diff --git a/include/maxscale/atomic.h b/include/maxscale/atomic.h
index 2a28750e3..c5d8c8cc4 100644
--- a/include/maxscale/atomic.h
+++ b/include/maxscale/atomic.h
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ uint64_t atomic_add_uint64(uint64_t *variable, int64_t value);
  * @param variable      Pointer the the variable to load from
  * @return The stored value
  */
-int atomic_read(int *variable);
-int64_t atomic_read_int64(int64_t *variable);
-uint64_t atomic_read_uint64(uint64_t *variable);
+int atomic_load_int32(int *variable);
+int64_t atomic_load_int64(int64_t *variable);
+uint64_t atomic_load_uint64(uint64_t *variable);
 
 /**
  * Implementation of an atomic store operation for the GCC environment.
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ uint64_t atomic_read_uint64(uint64_t *variable);
  * @param variable      Pointer the the variable to store to
  * @param value         Value to be stored
  */
-void atomic_write(int *variable, int value);
-void atomic_write_int64(int64_t *variable, int64_t value);
-void atomic_write_uint64(uint64_t *variable, uint64_t value);
+void atomic_store_int32(int *variable, int value);
+void atomic_store_int64(int64_t *variable, int64_t value);
+void atomic_store_uint64(uint64_t *variable, uint64_t value);
 
 /**
  * @brief Impose a full memory barrier
diff --git a/server/core/atomic.cc b/server/core/atomic.cc
index 6eebd4170..549431724 100644
--- a/server/core/atomic.cc
+++ b/server/core/atomic.cc
@@ -32,32 +32,32 @@ uint64_t atomic_add_uint64(uint64_t *variable, int64_t value)
     return __sync_fetch_and_add(variable, value);
 }
 
-int atomic_read(int *variable)
+int atomic_load_int32(int *variable)
 {
     return __atomic_load_n(variable, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
 }
 
-int64_t atomic_read_int64(int64_t *variable)
+int64_t atomic_load_int64(int64_t *variable)
 {
     return __atomic_load_n(variable, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
 }
 
-uint64_t atomic_read_uint64(uint64_t *variable)
+uint64_t atomic_load_uint64(uint64_t *variable)
 {
     return __atomic_load_n(variable, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
 }
 
-void atomic_write(int *variable, int value)
+void atomic_store_int32(int *variable, int value)
 {
     return __atomic_store_n(variable, value, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
 }
 
-void atomic_write_int64(int64_t *variable, int64_t value)
+void atomic_store_int64(int64_t *variable, int64_t value)
 {
     return __atomic_store_n(variable, value, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
 }
 
-void atomic_write_uint64(uint64_t *variable, uint64_t value)
+void atomic_store_uint64(uint64_t *variable, uint64_t value)
 {
     return __atomic_store_n(variable, value, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
 }
diff --git a/server/core/test/testatomic.c b/server/core/test/testatomic.c
index 331f48bf3..da405567a 100644
--- a/server/core/test/testatomic.c
+++ b/server/core/test/testatomic.c
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ void test_add(void* data)
 {
     int id = (size_t)data;
 
-    while (atomic_read(&running))
+    while (atomic_load_int32(&running))
     {
         atomic_add(&expected, id);
         atomic_add(&expected, -id);
-        ss_dassert(atomic_read(&expected) >= 0);
+        ss_dassert(atomic_load_int32(&expected) >= 0);
     }
 }
 
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ void test_load_store(void* data)
 {
     int id = (size_t)data;
 
-    while (atomic_read(&running))
+    while (atomic_load_int32(&running))
     {
-        if (atomic_read(&expected) % NTHR == id)
+        if (atomic_load_int32(&expected) % NTHR == id)
         {
             ss_dassert(atomic_add(&expected, 1) % NTHR == id + 1);
         }
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ int run_test(void(*func)(void*))
 {
     THREAD threads[NTHR];
 
-    atomic_write(&expected, 0);
-    atomic_write(&running, 1);
+    atomic_store_int32(&expected, 0);
+    atomic_store_int32(&running, 1);
 
     for (int i = 0; i < NTHR; i++)
     {
@@ -67,14 +67,14 @@ int run_test(void(*func)(void*))
     }
 
     thread_millisleep(2500);
-    atomic_write(&running, 0);
+    atomic_store_int32(&running, 0);
 
     for (int i = 0; i < NTHR; i++)
     {
         thread_wait(threads[i]);
     }
 
-    return atomic_read(&expected);
+    return atomic_load_int32(&expected);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)