diff --git a/src/drivers/gps/gps.cpp b/src/drivers/gps/gps.cpp
index c992c45f18..2cc09ac015 100644
--- a/src/drivers/gps/gps.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/gps/gps.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 #include <lib/parameters/param.h>
 #include <mathlib/mathlib.h>
 #include <matrix/math.hpp>
+#include <px4_platform_common/atomic.h>
 #include <px4_platform_common/cli.h>
 #include <px4_platform_common/getopt.h>
 #include <px4_platform_common/module.h>
@@ -179,12 +180,12 @@ private:
 	gps_dump_s			*_dump_from_device{nullptr};
 	bool				_should_dump_communication{false};			///< if true, dump communication
 
-	static volatile bool _is_gps_main_advertised; ///< for the second gps we want to make sure that it gets instance 1
+	static px4::atomic_bool _is_gps_main_advertised; ///< for the second gps we want to make sure that it gets instance 1
 	/// and thus we wait until the first one publishes at least one message.
 
-	static volatile GPS *_secondary_instance;
+	static px4::atomic<GPS *> _secondary_instance;
 
-	volatile GPSRestartType _scheduled_reset{GPSRestartType::None};
+	px4::atomic<int> _scheduled_reset{(int)GPSRestartType::None};
 
 	/**
 	 * Publish the gps struct
@@ -243,8 +244,8 @@ private:
 	void initializeCommunicationDump();
 };
 
-volatile bool GPS::_is_gps_main_advertised = false;
-volatile GPS *GPS::_secondary_instance = nullptr;
+px4::atomic_bool GPS::_is_gps_main_advertised{false};
+px4::atomic<GPS *> GPS::_secondary_instance{nullptr};
 
 /*
  * Driver 'main' command.
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ GPS::GPS(const char *path, gps_driver_mode_t mode, GPSHelper::Interface interfac
 
 GPS::~GPS()
 {
-	GPS *secondary_instance = (GPS *) _secondary_instance;
+	GPS *secondary_instance = _secondary_instance.load();
 
 	if (_instance == Instance::Main && secondary_instance) {
 		secondary_instance->request_stop();
@@ -291,7 +292,7 @@ GPS::~GPS()
 		do {
 			px4_usleep(20000); // 20 ms
 			++i;
-		} while (_secondary_instance && i < 100);
+		} while (_secondary_instance.load() && i < 100);
 	}
 
 	delete _sat_info;
@@ -892,8 +893,8 @@ GPS::print_status()
 		print_message(_report_gps_pos);
 	}
 
-	if (_instance == Instance::Main && _secondary_instance) {
-		GPS *secondary_instance = (GPS *)_secondary_instance;
+	if (_instance == Instance::Main && _secondary_instance.load()) {
+		GPS *secondary_instance = _secondary_instance.load();
 		secondary_instance->print_status();
 	}
 
@@ -903,10 +904,10 @@ GPS::print_status()
 void
 GPS::schedule_reset(GPSRestartType restart_type)
 {
-	_scheduled_reset = restart_type;
+	_scheduled_reset.store((int)restart_type);
 
-	if (_instance == Instance::Main && _secondary_instance) {
-		GPS *secondary_instance = (GPS *)_secondary_instance;
+	if (_instance == Instance::Main && _secondary_instance.load()) {
+		GPS *secondary_instance = _secondary_instance.load();
 		secondary_instance->schedule_reset(restart_type);
 	}
 }
@@ -914,10 +915,10 @@ GPS::schedule_reset(GPSRestartType restart_type)
 void
 GPS::reset_if_scheduled()
 {
-	GPSRestartType restart_type = _scheduled_reset;
+	GPSRestartType restart_type = (GPSRestartType)_scheduled_reset.load();
 
 	if (restart_type != GPSRestartType::None) {
-		_scheduled_reset = GPSRestartType::None;
+		_scheduled_reset.store((int)GPSRestartType::None);
 		int res = _helper->reset(restart_type);
 
 		if (res == -1) {
@@ -935,12 +936,12 @@ GPS::reset_if_scheduled()
 void
 GPS::publish()
 {
-	if (_instance == Instance::Main || _is_gps_main_advertised) {
+	if (_instance == Instance::Main || _is_gps_main_advertised.load()) {
 		_report_gps_pos_pub.publish(_report_gps_pos);
 		// Heading/yaw data can be updated at a lower rate than the other navigation data.
 		// The uORB message definition requires this data to be set to a NAN if no new valid data is available.
 		_report_gps_pos.heading = NAN;
-		_is_gps_main_advertised = true;
+		_is_gps_main_advertised.store(true);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1087,10 +1088,10 @@ int GPS::run_trampoline_secondary(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	GPS *gps = instantiate(argc, argv, Instance::Secondary);
 	if (gps) {
-		_secondary_instance = gps;
+		_secondary_instance.store(gps);
 		gps->run();
 
-		_secondary_instance = nullptr;
+		_secondary_instance.store(nullptr);
 		delete gps;
 	}
 	return 0;
@@ -1207,7 +1208,7 @@ GPS *GPS::instantiate(int argc, char *argv[], Instance instance)
 				/* wait up to 1s */
 				px4_usleep(2500);
 
-			} while (!_secondary_instance && ++i < 400);
+			} while (!_secondary_instance.load() && ++i < 400);
 
 			if (i == 400) {
 				PX4_ERR("Timed out while waiting for thread to start");