diff --git a/watch-library/hardware/hal/include/hpl_sleep.h b/watch-library/hardware/hal/include/hpl_sleep.h
index 6731ec30..4106fb73 100644
--- a/watch-library/hardware/hal/include/hpl_sleep.h
+++ b/watch-library/hardware/hal/include/hpl_sleep.h
@@ -70,6 +70,16 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 int32_t _set_sleep_mode(const uint8_t mode);
 
+/**
+ * \brief Get the sleep mode for the device
+ *
+ * This function gets the sleep mode for the device.
+ *
+ * \return the current value of the sleep mode configuration bits
+ */
+int32_t _get_sleep_mode(void);
+
+
 /**
  * \brief Reset MCU
  */
diff --git a/watch-library/hardware/hal/src/hal_sleep.c b/watch-library/hardware/hal/src/hal_sleep.c
index 89472f15..fd9c84cb 100644
--- a/watch-library/hardware/hal/src/hal_sleep.c
+++ b/watch-library/hardware/hal/src/hal_sleep.c
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ int sleep(const uint8_t mode)
 	if (ERR_NONE != _set_sleep_mode(mode))
 		return ERR_INVALID_ARG;
 
+        // wait for the mode set to actually take, per chip doc.
+        while(_get_sleep_mode() != mode);
+
 	_go_to_sleep();
 
 	return ERR_NONE;
diff --git a/watch-library/hardware/hpl/pm/hpl_pm.c b/watch-library/hardware/hpl/pm/hpl_pm.c
index d6439f1d..2e9e37b5 100644
--- a/watch-library/hardware/hpl/pm/hpl_pm.c
+++ b/watch-library/hardware/hpl/pm/hpl_pm.c
@@ -63,6 +63,14 @@ int32_t _set_sleep_mode(const uint8_t mode)
 	return ERR_NONE;
 }
 
+/**
+ * \brief Get the sleep mode for the device
+ */
+int32_t _get_sleep_mode()
+{
+    return hri_pm_read_SLEEPCFG_SLEEPMODE_bf(PM);
+}
+
 /**
  * \brief Set performance level
  */