }
-#endif
-
         if (isMotorProtocolDshot() && isModeActivationConditionPresent(BOXFLIPOVERAFTERCRASH)) {
             if (!(IS_RC_MODE_ACTIVE(BOXFLIPOVERAFTERCRASH) || (tryingToArm == ARMING_DELAYED_CRASHFLIP))) {
                 flipOverAfterCrashActive = false;
diff --git a/src/main/fc/init.c b/src/main/fc/init.c
index 8ecd6014fa..f5936e92c7 100644
--- a/src/main/fc/init.c
+++ b/src/main/fc/init.c
@@ -209,20 +209,6 @@ static IO_t busSwitchResetPin        = IO_NONE;
 }
 #endif
 
-#ifdef USE_DSHOT_TELEMETRY
-void activateDshotTelemetry(struct dispatchEntry_s* self)
-{
-    if (!ARMING_FLAG(ARMED) && !isDshotTelemetryActive()) {
-        pwmWriteDshotCommand(ALL_MOTORS, getMotorCount(), DSHOT_CMD_SIGNAL_LINE_CONTINUOUS_ERPM_TELEMETRY, false);
-        dispatchAdd(self, 1e6); // check again in 1 second
-    }
-}
-
-dispatchEntry_t activateDshotTelemetryEntry =
-{
-    activateDshotTelemetry, 0, NULL, false
-};
-#endif
 
 void init(void)
 {
@@ -794,13 +780,6 @@ void init(void)
 
     setArmingDisabled(ARMING_DISABLED_BOOT_GRACE_TIME);
 
-#ifdef USE_DSHOT_TELEMETRY
-    if (motorConfig()->dev.useDshotTelemetry) {
-        dispatchEnable();
-        dispatchAdd(&activateDshotTelemetryEntry, 5000000);
-    }
-#endif
-
     fcTasksInit();
 
     systemState |= SYSTEM_STATE_READY;