diff --git a/wigglecam/services/acquisitionservice.py b/wigglecam/services/acquisitionservice.py
index 40d9b15..250af43 100644
--- a/wigglecam/services/acquisitionservice.py
+++ b/wigglecam/services/acquisitionservice.py
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ def _sync_fun(self):
                 timestamp_ns = self._gpio_backend.wait_for_clock_rise_signal(timeout=1)
             except TimeoutError:
                 # stop devices when no clock is avail, supervisor enables again after clock is received, derives new framerate ans starts backends
-                logger.error("clock signal missing.")
+                logger.warning("clock signal missing.")
                 break
             else:
                 self._camera_backend.sync_tick(timestamp_ns)
diff --git a/wigglecam/services/backends/cameras/abstractbackend.py b/wigglecam/services/backends/cameras/abstractbackend.py
index 809764c..2b0715e 100644
--- a/wigglecam/services/backends/cameras/abstractbackend.py
+++ b/wigglecam/services/backends/cameras/abstractbackend.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import logging
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from queue import Full, Queue
+from queue import Empty, Full, Queue
 from threading import Barrier, BrokenBarrierError, Condition, Event, current_thread
 from typing import Literal
 
@@ -149,7 +149,10 @@ def _ticker_fun(self):
         logger.debug("starting _ticker_fun")
 
         while not current_thread().stopped():
-            self._current_timestampset.reference = self._current_timestamp_reference_in_queue.get(block=True, timeout=1.0)
+            try:
+                self._current_timestampset.reference = self._current_timestamp_reference_in_queue.get(block=True, timeout=1.0)
+            except Empty:
+                logger.warning("did not receive updated reference timestamp within timeout")
 
             try:
                 self._barrier.wait()