diff --git a/ArduCopter/Copter.h b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
index 5088176a66..7293c74599 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Copter.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
@@ -633,7 +633,6 @@ private:
     void send_rpm(mavlink_channel_t chan);
     void rpm_update();
     void send_pid_tuning(mavlink_channel_t chan);
-    void send_statustext(mavlink_channel_t chan);
     bool telemetry_delayed(mavlink_channel_t chan);
     void gcs_send_message(enum ap_message id);
     void gcs_send_mission_item_reached_message(uint16_t mission_index);
diff --git a/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index 293b05362e..83824ecd80 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ void Copter::gcs_send_heartbeat(void)
 void Copter::gcs_send_deferred(void)
 {
     gcs_send_message(MSG_RETRY_DEFERRED);
+    GCS_MAVLINK::service_statustext();
 }
 
 /*
@@ -491,16 +492,6 @@ void Copter::send_pid_tuning(mavlink_channel_t chan)
     }
 }
 
-
-void NOINLINE Copter::send_statustext(mavlink_channel_t chan)
-{
-    mavlink_statustext_t *s = &gcs[chan-MAVLINK_COMM_0].pending_status;
-    mavlink_msg_statustext_send(
-        chan,
-        s->severity,
-        s->text);
-}
-
 // are we still delaying telemetry to try to avoid Xbee bricking?
 bool Copter::telemetry_delayed(mavlink_channel_t chan)
 {
@@ -663,9 +654,8 @@ bool GCS_MAVLINK::try_send_message(enum ap_message id)
         break;
 
     case MSG_STATUSTEXT:
-        CHECK_PAYLOAD_SIZE(STATUSTEXT);
-        copter.send_statustext(chan);
-        break;
+        // depreciated, use GCS_MAVLINK::send_statustext*
+        return false;
 
     case MSG_LIMITS_STATUS:
 #if AC_FENCE == ENABLED
@@ -2090,11 +2080,7 @@ void Copter::gcs_check_input(void)
 
 void Copter::gcs_send_text(MAV_SEVERITY severity, const char *str)
 {
-    for (uint8_t i=0; i<num_gcs; i++) {
-        if (gcs[i].initialised) {
-            gcs[i].send_text(severity, str);
-        }
-    }
+    GCS_MAVLINK::send_statustext(severity, 0xFF, str);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -2104,17 +2090,10 @@ void Copter::gcs_send_text(MAV_SEVERITY severity, const char *str)
  */
 void Copter::gcs_send_text_fmt(MAV_SEVERITY severity, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
+    char str[MAVLINK_MSG_STATUSTEXT_FIELD_TEXT_LEN] {};
     va_list arg_list;
-    gcs[0].pending_status.severity = (uint8_t)severity;
     va_start(arg_list, fmt);
-    hal.util->vsnprintf((char *)gcs[0].pending_status.text,
-            sizeof(gcs[0].pending_status.text), fmt, arg_list);
     va_end(arg_list);
-    gcs[0].send_message(MSG_STATUSTEXT);
-    for (uint8_t i=1; i<num_gcs; i++) {
-        if (gcs[i].initialised) {
-            gcs[i].pending_status = gcs[0].pending_status;
-            gcs[i].send_message(MSG_STATUSTEXT);
-        }
-    }
+    hal.util->vsnprintf((char *)str, sizeof(str), fmt, arg_list);
+    GCS_MAVLINK::send_statustext(severity, 0xFF, str);
 }