diff --git a/firmware/controllers/idle_thread.cpp b/firmware/controllers/idle_thread.cpp
index 49dbb617f9..236819fd94 100644
--- a/firmware/controllers/idle_thread.cpp
+++ b/firmware/controllers/idle_thread.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@
 #if EFI_IDLE_CONTROL || defined(__DOXYGEN__)
 #include "allsensors.h"
 
+#ifndef STEPPER_DIRECTION_PIN_MODE
+// todo: migrate this to boardConfiguration->idle.stepperDirectionPinMode
+#define STEPPER_DIRECTION_PIN_MODE OM_DEFAULT
+#endif /* STEPPER_DIRECTION_PIN_MODE */
+
 static THD_WORKING_AREA(ivThreadStack, UTILITY_THREAD_STACK_SIZE);
 
 static Logging *logger;
@@ -315,9 +320,9 @@ static void applyIdleSolenoidPinState(PwmConfig *state, int stateIndex) {
 
 static void initIdleHardware() {
 	if (boardConfiguration->useStepperIdle) {
-		iacMotor.initialize(boardConfiguration->idle.stepperStepPin, boardConfiguration->idle.stepperDirectionPin,
-				engineConfiguration->idleStepperReactionTime, engineConfiguration->idleStepperTotalSteps,
-				engineConfiguration->stepperEnablePin);
+		iacMotor.initialize(boardConfiguration->idle.stepperStepPin, boardConfiguration->idle.stepperDirectionPin, 
+				STEPPER_DIRECTION_PIN_MODE, engineConfiguration->idleStepperReactionTime, 
+				engineConfiguration->idleStepperTotalSteps, engineConfiguration->stepperEnablePin);
 	} else {
 		/**
 		 * Start PWM for idleValvePin
diff --git a/firmware/hw_layer/stepper.cpp b/firmware/hw_layer/stepper.cpp
index 408aed3182..894cd31ca3 100644
--- a/firmware/hw_layer/stepper.cpp
+++ b/firmware/hw_layer/stepper.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ EXTERN_ENGINE;
 static msg_t stThread(StepperMotor *motor) {
 	chRegSetThreadName("stepper");
 
-	palWritePad(motor->directionPort, motor->directionPin, false);
+	motor->directionPin.setValue(false);
 
 	/**
 	 * let's park the motor in a known position to begin with
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ static msg_t stThread(StepperMotor *motor) {
 			continue;
 		}
 		bool isIncrementing = targetPosition > currentPosition;
-		palWritePad(motor->directionPort, motor->directionPin, isIncrementing);
+		motor->directionPin.setValue(isIncrementing);
 		if (isIncrementing) {
 			motor->currentPosition++;
 		} else {
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@ static msg_t stThread(StepperMotor *motor) {
 StepperMotor::StepperMotor() {
 	currentPosition = 0;
 	targetPosition = 0;
-	directionPort = NULL;
-	directionPin = 0;
 	enablePort = NULL;
 	enablePin = 0;
 	stepPort = NULL;
@@ -86,8 +84,8 @@ void StepperMotor::pulse() {
 	palWritePad(enablePort, enablePin, true); // disable stepper
 }
 
-void StepperMotor::initialize(brain_pin_e stepPin, brain_pin_e directionPin, float reactionTime, int totalSteps,
-		brain_pin_e enablePin) {
+void StepperMotor::initialize(brain_pin_e stepPin, brain_pin_e directionPin, pin_output_mode_e directionPinMode,
+		float reactionTime, int totalSteps, brain_pin_e enablePin) {
 	this->reactionTime = maxF(1, reactionTime);
 	this->totalSteps = maxI(3, totalSteps);
 	if (stepPin == GPIO_UNASSIGNED || directionPin == GPIO_UNASSIGNED) {
@@ -97,14 +95,13 @@ void StepperMotor::initialize(brain_pin_e stepPin, brain_pin_e directionPin, flo
 	stepPort = getHwPort(stepPin);
 	this->stepPin = getHwPin(stepPin);
 
-	directionPort = getHwPort(directionPin);
-	this->directionPin = getHwPin(directionPin);
+	this->directionPinMode = directionPinMode;
+	this->directionPin.initPin("stepper dir", directionPin, &this->directionPinMode);
 
 	enablePort = getHwPort(enablePin);
 	this->enablePin = getHwPin(enablePin);
 
 	efiSetPadMode("stepper step", stepPin, PAL_MODE_OUTPUT_PUSHPULL);
-	efiSetPadMode("stepper dir", directionPin, PAL_MODE_OUTPUT_PUSHPULL);
 	efiSetPadMode("stepper enable", enablePin, PAL_MODE_OUTPUT_PUSHPULL);
 	palWritePad(this->enablePort, enablePin, true); // disable stepper
 
diff --git a/firmware/hw_layer/stepper.h b/firmware/hw_layer/stepper.h
index 24c07b0ca4..1bd0fb1867 100644
--- a/firmware/hw_layer/stepper.h
+++ b/firmware/hw_layer/stepper.h
@@ -8,18 +8,18 @@
 #define STEPPER_H_
 
 #include "main.h"
+#include "efiGpio.h"
 
 class StepperMotor {
 public:
 	StepperMotor();
-	void initialize(brain_pin_e stepPin, brain_pin_e directionPin, float reactionTime, int totalSteps,
+	void initialize(brain_pin_e stepPin, brain_pin_e directionPin, pin_output_mode_e directionPinMode, float reactionTime, int totalSteps,
 			brain_pin_e enablePin);
 	void pulse();
 	void setTargetPosition(int targetPosition);
 	int getTargetPosition();
 
-	ioportid_t directionPort;
-	ioportmask_t directionPin;
+	OutputPin directionPin;
 	int currentPosition;
 	float reactionTime;
 	int totalSteps;
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ private:
 	ioportid_t enablePort;
 	ioportmask_t enablePin;
 
+	pin_output_mode_e directionPinMode;
+
 	THD_WORKING_AREA(stThreadStack, UTILITY_THREAD_STACK_SIZE);
 };