diff --git a/cpu/msp430fxyz/periph/spi.c b/cpu/msp430fxyz/periph/spi.c
index b421e49860..ef373eaa53 100644
--- a/cpu/msp430fxyz/periph/spi.c
+++ b/cpu/msp430fxyz/periph/spi.c
@@ -202,9 +202,9 @@ int spi_transfer_byte(spi_t dev, char out, char *in)
 {
     (void)dev;
     char tmp;
-    while (!(SPI_IF & SPI_IE_TX_BIT));
+    while (!(SPI_IF & SPI_IE_TX_BIT)) {}
     SPI_DEV->TXBUF = (uint8_t)out;
-    while (!(SPI_IF & SPI_IE_RX_BIT));
+    while (!(SPI_IF & SPI_IE_RX_BIT)) {}
     tmp = (char)SPI_DEV->RXBUF;
     if (in) {
         *in = tmp;
diff --git a/cpu/msp430fxyz/periph/uart.c b/cpu/msp430fxyz/periph/uart.c
index 06d9d601f3..a5475fcdbc 100644
--- a/cpu/msp430fxyz/periph/uart.c
+++ b/cpu/msp430fxyz/periph/uart.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ void uart_write(uart_t uart, const uint8_t *data, size_t len)
     msp_usart_t *dev = UART_BASE;
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
-        while (!(dev->TCTL & USART_TCTL_TXEPT));
+        while (!(dev->TCTL & USART_TCTL_TXEPT)) {}
         dev->TXBUF = data[i];
     }
 }
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ void uart_write(uart_t uart, const uint8_t *data, size_t len)
     (void)uart;
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
-        while (!(UART_IF & UART_IE_TX_BIT));
+        while (!(UART_IF & UART_IE_TX_BIT)) {}
         UART_BASE->ATXBUF = data[i];
     }
 }