diff --git a/sw/example/demo_dual_core/main.c b/sw/example/demo_dual_core/main.c
index 2336da3d..ae080c3c 100644
--- a/sw/example/demo_dual_core/main.c
+++ b/sw/example/demo_dual_core/main.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ int main(void) {
 
 
   // check hardware/software configuration
-  if (NEORV32_SYSINFO->MISC[SYSINFO_MISC_HART] == 1) { // two cores available?
+  if (NEORV32_SYSINFO->MISC[SYSINFO_MISC_HART] != 2) { // two cores available?
     neorv32_uart0_printf("[ERROR] dual-core option not enabled!\n");
     return -1;
   }
@@ -135,8 +135,6 @@ int main(void) {
 
 /**********************************************************************//**
  * Main function for core 1 (secondary core).
- *
- * @return Irrelevant (but can be inspected by the debugger).
  **************************************************************************/
 void main_core1(void) {
 
diff --git a/sw/lib/source/neorv32_smp.c b/sw/lib/source/neorv32_smp.c
index 882a46d0..1eb0e1d3 100644
--- a/sw/lib/source/neorv32_smp.c
+++ b/sw/lib/source/neorv32_smp.c
@@ -27,13 +27,10 @@
  **************************************************************************/
 int neorv32_smp_launch(int hart_id, void (*entry_point)(void), uint8_t* stack_memory, size_t stack_size_bytes) {
 
-  const uint32_t magic_number = 0xffab4321u;
-  int num_cores = (int)NEORV32_SYSINFO->MISC[SYSINFO_MISC_HART];
-
   // sanity checks
   if ((neorv32_cpu_csr_read(CSR_MHARTID) != 0) || // this can be executed on core 0 only
       (hart_id == 0) || // we cannot launch core 0
-      (hart_id > (num_cores-1)) || // selected core not available
+      (hart_id > (neorv32_sysinfo_get_numcores()-1)) || // selected core not available
       (neorv32_clint_available() == 0)) { // we need the CLINT
     return -1;
   }
@@ -47,6 +44,7 @@ int neorv32_smp_launch(int hart_id, void (*entry_point)(void), uint8_t* stack_me
   uint32_t stack_top = ((uint32_t)stack_memory + (uint32_t)(stack_size_bytes-1)) & 0xfffffff0u;
 
   // send launch configuration
+  const uint32_t magic_number = 0xffab4321u;
   neorv32_smp_icc_put(hart_id, magic_number); // identifies valid configuration
   neorv32_smp_icc_put(hart_id, stack_top); // top of core's stack
   neorv32_smp_icc_put(hart_id, (uint32_t)entry_point); // entry point