diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/busio/SPI.c b/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/busio/SPI.c
index 4414d7ca91..ca98d1d2f2 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/busio/SPI.c
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/common-hal/busio/SPI.c
@@ -122,10 +122,7 @@ void common_hal_busio_spi_construct(busio_spi_obj_t *self,
 
     // Always start at 250khz which is what SD cards need. They are sensitive to
     // SPI bus noise before they are put into SPI mode.
-    uint8_t baud_value = samd_peripherals_baudrate_to_baud_reg_value(250000);
-    if (baud_value == 0) {
-        mp_raise_RuntimeError("SPI initial baudrate out of range.");
-    }
+    uint8_t baud_value = samd_peripherals_spi_baudrate_to_baud_reg_value(250000);
     if (spi_m_sync_set_baudrate(&self->spi_desc, baud_value) != ERR_NONE) {
         // spi_m_sync_set_baudrate does not check for validity, just whether the device is
         // busy or not
@@ -179,10 +176,7 @@ void common_hal_busio_spi_deinit(busio_spi_obj_t *self) {
 
 bool common_hal_busio_spi_configure(busio_spi_obj_t *self,
         uint32_t baudrate, uint8_t polarity, uint8_t phase, uint8_t bits) {
-    uint8_t baud_reg_value = samd_peripherals_baudrate_to_baud_reg_value(baudrate);
-    if (baud_reg_value == 0) {
-        mp_raise_ValueError("baudrate out of range");
-    }
+    uint8_t baud_reg_value = samd_peripherals_spi_baudrate_to_baud_reg_value(baudrate);
 
     void * hw = self->spi_desc.dev.prvt;
     // If the settings are already what we want then don't reset them.
@@ -279,3 +273,7 @@ bool common_hal_busio_spi_transfer(busio_spi_obj_t *self, uint8_t *data_out, uin
 //    }
         return status >= 0; // Status is number of chars read or an error code < 0.
 }
+
+uint32_t common_hal_busio_spi_get_frequency(busio_spi_obj_t* self) {
+    return samd_peripherals_spi_baud_reg_value_to_baudrate(hri_sercomspi_read_BAUD_reg(self->spi_desc.dev.prvt));
+}
diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/peripherals.c b/ports/atmel-samd/peripherals.c
index 6de813cca7..0c7f1dc63a 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/peripherals.c
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/peripherals.c
@@ -31,13 +31,15 @@
 // Routines that are the same across all samd variants.
 
 
-// Convert frequency to clock-speed-dependent value. Return 0 if out of range.
-uint8_t samd_peripherals_baudrate_to_baud_reg_value(const uint32_t baudrate) {
+// Convert frequency to clock-speed-dependent value. Return 255 if > 255.
+uint8_t samd_peripherals_spi_baudrate_to_baud_reg_value(const uint32_t baudrate) {
     uint32_t baud_reg_value = (uint32_t) (((float) PROTOTYPE_SERCOM_SPI_M_SYNC_CLOCK_FREQUENCY /
-                                           (2 * baudrate)) + 0.5f);
-    if (baud_reg_value > 0xff) {
-        return 0;
-    }
-    return (uint8_t) baud_reg_value;
+                                           (2 * baudrate)) - 0.5f);
+    return (uint8_t) (baud_reg_value > 255 ? 255 : baud_reg_value);
+}
+
+// Convert BAUD reg value back to a frequency.
+uint32_t samd_peripherals_spi_baud_reg_value_to_baudrate(const uint8_t baud_reg_value) {
+    return PROTOTYPE_SERCOM_SPI_M_SYNC_CLOCK_FREQUENCY / (2 * (baud_reg_value + 1));
 }
 
diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/peripherals.h b/ports/atmel-samd/peripherals.h
index 95bc1ec53f..bb01bc1acd 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/peripherals.h
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/peripherals.h
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
 #include "mpconfigport.h"
 
 // Routines common across chip families.
-uint8_t samd_peripherals_baudrate_to_baud_reg_value(const uint32_t baudrate);
+uint8_t samd_peripherals_spi_baudrate_to_baud_reg_value(const uint32_t baudrate);
+uint32_t samd_peripherals_spi_baud_reg_value_to_baudrate(const uint8_t baud_reg_value);
 
 #ifdef SAMD21
 #include "samd21_peripherals.h"
diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/spi_flash.c b/ports/atmel-samd/spi_flash.c
index 1070481ea8..55a00dcba3 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/spi_flash.c
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/spi_flash.c
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ void spi_flash_init(void) {
     hri_sercomspi_write_CTRLA_DOPO_bf(SPI_FLASH_SERCOM, SPI_FLASH_DOPO);
     hri_sercomspi_write_CTRLA_DIPO_bf(SPI_FLASH_SERCOM, SPI_FLASH_DIPO);
 
-    spi_m_sync_set_baudrate(&spi_flash_desc, samd_peripherals_baudrate_to_baud_reg_value(SPI_FLASH_BAUDRATE));
+    spi_m_sync_set_baudrate(&spi_flash_desc, samd_peripherals_spi_baudrate_to_baud_reg_value(SPI_FLASH_BAUDRATE));
 
     gpio_set_pin_direction(SPI_FLASH_CS_PIN, GPIO_DIRECTION_OUT);
     // There's already a pull-up on the board.
diff --git a/ports/esp8266/common-hal/busio/SPI.c b/ports/esp8266/common-hal/busio/SPI.c
index aa2b3a3547..b862c1da79 100644
--- a/ports/esp8266/common-hal/busio/SPI.c
+++ b/ports/esp8266/common-hal/busio/SPI.c
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ void common_hal_busio_spi_construct(busio_spi_obj_t *self,
     PIN_FUNC_SELECT(PERIPHS_IO_MUX_MTMS_U, 2);
 
     spi_clock(HSPI, SPI_CLK_PREDIV, SPI_CLK_CNTDIV);
+    self->frequency = SPI_CLK_FREQ;
     spi_tx_byte_order(HSPI, SPI_BYTE_ORDER_HIGH_TO_LOW);
     spi_rx_byte_order(HSPI, SPI_BYTE_ORDER_HIGH_TO_LOW);
 
@@ -107,6 +108,7 @@ bool common_hal_busio_spi_configure(busio_spi_obj_t *self,
         // Special case for full speed.
         spi_init_gpio(HSPI, SPI_CLK_80MHZ_NODIV);
         spi_clock(HSPI, 0, 0);
+        self->frequency = 80000000L;
     } else if (baudrate > 40000000L) {
         return false;
     } else {
@@ -118,6 +120,7 @@ bool common_hal_busio_spi_configure(busio_spi_obj_t *self,
         }
         spi_init_gpio(HSPI, SPI_CLK_USE_DIV);
         spi_clock(HSPI, prediv, cntdiv);
+        self->frequency = 80000000L / (prediv * cntdiv);
     }
     spi_mode(HSPI, phase, polarity);
     return true;
@@ -205,3 +208,7 @@ bool common_hal_busio_spi_transfer(busio_spi_obj_t *self, uint8_t *data_out, uin
     return true;
 
 }
+
+uint32_t common_hal_busio_spi_get_frequency(busio_spi_obj_t* self) {
+    return self->frequency;
+}
diff --git a/ports/esp8266/common-hal/busio/SPI.h b/ports/esp8266/common-hal/busio/SPI.h
index 24822ca3c8..ba9a5268e0 100644
--- a/ports/esp8266/common-hal/busio/SPI.h
+++ b/ports/esp8266/common-hal/busio/SPI.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 
 typedef struct {
     mp_obj_base_t base;
+    uint32_t frequency;
     bool locked;
     bool deinited;
 } busio_spi_obj_t;
diff --git a/ports/esp8266/posix_helpers.c b/ports/esp8266/posix_helpers.c
index 1fc677c5c5..1c20c8b0b1 100644
--- a/ports/esp8266/posix_helpers.c
+++ b/ports/esp8266/posix_helpers.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 // Functions for external libs like axTLS, BerkeleyDB, etc.
 
 void *malloc(size_t size) {
-    void *p = gc_alloc(size, false);
+    void *p = gc_alloc(size, false, false);
     if (p == NULL) {
         // POSIX requires ENOMEM to be set in case of error
         errno = ENOMEM;
diff --git a/shared-bindings/busio/SPI.c b/shared-bindings/busio/SPI.c
index c4c139105f..d68b61d9b4 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/busio/SPI.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/busio/SPI.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 #include "lib/utils/buffer_helper.h"
 #include "lib/utils/context_manager_helpers.h"
 #include "py/mperrno.h"
-#include "py/nlr.h"
+#include "py/objproperty.h"
 #include "py/runtime.h"
 
 //| .. currentmodule:: busio
@@ -137,7 +137,9 @@ static void check_lock(busio_spi_obj_t *self) {
 //|
 //|     Configures the SPI bus. Only valid when locked.
 //|
-//|     :param int baudrate: the clock rate in Hertz
+//|     :param int baudrate: the desired clock rate in Hertz. The actual clock rate may be higher or lower
+//|       due to the granularity of available clock settings.
+//|       Check the `frequency` attribute for the actual clock rate.
 //|     :param int polarity: the base state of the clock line (0 or 1)
 //|     :param int phase: the edge of the clock that data is captured. First (0)
 //|       or second (1). Rising or falling depends on clock polarity.
@@ -350,6 +352,25 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t busio_spi_write_readinto(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *pos_args
 }
 MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_KW(busio_spi_write_readinto_obj, 2, busio_spi_write_readinto);
 
+//|   .. attribute:: frequency
+//|
+//|     The actual SPI bus frequency. This may not match the frequency requested
+//|     due to internal limitations.
+//|
+STATIC mp_obj_t busio_spi_obj_get_frequency(mp_obj_t self_in) {
+    busio_spi_obj_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(self_in);
+    raise_error_if_deinited(common_hal_busio_spi_deinited(self));
+    return MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(common_hal_busio_spi_get_frequency(self));
+}
+MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_1(busio_spi_get_frequency_obj, busio_spi_obj_get_frequency);
+
+const mp_obj_property_t busio_spi_frequency_obj = {
+    .base.type = &mp_type_property,
+    .proxy = {(mp_obj_t)&busio_spi_get_frequency_obj,
+              (mp_obj_t)&mp_const_none_obj,
+              (mp_obj_t)&mp_const_none_obj},
+};
+
 STATIC const mp_rom_map_elem_t busio_spi_locals_dict_table[] = {
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_deinit), MP_ROM_PTR(&busio_spi_deinit_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR___enter__), MP_ROM_PTR(&default___enter___obj) },
@@ -362,6 +383,7 @@ STATIC const mp_rom_map_elem_t busio_spi_locals_dict_table[] = {
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_readinto), MP_ROM_PTR(&busio_spi_readinto_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_write), MP_ROM_PTR(&busio_spi_write_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_write_readinto), MP_ROM_PTR(&busio_spi_write_readinto_obj) },
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_frequency), MP_ROM_PTR(&busio_spi_frequency_obj) }
 };
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_DICT(busio_spi_locals_dict, busio_spi_locals_dict_table);
 
diff --git a/shared-bindings/busio/SPI.h b/shared-bindings/busio/SPI.h
index b6e5c9b1b3..555f32c928 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/busio/SPI.h
+++ b/shared-bindings/busio/SPI.h
@@ -58,4 +58,7 @@ extern bool common_hal_busio_spi_read(busio_spi_obj_t *self, uint8_t *data, size
 // Reads and write len bytes simultaneously.
 extern bool common_hal_busio_spi_transfer(busio_spi_obj_t *self, uint8_t *data_out, uint8_t *data_in, size_t len);
 
+// Return actual SPI bus frequency.
+uint32_t common_hal_busio_spi_get_frequency(busio_spi_obj_t* self);
+
 #endif // MICROPY_INCLUDED_SHARED_BINDINGS_BUSIO_SPI_H