diff --git a/drivers/wireless/spirit/drivers/spirit_netdev.c b/drivers/wireless/spirit/drivers/spirit_netdev.c
index 215a763f02c..47e12825195 100644
--- a/drivers/wireless/spirit/drivers/spirit_netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/wireless/spirit/drivers/spirit_netdev.c
@@ -496,6 +496,7 @@ static int spirit_transmit(FAR struct spirit_driver_s *priv)
       ret = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_TX, 5);
       if (ret < 0)
         {
+          wlerr("ERROR: Failed to go to TX state: %d\n", ret);
           goto errout_with_iob;
         }
 
@@ -1206,6 +1207,7 @@ static int spirit_ifup(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev)
       ret = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_READY, 5);
       if (ret < 0)
         {
+          wlerr("ERROR: Failed to go to READY state: %d\n", ret);
           goto error_with_ifalmostup;
         }
 
@@ -1220,6 +1222,7 @@ static int spirit_ifup(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev)
       ret = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_RX, 5);
       if (ret < 0)
         {
+          wlerr("ERROR: Failed to go to RX state: %d\n", ret);
           goto error_with_ifalmostup;
         }
 
@@ -1336,6 +1339,7 @@ static int spirit_ifdown(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev)
       status = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_READY, 5);
       if (status < 0 && ret == 0)
         {
+          wlerr("ERROR: Failed to go to READY state: %d\n", ret);
           ret = status;
         }
 
@@ -1350,6 +1354,7 @@ static int spirit_ifdown(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev)
       status = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_STANDBY, 5);
       if (status < 0 && ret == 0)
         {
+          wlerr("ERROR: Failed to go to STANBY state: %d\n", ret);
           ret = status;
         }
 
@@ -1714,6 +1719,8 @@ int spirit_hw_initialize(FAR struct spirit_driver_s *priv,
   spirit->spi            = spi;
   spirit->xtal_frequency = SPIRIT_XTAL_FREQUENCY;
 
+  priv->ifup = false;
+
   /* Reset the Spirit1 radio part */
 
   wlinfo("Spirit Reset\n");
@@ -1727,14 +1734,21 @@ int spirit_hw_initialize(FAR struct spirit_driver_s *priv,
 
   /* Soft reset of Spirit1 core */
 
+#if 0
   ret = spirit_command(spirit, COMMAND_SRES);
   if (ret < 0)
     {
-      wlerr("ERROR: Soft reset failed} %d\n", ret);
+      wlerr("ERROR: Soft reset failed: %d\n", ret);
       return ret;
     }
+#endif
 
-  priv->ifup = false;
+  ret = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_READY, 100);
+  if (ret < 0)
+    {
+      wlerr("ERROR: Failed to go to READY state: %d\n", ret);
+      return ret;
+    }
 
   /* Perform VCO calibration WA when the radio is initialized */
 
diff --git a/drivers/wireless/spirit/lib/spirit_radio.c b/drivers/wireless/spirit/lib/spirit_radio.c
index 8a71263dbe0..f0141386dec 100644
--- a/drivers/wireless/spirit/lib/spirit_radio.c
+++ b/drivers/wireless/spirit/lib/spirit_radio.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #include <math.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <errno.h>
+#include <debug.h>
 
 #include "spirit_config.h"
 #include "spirit_types.h"
@@ -176,7 +177,6 @@ int spirit_radio_initialize(FAR struct spirit_library_s *spirit,
   uint8_t regval;
   uint8_t value;
   int ret;
-  int i;
 
   /* Workaround for Vtune */
 
@@ -203,6 +203,15 @@ int spirit_radio_initialize(FAR struct spirit_library_s *spirit,
   DEBUGASSERT(IS_CHANNEL_SPACE(radioinit->chspace, spirit->xtal_frequency));
   DEBUGASSERT(IS_F_DEV(radioinit->freqdev, spirit->xtal_frequency));
 
+  /* Make sure that we are in the READY state */
+
+  ret = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_READY, 5);
+  if (ret < 0)
+    {
+      wlerr("ERROR: Failed to go to READY state: %d\n", ret);
+      return ret;
+    }
+
   /* Disable the digital, ADC, SMPS reference clock divider if fXO > 24MHz or
    * fXO < 26MHz
    */
@@ -215,13 +224,14 @@ int spirit_radio_initialize(FAR struct spirit_library_s *spirit,
 
   /* Delay for state transition */
 
-  for (i = 0; i != 0xff; i++);
+  usleep(100);
 
   /* Wait for the device to enter STANDBY */
 
-  ret = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_STANDBY, 5000);
+  ret = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_STANDBY, 5);
   if (ret < 0)
     {
+      wlerr("ERROR: Failed to go to STANDBY state: %d\n", ret);
       return ret;
     }
 
@@ -251,13 +261,14 @@ int spirit_radio_initialize(FAR struct spirit_library_s *spirit,
 
   /* Delay for state transition */
 
-  for (i = 0; i != 0xff; i++);
+  usleep(100);
 
   /* Make sure that the device becomes READY */
 
-  ret = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_READY, 5000);
+  ret = spirit_waitstatus(spirit, MC_STATE_READY, 5);
   if (ret < 0)
     {
+      wlerr("ERROR: Failed to go to READY state: %d\n", ret);
       return ret;
     }
 
diff --git a/drivers/wireless/spirit/lib/spirit_spi.c b/drivers/wireless/spirit/lib/spirit_spi.c
index b542dc1df10..12664924722 100644
--- a/drivers/wireless/spirit/lib/spirit_spi.c
+++ b/drivers/wireless/spirit/lib/spirit_spi.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <errno.h>
+#include <debug.h>
 
 #include <nuttx/clock.h>
 #include <nuttx/spi/spi.h>
@@ -565,6 +566,14 @@ int spirit_waitstatus(FAR struct spirit_library_s *spirit,
   systime_t elapsed;
   int ret;
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_SPI_INFO
+  /* If the SPI logic is generating debug output, then a longer timeout is
+   * probably needed.
+   */
+
+  msec <<= 4;
+#endif
+
   /* Convert the MSEC timedelay to clock ticks, making sure that the
    * resulting delay in ticks is greater than or equal to the requested time
    * in MSEC.
@@ -598,5 +607,14 @@ int spirit_waitstatus(FAR struct spirit_library_s *spirit,
     }
   while (spirit->u.state.MC_STATE != state && elapsed <= ticks);
 
-  return (spirit->u.state.MC_STATE == state) ? OK : -ETIMEDOUT;
+  if (spirit->u.state.MC_STATE == state)
+    {
+      return OK;
+    }
+
+  wlwarn("WARNING:  Timed out: %lu > %lu (%u msec)\n",
+         (unsigned long)elapsed, (unsigned long)ticks, msec);
+  wlwarn("          MC status: current=%02x desired=%02x\n",
+         spirit->u.state.MC_STATE, state);
+  return -ETIMEDOUT;
 }