diff --git a/Tools/AP_Periph/rc_out.cpp b/Tools/AP_Periph/rc_out.cpp
index b5a7f5602f..5f6c2d64bb 100644
--- a/Tools/AP_Periph/rc_out.cpp
+++ b/Tools/AP_Periph/rc_out.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ void AP_Periph_FW::rcout_init()
 
     uint16_t esc_mask = 0;
     for (uint8_t i=0; i<SERVO_OUT_MOTOR_MAX; i++) {
-        SRV_Channels::set_angle(SRV_Channels::get_motor_function(i), UAVCAN_ESC_MAX_VALUE);
+        SRV_Channels::set_range(SRV_Channels::get_motor_function(i), UAVCAN_ESC_MAX_VALUE);
         uint8_t chan;
         if (SRV_Channels::find_channel(SRV_Channels::get_motor_function(i), chan)) {
             esc_mask |= 1U << chan;
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ void AP_Periph_FW::rcout_esc(int16_t *rc, uint8_t num_channels)
 
     const uint8_t channel_count = MIN(num_channels, SERVO_OUT_MOTOR_MAX);
     for (uint8_t i=0; i<channel_count; i++) {
-        SRV_Channels::set_output_scaled(SRV_Channels::get_motor_function(i), rc[i]);
+        // we don't support motor reversal yet on ESCs in AP_Periph
+        SRV_Channels::set_output_scaled(SRV_Channels::get_motor_function(i), MAX(0,rc[i]));
     }
 
     rcout_has_new_data_to_update = true;