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