diff --git a/src/libboard_artiq/src/lib.rs b/src/libboard_artiq/src/lib.rs
index 580ade71..bda1e71c 100644
--- a/src/libboard_artiq/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/libboard_artiq/src/lib.rs
@@ -12,27 +12,19 @@ extern crate libconfig;
 extern crate libcortex_a9;
 extern crate log_buffer;
 
-
-// has csr; taken from runtime main
 #[path = "../../../build/pl.rs"]
 pub mod pl;
-
 pub mod drtioaux_proto;
-
+pub mod drtio_routing;
+pub mod logger;
+#[cfg(has_si5324)]
+pub mod si5324;
 #[cfg(has_drtio)]
 pub mod drtioaux;
-// for now, memory map is only needed for DRTIO firmware
 #[cfg(has_drtio)]
 #[path = "../../../build/mem.rs"]
 pub mod mem;
 
-pub mod drtio_routing;
-
-pub mod logger;
-
-#[cfg(has_si5324)]
-pub mod si5324;
-
 use core::{cmp, str};
 use libboard_zynq::slcr;
 use libregister::RegisterW;
diff --git a/src/runtime/src/main.rs b/src/runtime/src/main.rs
index 21cad7a9..1b5561c5 100644
--- a/src/runtime/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/src/main.rs
@@ -21,15 +21,13 @@ use void::Void;
 use embedded_hal::blocking::delay::DelayMs;
 use libconfig::Config;
 use libcortex_a9::l2c::enable_l2_cache;
-use libboard_artiq::{logger, identifier_read, init_gateware};
+use libboard_artiq::{logger, identifier_read, init_gateware, pl};
 #[cfg(has_si5324)]
 use libboard_artiq::si5324;
 
 mod proto_async;
 mod comms;
 mod rpc;
-#[path = "../../../build/pl.rs"]
-mod pl;
 #[cfg(ki_impl = "csr")]
 #[path = "rtio_csr.rs"]
 mod rtio;
diff --git a/src/runtime/src/moninj.rs b/src/runtime/src/moninj.rs
index 06b47ec2..22df6cbb 100644
--- a/src/runtime/src/moninj.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/src/moninj.rs
@@ -61,10 +61,10 @@ enum DeviceMessage {
 mod remote_moninj {
     use drtioaux;
     use rtio_mgt::drtio;
-    use sched::{Io, Mutex};
+    use libcortexa9::Mutex;
 
-    pub fn read_probe(io: &Io, aux_mutex: &Mutex, linkno: u8, destination: u8, channel: u16, probe: u8) -> u32 {
-        let reply = drtio::aux_transact(io, aux_mutex, linkno, &drtioaux::Packet::MonitorRequest { 
+    pub fn read_probe( aux_mutex: &Mutex, linkno: u8, destination: u8, channel: u16, probe: u8) -> u32 {
+        let reply = drtio::aux_transact(aux_mutex, linkno, &drtioaux::Packet::MonitorRequest { 
             destination: destination,
             channel: channel,
             probe: probe
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ mod remote_moninj {
         0
     }
 
-    pub fn inject(io: &Io, aux_mutex: &Mutex, linkno: u8, destination: u8, channel: u16, overrd: u8, value: u8) {
-        let _lock = aux_mutex.lock(io).unwrap();
+    pub fn inject(aux_mutex: &Mutex, linkno: u8, destination: u8, channel: u16, overrd: u8, value: u8) {
+        let _lock = aux_mutex.lock();
         drtioaux::send(linkno, &drtioaux::Packet::InjectionRequest {
             destination: destination,
             channel: channel,
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ mod remote_moninj {
         }).unwrap();
     }
 
-    pub fn read_injection_status(io: &Io, aux_mutex: &Mutex, linkno: u8, destination: u8, channel: u16, overrd: u8) -> u8 {
-        let reply = drtio::aux_transact(io, aux_mutex, linkno, &drtioaux::Packet::InjectionStatusRequest {
+    pub fn read_injection_status(aux_mutex: &Mutex, linkno: u8, destination: u8, channel: u16, overrd: u8) -> u8 {
+        let reply = drtio::aux_transact(aux_mutex, linkno, &drtioaux::Packet::InjectionStatusRequest {
             destination: destination,
             channel: channel,
             overrd: overrd
diff --git a/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs b/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs
index 1cc74b43..ce91e2d6 100644
--- a/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ pub mod drtio {
 
     pub fn aux_transact(aux_mutex: &Mutex, linkno: u8, request: &drtioaux::Packet,
             timer: GlobalTimer) -> Result<drtioaux::Packet, &'static str> {
-        let _lock = aux_mutex.lock().unwrap();
+        let _lock = aux_mutex.lock();
         drtioaux::send(linkno, request).unwrap();
         recv_aux_timeout(io, linkno, 200, timer)
     }
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ pub mod drtio {
     }
 
     fn sync_tsc(aux_mutex: &Mutex, linkno: u8, timer: GlobalTimer) -> Result<(), &'static str> {
-        let _lock = aux_mutex.lock().unwrap();
+        let _lock = aux_mutex.lock();
 
         unsafe {
             (csr::DRTIO[linkno as usize].set_time_write)(1);
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ pub mod drtio {
     }
 
     fn process_unsolicited_aux(aux_mutex: &Mutex, linkno: u8) {
-        let _lock = aux_mutex.lock().unwrap();
+        let _lock = aux_mutex.lock();
         match drtioaux::recv(linkno) {
             Ok(Some(packet)) => warn!("[LINK#{}] unsolicited aux packet: {:?}", linkno, packet),
             Ok(None) => (),
@@ -320,15 +320,16 @@ pub mod drtio {
     use super::*;
 
     pub fn startup(_aux_mutex: &Mutex, _routing_table: &Urc<RefCell<drtio_routing::RoutingTable>>,
-        _up_destinations: &Urc<RefCell<[bool; drtio_routing::DEST_COUNT]>>, timer:GlobalTimer) {}
-    pub fn reset(_aux_mutex: &Mutex, timer: GlobalTimer) {}
+        _up_destinations: &Urc<RefCell<[bool; drtio_routing::DEST_COUNT]>>, _timer:GlobalTimer) {}
+    pub fn reset(_aux_mutex: &Mutex, _timer: GlobalTimer) {}
 }
 
-// todo figure out what to do with these untils
-fn async_error_thread(io: Io) {
+fn async_error_thread() {
     loop {
         unsafe {
-            io.until(|| csr::rtio_core::async_error_read() != 0).unwrap();
+            // replaced io.until with spinlock
+            while csr::rtio_core::async_error_read() != 0 {}
+            
             let errors = csr::rtio_core::async_error_read();
             if errors & 1 != 0 {
                 error!("RTIO collision involving channel {}",