diff --git a/platforms/common/uORB/Subscription.cpp b/platforms/common/uORB/Subscription.cpp
index 9ca5a8f9448..837feed5c78 100644
--- a/platforms/common/uORB/Subscription.cpp
+++ b/platforms/common/uORB/Subscription.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ bool Subscription::subscribe()
 
 		if (node) {
 			_node = node;
-			_last_generation.store(initial_generation);
+			_last_generation = initial_generation;
 			return true;
 		}
 	}
@@ -70,15 +70,15 @@ void Subscription::unsubscribe()
 	}
 
 	_node = nullptr;
-	_last_generation.store(0);
+	_last_generation = 0;
 }
 
 bool Subscription::update(void *dst)
 {
 	if (subscribe()) {
-		unsigned gen = _last_generation.load();
+		unsigned gen = _last_generation;
 		bool ret = Manager::orb_data_copy(_node, dst, gen, true);
-		_last_generation.store(gen);
+		_last_generation = gen;
 		return ret;
 	}
 
@@ -88,9 +88,9 @@ bool Subscription::update(void *dst)
 bool Subscription::copy(void *dst)
 {
 	if (subscribe()) {
-		unsigned gen = _last_generation.load();
+		unsigned gen = _last_generation;
 		bool ret = Manager::orb_data_copy(_node, dst, gen, false);
-		_last_generation.store(gen);
+		_last_generation = gen;
 		return ret;
 	}
 
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ bool Subscription::advertised()
 bool Subscription::updated()
 {
 	if (subscribe()) {
-		return Manager::updates_available(_node, _last_generation.load());
+		return Manager::updates_available(_node, _last_generation);
 	}
 
 	return false;
diff --git a/platforms/common/uORB/Subscription.hpp b/platforms/common/uORB/Subscription.hpp
index a40ba3a93e6..41a863e6f7c 100644
--- a/platforms/common/uORB/Subscription.hpp
+++ b/platforms/common/uORB/Subscription.hpp
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ public:
 	bool ChangeInstance(uint8_t instance);
 
 	uint8_t  get_instance() const { return _instance; }
-	unsigned get_last_generation() const { return _last_generation.load(); }
+	unsigned get_last_generation() const { return _last_generation; }
 	orb_id_t get_topic() const { return get_orb_meta(_orb_id); }
 
 	ORB_ID orb_id() const { return _orb_id; }
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ protected:
 
 	void *_node{nullptr};
 
-	px4::atomic<unsigned> _last_generation{0}; /**< last generation the subscriber has seen */
+	unsigned _last_generation{0}; /**< last generation the subscriber has seen */
 
 	ORB_ID _orb_id{ORB_ID::INVALID};
 	uint8_t _instance{0};
diff --git a/platforms/common/uORB/SubscriptionBlocking.hpp b/platforms/common/uORB/SubscriptionBlocking.hpp
index 0df895bc01f..abe6d7442c2 100644
--- a/platforms/common/uORB/SubscriptionBlocking.hpp
+++ b/platforms/common/uORB/SubscriptionBlocking.hpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public:
 		pthread_cond_destroy(&_cv);
 	}
 
-	void call() override
+	void call(unsigned generation) override
 	{
 		// signal immediately if no interval, otherwise only if interval has elapsed
 		hrt_abstime last_update = _last_update.load();
diff --git a/platforms/common/uORB/SubscriptionCallback.hpp b/platforms/common/uORB/SubscriptionCallback.hpp
index f3e2b172755..ce0e809831c 100644
--- a/platforms/common/uORB/SubscriptionCallback.hpp
+++ b/platforms/common/uORB/SubscriptionCallback.hpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 #include <uORB/SubscriptionInterval.hpp>
 #include <containers/List.hpp>
 #include <px4_platform_common/px4_work_queue/WorkItem.hpp>
+#include <drivers/drv_hrt.h>
 
 namespace uORB
 {
@@ -101,14 +102,19 @@ public:
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	virtual void call() = 0;
+	virtual void call(unsigned generation) = 0;
 
 	bool registered() const { return _registered; }
 
 protected:
 
 	bool _registered{false};
-
+	// Node generation at our last ScheduleNow(), used by the count gate. Only ever
+	// touched from call() (which runs under the publishing node's lock, so it is
+	// serialized) - do NOT write it from the subscriber thread (e.g. in
+	// registerCallback()), or it becomes a cross-thread race. It self-initializes:
+	// the first call() sees a large delta and schedules once, then tracks normally.
+	unsigned _last_scheduled_generation{0};
 };
 
 // Subscription with callback that schedules a WorkItem
@@ -130,14 +136,20 @@ public:
 
 	virtual ~SubscriptionCallbackWorkItem() = default;
 
-	void call() override
+	void call(unsigned generation) override
 	{
-		// schedule immediately if updated (queue depth or subscription interval)
-		uint8_t req = _required_updates.load();
+		// 'generation' is the publishing node's generation, handed in by the
+		// publisher - so unlike before we never read the subscriber's own cursor
+		// (_last_generation, mutated on the subscriber's thread) from here.
+		// Schedule once enough new samples have accrued since our last schedule
+		// (count gate), respecting the optional interval (interval gate).
+		const uint8_t req = _required_updates.load();
 
-		if ((req == 0)
-		    || (Manager::updates_available(_subscription.get_node(), _subscription.get_last_generation()) >= req)) {
-			if (updated()) {
+		if ((generation - _last_scheduled_generation) >= req) {
+			const hrt_abstime last_update = _last_update.load();
+
+			if ((_interval_us == 0) || (hrt_elapsed_time(&last_update) >= _interval_us)) {
+				_last_scheduled_generation = generation;
 				_work_item->ScheduleNow();
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/platforms/common/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp b/platforms/common/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp
index 306c6fba668..d92612f2b40 100644
--- a/platforms/common/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp
+++ b/platforms/common/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ uORB::DeviceNode::write(cdev::file_t *filp, const char *buffer, size_t buflen)
 
 	// callbacks
 	for (auto item : _callbacks) {
-		item->call();
+		item->call(generation + 1);
 	}
 
 	/* Mark at least one data has been published */
diff --git a/src/lib/drivers/mcp_common/CallbackHandler.hpp b/src/lib/drivers/mcp_common/CallbackHandler.hpp
index f0aa770cec4..b5b6caa141d 100644
--- a/src/lib/drivers/mcp_common/CallbackHandler.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/drivers/mcp_common/CallbackHandler.hpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public:
 	CallbackHandler(orb_id_t id) : uORB::SubscriptionCallback(id) {}
 	virtual ~CallbackHandler() {}
 
-	void call() override
+	void call(unsigned generation) override
 	{
 		px4::msg::GpioIn new_input;