diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index cc516db..ca0bf62 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,107 +1,111 @@
-# ---> C
-# Prerequisites
-*.d
-
-# Object files
+.config
 *.o
-*.ko
-*.obj
-*.elf
+*.pyc
 
-# Linker output
-*.ilk
-*.map
-*.exp
+# gtags
+GTAGS
+GRTAGS
+GPATH
 
-# Precompiled Headers
-*.gch
-*.pch
+# emacs
+.dir-locals.el
 
-# Libraries
-*.lib
-*.a
-*.la
-*.lo
+# emacs temp file suffixes
+*~
+.#*
+\#*#
 
-# Shared objects (inc. Windows DLLs)
-*.dll
-*.so
-*.so.*
-*.dylib
+# eclipse setting
+.settings
 
-# Executables
-*.exe
-*.out
-*.app
-*.i*86
-*.x86_64
-*.hex
+# MacOS directory files
+.DS_Store
 
-# Debug files
-*.dSYM/
-*.su
-*.idb
-*.pdb
+# cache dir
+.cache/
 
-# Kernel Module Compile Results
-*.mod*
-*.cmd
-.tmp_versions/
-modules.order
-Module.symvers
-Mkfile.old
-dkms.conf
+# Doc build artifacts
+docs/_build/
+docs/doxygen_sqlite3.db
 
-# ---> C++
-# Prerequisites
-*.d
+# Downloaded font files
+docs/_static/DejaVuSans.ttf
+docs/_static/NotoSansSC-Regular.otf
 
-# Compiled Object files
-*.slo
-*.lo
-*.o
-*.obj
+# Components Unit Test Apps files
+components/**/build/
+components/**/build_*_*/
+components/**/sdkconfig
+components/**/sdkconfig.old
 
-# Precompiled Headers
-*.gch
-*.pch
+# Example project files
+examples/**/build/
+examples/**/build_*_*/
+examples/**/sdkconfig
+examples/**/sdkconfig.old
 
-# Compiled Dynamic libraries
-*.so
-*.dylib
-*.dll
+# Unit test app files
+tools/unit-test-app/build
+tools/unit-test-app/build_*_*/
+tools/unit-test-app/sdkconfig
+tools/unit-test-app/sdkconfig.old
 
-# Fortran module files
-*.mod
-*.smod
+# test application build files
+tools/test_apps/**/build/
+tools/test_apps/**/build_*_*/
+tools/test_apps/**/sdkconfig
+tools/test_apps/**/sdkconfig.old
 
-# Compiled Static libraries
-*.lai
-*.la
-*.a
-*.lib
+TEST_LOGS/
+build_summary_*.xml
 
-# Executables
-*.exe
-*.out
-*.app
+# gcov coverage reports
+*.gcda
+*.gcno
+coverage.info
+coverage_report/
 
-# ---> CMake
-CMakeLists.txt.user
-CMakeCache.txt
-CMakeFiles
-CMakeScripts
-Testing
-Makefile
-cmake_install.cmake
-install_manifest.txt
-compile_commands.json
-CTestTestfile.cmake
-_deps
-CMakeUserPresets.json
+test_multi_heap_host
 
-# Build directory
+# VS Code Settings
+.vscode/
+
+# VIM files
+*.swp
+*.swo
+
+# Sublime Text files
+*.sublime-project
+*.sublime-workspace
+
+# Clion IDE CMake build & config
+.idea/
+cmake-build-*/
+
+# Results for the checking of the Python coding style and static analysis
+.mypy_cache
+flake8_output.txt
+
+# ESP-IDF default build directory name
 build
 
-# unity-app directory
-unity-app
\ No newline at end of file
+# lock files for examples and components
+dependencies.lock
+
+# managed_components for examples
+managed_components
+
+# pytest log
+pytest-embedded/
+# legacy one
+pytest_embedded_log/
+list_job*.txt
+size_info*.txt
+XUNIT_RESULT*.xml
+.manifest_sha
+
+# clang config (for LSP)
+.clangd
+
+# Vale
+.vale/styles/*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/relay_chn.c b/src/relay_chn.c
index 64f28ed..eb882d0 100644
--- a/src/relay_chn.c
+++ b/src/relay_chn.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include "esp_err.h"
+#include "esp_check.h"
 #include "esp_log.h"
 #include "esp_task.h"
 #include "driver/gpio.h"
@@ -320,14 +321,14 @@ esp_err_t relay_chn_create(const gpio_num_t* gpio_map, uint8_t gpio_count)
 
         // Initialize the GPIOs
         ret = gpio_reset_pin(forward_pin);
-        ret |= gpio_set_direction(forward_pin, GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT);
+        ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ret, TAG, "Failed to reset GPIO forward pin for channel %d", i);
+        ret = gpio_set_direction(forward_pin, GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT);
+        ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ret, TAG, "Failed to set GPIO direction for forward pin for channel %d", i);
         
-        ret |= gpio_reset_pin(reverse_pin);
-        ret |= gpio_set_direction(reverse_pin, GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT);
-        if (ret != ESP_OK) {
-            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to initialize GPIOs relay channel %d!", i);
-            return ret;
-        }
+        ret = gpio_reset_pin(reverse_pin);
+        ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ret, TAG, "Failed to reset GPIO reverse pin for channel %d", i);
+        ret = gpio_set_direction(reverse_pin, GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT);
+        ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ret, TAG, "Failed to set GPIO direction for reverse pin for channel %d", i);
         // Initialize the GPIOs
 
         // Initialize the relay channel
@@ -339,22 +340,22 @@ esp_err_t relay_chn_create(const gpio_num_t* gpio_map, uint8_t gpio_count)
         relay_chn->state = RELAY_CHN_STATE_FREE;
         relay_chn->pending_cmd = RELAY_CHN_CMD_NONE;
         relay_chn->run_info.last_run_cmd = RELAY_CHN_CMD_NONE;
-        ret |= relay_chn_init_timer(relay_chn); // Create direction change inertia timer
+        ret = relay_chn_init_timer(relay_chn); // Create direction change inertia timer
+        ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ret, TAG, "Failed to create relay channel timer for channel %d", i);
 #if RELAY_CHN_ENABLE_TILTING == 1
-        ret |= relay_chn_init_tilt_control(relay_chn);
+        ret = relay_chn_init_tilt_control(relay_chn);
+        ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ret, TAG, "Failed to initialize tilt control for channel %d", i);
 #endif
-        if (ret != ESP_OK) {
-            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to initialize relay channel %d!", i);
-            return ret;
-        }
     }
 
     // Create relay channel command event loop
-    ret |= relay_chn_create_event_loop();
+    ret = relay_chn_create_event_loop();
+    ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ret, TAG, "Failed to create relay channel event loop");
 
 #if RELAY_CHN_ENABLE_TILTING == 1
     // Must call after the event loop is initialized
-    ret |= relay_chn_tilt_init(); // Initialize tilt feature
+    ret = relay_chn_tilt_init(); // Initialize tilt feature
+    ESP_RETURN_ON_ERROR(ret, TAG, "Failed to initialize tilt feature");
 #endif
 
     // Init the state listener manager