diff --git a/nimble/controller/src/ble_ll_xcvr.c b/nimble/controller/src/ble_ll_xcvr.c
index b7c48a3b3..66353cf7c 100644
--- a/nimble/controller/src/ble_ll_xcvr.c
+++ b/nimble/controller/src/ble_ll_xcvr.c
@@ -46,15 +46,19 @@ ble_ll_xcvr_rfclk_state(void)
 void
 ble_ll_xcvr_rfclk_enable(void)
 {
-    g_ble_ll_data.ll_rfclk_state = BLE_RFCLK_STATE_ON;
-    ble_phy_rfclk_enable();
+    if (g_ble_ll_data.ll_rfclk_state == BLE_RFCLK_STATE_OFF) {
+        g_ble_ll_data.ll_rfclk_state = BLE_RFCLK_STATE_ON;
+        ble_phy_rfclk_enable();
+    }
 }
 
 void
 ble_ll_xcvr_rfclk_disable(void)
 {
-    ble_phy_rfclk_disable();
-    g_ble_ll_data.ll_rfclk_state = BLE_RFCLK_STATE_OFF;
+    if (g_ble_ll_data.ll_rfclk_state != BLE_RFCLK_STATE_OFF) {
+        ble_phy_rfclk_disable();
+        g_ble_ll_data.ll_rfclk_state = BLE_RFCLK_STATE_OFF;
+    }
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/nimble/drivers/nrf51/src/ble_phy.c b/nimble/drivers/nrf51/src/ble_phy.c
index 6b6097f68..4d3234f5c 100644
--- a/nimble/drivers/nrf51/src/ble_phy.c
+++ b/nimble/drivers/nrf51/src/ble_phy.c
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
 #include "controller/ble_ll.h"
 #include "nrfx.h"
 
+#if MYNEWT
+#include "mcu/nrf51_clock.h"
+#endif
+
 /* XXX: 4) Make sure RF is higher priority interrupt than schedule */
 
 /*
@@ -815,20 +819,14 @@ ble_phy_init(void)
     int rc;
 
 #if !defined(BLE_XCVR_RFCLK)
-    uint32_t os_tmo;
+    /* BLE wants the HFXO on all the time in this case */
+    ble_phy_rfclk_enable();
 
-    /* Make sure HFXO is started */
-    NRF_CLOCK->EVENTS_HFCLKSTARTED = 0;
-    NRF_CLOCK->TASKS_HFCLKSTART = 1;
-    os_tmo = os_time_get() + (5 * (1000 / OS_TICKS_PER_SEC));
-    while (1) {
-        if (NRF_CLOCK->EVENTS_HFCLKSTARTED) {
-            break;
-        }
-        if ((int32_t)(os_time_get() - os_tmo) > 0) {
-            return BLE_PHY_ERR_INIT;
-        }
-    }
+    /*
+     * XXX: I do not think we need to wait for settling time here since
+     * we will probably not use the radio for longer than the settling time
+     * and it will only degrade performance. Might want to wait here though.
+     */
 #endif
 
     /* Set phy channel to an invalid channel so first set channel works */
@@ -1479,12 +1477,20 @@ ble_phy_resolv_list_disable(void)
 void
 ble_phy_rfclk_enable(void)
 {
+#if MYNEWT
+    nrf51_clock_hfxo_request();
+#else
     NRF_CLOCK->TASKS_HFCLKSTART = 1;
+#endif
 }
 
 void
 ble_phy_rfclk_disable(void)
 {
+#if MYNEWT
+    nrf51_clock_hfxo_release();
+#else
     NRF_CLOCK->TASKS_HFCLKSTOP = 1;
+#endif
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/nimble/drivers/nrf52/src/ble_phy.c b/nimble/drivers/nrf52/src/ble_phy.c
index c4c735d7f..066e8b300 100644
--- a/nimble/drivers/nrf52/src/ble_phy.c
+++ b/nimble/drivers/nrf52/src/ble_phy.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "controller/ble_ll.h"
 #include "nrfx.h"
 #if MYNEWT
+#include "mcu/nrf52_clock.h"
 #include "mcu/cmsis_nvic.h"
 #include "hal/hal_gpio.h"
 #else
@@ -1351,20 +1352,14 @@ ble_phy_init(void)
     g_ble_phy_data.phy_txtorx_phy_mode = BLE_PHY_MODE_1M;
 
 #if !defined(BLE_XCVR_RFCLK)
-    uint32_t os_tmo;
+    /* BLE wants the HFXO on all the time in this case */
+    ble_phy_rfclk_enable();
 
-    /* Make sure HFXO is started */
-    NRF_CLOCK->EVENTS_HFCLKSTARTED = 0;
-    NRF_CLOCK->TASKS_HFCLKSTART = 1;
-    os_tmo = os_time_get() + (5 * (1000 / OS_TICKS_PER_SEC));
-    while (1) {
-        if (NRF_CLOCK->EVENTS_HFCLKSTARTED) {
-            break;
-        }
-        if ((int32_t)(os_time_get() - os_tmo) > 0) {
-            return BLE_PHY_ERR_INIT;
-        }
-    }
+    /*
+     * XXX: I do not think we need to wait for settling time here since
+     * we will probably not use the radio for longer than the settling time
+     * and it will only degrade performance. Might want to wait here though.
+     */
 #endif
 
     /* Set phy channel to an invalid channel so first set channel works */
@@ -2040,12 +2035,20 @@ void ble_phy_disable_dtm(void)
 void
 ble_phy_rfclk_enable(void)
 {
+#if MYNEWT
+    nrf52_clock_hfxo_request();
+#else
     NRF_CLOCK->TASKS_HFCLKSTART = 1;
+#endif
 }
 
 void
 ble_phy_rfclk_disable(void)
 {
+#if MYNEWT
+    nrf52_clock_hfxo_release();
+#else
     NRF_CLOCK->TASKS_HFCLKSTOP = 1;
+#endif
 }
 #endif