diff --git a/hal/mbed_ticker_api.c b/hal/mbed_ticker_api.c
index 36ea2938fd..0f852ef06c 100644
--- a/hal/mbed_ticker_api.c
+++ b/hal/mbed_ticker_api.c
@@ -416,13 +416,16 @@ timestamp_t ticker_read(const ticker_data_t *const ticker)
 
 us_timestamp_t ticker_read_us(const ticker_data_t *const ticker)
 {
+    us_timestamp_t ret;
+
     initialize(ticker);
 
     core_util_critical_section_enter();
     update_present_time(ticker);
+    ret = ticker->queue->present_time;
     core_util_critical_section_exit();
 
-    return ticker->queue->present_time;
+    return ret;
 }
 
 int ticker_get_next_timestamp(const ticker_data_t *const data, timestamp_t *timestamp)