diff --git a/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORBTest_UnitTest.cpp b/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORBTest_UnitTest.cpp
index 820cf7cdb2..618b6e96cb 100644
--- a/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORBTest_UnitTest.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORBTest_UnitTest.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,21 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <poll.h>
 
+ORB_DEFINE(orb_test, struct orb_test, sizeof(orb_test), "ORB_TEST:int val;hrt_abstime time;");
+ORB_DEFINE(orb_multitest, struct orb_test, sizeof(orb_test), "ORB_MULTITEST:int val;hrt_abstime time;");
+
+ORB_DEFINE(orb_test_medium, struct orb_test_medium, sizeof(orb_test_medium),
+	   "ORB_TEST_MEDIUM:int val;hrt_abstime time;char[64] junk;");
+ORB_DEFINE(orb_test_medium_multi, struct orb_test_medium, sizeof(orb_test_medium),
+	   "ORB_TEST_MEDIUM_MULTI:int val;hrt_abstime time;char[64] junk;");
+ORB_DEFINE(orb_test_medium_queue, struct orb_test_medium, sizeof(orb_test_medium),
+	   "ORB_TEST_MEDIUM_MULTI:int val;hrt_abstime time;char[64] junk;");
+ORB_DEFINE(orb_test_medium_queue_poll, struct orb_test_medium, sizeof(orb_test_medium),
+	   "ORB_TEST_MEDIUM_MULTI:int val;hrt_abstime time;char[64] junk;");
+
+ORB_DEFINE(orb_test_large, struct orb_test_large, sizeof(orb_test_large),
+	   "ORB_TEST_LARGE:int val;hrt_abstime time;char[512] junk;");
+
 uORBTest::UnitTest &uORBTest::UnitTest::instance()
 {
 	static uORBTest::UnitTest t;
diff --git a/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORBTest_UnitTest.hpp b/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORBTest_UnitTest.hpp
index 8016b9c8a2..2e41d0bfdb 100644
--- a/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORBTest_UnitTest.hpp
+++ b/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORBTest_UnitTest.hpp
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ struct orb_test {
 	int val;
 	hrt_abstime time;
 };
-ORB_DEFINE(orb_test, struct orb_test, sizeof(orb_test), "ORB_TEST:int val;hrt_abstime time;");
-ORB_DEFINE(orb_multitest, struct orb_test, sizeof(orb_test), "ORB_MULTITEST:int val;hrt_abstime time;");
+ORB_DECLARE(orb_test);
+ORB_DECLARE(orb_multitest);
 
 
 struct orb_test_medium {
@@ -50,22 +50,17 @@ struct orb_test_medium {
 	hrt_abstime time;
 	char junk[64];
 };
-ORB_DEFINE(orb_test_medium, struct orb_test_medium, sizeof(orb_test_medium),
-	   "ORB_TEST_MEDIUM:int val;hrt_abstime time;char[64] junk;");
-ORB_DEFINE(orb_test_medium_multi, struct orb_test_medium, sizeof(orb_test_medium),
-	   "ORB_TEST_MEDIUM_MULTI:int val;hrt_abstime time;char[64] junk;");
-ORB_DEFINE(orb_test_medium_queue, struct orb_test_medium, sizeof(orb_test_medium),
-	   "ORB_TEST_MEDIUM_MULTI:int val;hrt_abstime time;char[64] junk;");
-ORB_DEFINE(orb_test_medium_queue_poll, struct orb_test_medium, sizeof(orb_test_medium),
-	   "ORB_TEST_MEDIUM_MULTI:int val;hrt_abstime time;char[64] junk;");
+ORB_DECLARE(orb_test_medium);
+ORB_DECLARE(orb_test_medium_multi);
+ORB_DECLARE(orb_test_medium_queue);
+ORB_DECLARE(orb_test_medium_queue_poll);
 
 struct orb_test_large {
 	int val;
 	hrt_abstime time;
 	char junk[512];
 };
-ORB_DEFINE(orb_test_large, struct orb_test_large, sizeof(orb_test_large),
-	   "ORB_TEST_LARGE:int val;hrt_abstime time;char[512] junk;");
+ORB_DECLARE(orb_test_large);
 
 
 namespace uORBTest
@@ -133,6 +128,10 @@ int uORBTest::UnitTest::latency_test(orb_id_t T, bool print)
 
 	orb_advert_t pfd0 = orb_advertise(T, &t);
 
+	if (pfd0 == nullptr) {
+		return test_fail("orb_advertise failed (%i)", errno);
+	}
+
 	char *const args[1] = { NULL };
 
 	pubsubtest_print = print;
diff --git a/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORB_tests_main.cpp b/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORB_tests_main.cpp
index 1f0162f15d..45e20504c3 100644
--- a/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORB_tests_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/uORB/uORB_tests/uORB_tests_main.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ extern "C" { __EXPORT int uorb_tests_main(int argc, char *argv[]); }
 
 static void usage()
 {
-	PX4_INFO("Usage: uorb_test 'latency_test'");
+	PX4_INFO("Usage: uorb_tests [latency_test]");
 }
 
 int