diff --git a/targets/TARGET_NORDIC/TARGET_NRF5/gpio_api.c b/targets/TARGET_NORDIC/TARGET_NRF5/gpio_api.c
index da2f116e25d..9e12311e8e3 100644
--- a/targets/TARGET_NORDIC/TARGET_NRF5/gpio_api.c
+++ b/targets/TARGET_NORDIC/TARGET_NRF5/gpio_api.c
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@
 typedef struct {
     bool         used_as_gpio : 1;
     PinDirection direction    : 1;
-    bool         init_high    : 1;
     PinMode      pull         : 2;
     bool         used_as_irq  : 1;
     bool         irq_fall     : 1;
@@ -156,7 +155,7 @@ static void gpio_apply_config(uint8_t pin)
         }
         else {
             // Configure as output.
-            nrf_drv_gpiote_out_config_t cfg = GPIOTE_CONFIG_OUT_SIMPLE(m_gpio_cfg[pin].init_high);
+            nrf_drv_gpiote_out_config_t cfg = GPIOTE_CONFIG_OUT_SIMPLE(nrf_gpio_pin_out_read(pin));
             nrf_drv_gpiote_out_init(pin, &cfg);
         }
         m_gpio_initialized |= ((gpio_mask_t)1UL << pin);