diff --git a/ports/rp2/machine_uart.c b/ports/rp2/machine_uart.c
index d751b7af07..bca07cebfc 100644
--- a/ports/rp2/machine_uart.c
+++ b/ports/rp2/machine_uart.c
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ STATIC mp_uint_t mp_machine_uart_read(mp_obj_t self_in, void *buf_in, mp_uint_t
                     return i;
                 }
             }
-            mp_event_wait_ms(timeout - elapsed);
+            mp_event_handle_nowait();
         }
         *dest++ = ringbuf_get(&(self->read_buffer));
         start = mp_hal_ticks_ms(); // Inter-character timeout
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ STATIC mp_uint_t mp_machine_uart_ioctl(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_uint_t request, uint
             if (now >= timeout) {
                 break;
             }
-            mp_event_wait_ms((timeout - now) / 1000);
+            mp_event_handle_nowait();
         }
         *errcode = MP_ETIMEDOUT;
         ret = MP_STREAM_ERROR;