A surgical stapler. The surgical stapler includes a drive system, an electric motor, a battery and a control system. The electric motor is mechanically coupled to the drive system. The battery is electrically couplable to the electric motor. The control system is electrically connected to the electric motor and includes an H-bridge circuit and an electrically resistive element. The H-bridge circuit includes a high side and a low side. The low side of the H-bridge circuit includes a plurality of switching devices. The electrically resistive element is electrically connected in parallel with one of the plurality of switching devices. The control system is configured to control a force applied to the drive system based on a current measured downstream of the electrically resistive element.