diff --git a/common/msg.c b/common/msg.c
index 3092845a02..2ae52a4dda 100644
--- a/common/msg.c
+++ b/common/msg.c
@@ -136,8 +136,11 @@ bool mp_msg_test(struct mp_log *log, int lev)
     struct mp_log_root *root = log->root;
     if (!root || root->mute)
         return false;
-    if (atomic_load(&log->reload_counter) != atomic_load(&root->reload_counter))
+    if (atomic_load_explicit(&log->reload_counter, memory_order_relaxed) !=
+        atomic_load_explicit(&root->reload_counter, memory_order_relaxed))
+    {
         update_loglevel(log);
+    }
     return lev <= log->level;
 }
 
diff --git a/osdep/atomics.h b/osdep/atomics.h
index 39c741acd7..8431211476 100644
--- a/osdep/atomics.h
+++ b/osdep/atomics.h
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ typedef struct { volatile unsigned long long v; } atomic_ullong;
 #define ATOMIC_VAR_INIT(x) \
     {.v = (x)}
 
+#define memory_order_relaxed 1
+#define memory_order_seq_cst 2
+
+#define atomic_load_explicit(p, e) atomic_load(p)
+
 #if HAVE_ATOMIC_BUILTINS
 
 #define atomic_load(p) \