diff --git a/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.cpp b/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.cpp
index 7a31550946..284123357c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.cpp
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ void AP_Mission::update()
         }
     }else{
         // run the active nav command
-        if (_cmd_verify_fn(_nav_cmd)) {
+        if (verify_command(_nav_cmd)) {
             // market _nav_cmd as complete (it will be started on the next iteration)
             _flags.nav_cmd_loaded = false;
             // immediately advance to the next mission command
@@ -251,14 +251,24 @@ void AP_Mission::update()
     if (!_flags.do_cmd_loaded) {
         advance_current_do_cmd();
     }else{
-        // run the active do command
-        if (_cmd_verify_fn(_do_cmd)) {
-            // market _nav_cmd as complete (it will be started on the next iteration)
+        // check the active do command
+        if (verify_command(_do_cmd)) {
+            // mark _do_cmd as complete
             _flags.do_cmd_loaded = false;
         }
     }
 }
 
+bool AP_Mission::verify_command(const Mission_Command& cmd)
+{
+    return _cmd_verify_fn(cmd);
+}
+
+bool AP_Mission::start_command(const Mission_Command& cmd)
+{
+    return _cmd_start_fn(cmd);
+}
+
 ///
 /// public command methods
 ///
@@ -1411,7 +1421,7 @@ bool AP_Mission::advance_current_nav_cmd(uint16_t starting_index)
             }
             // set current navigation command and start it
             _nav_cmd = cmd;
-            if (_cmd_start_fn(_nav_cmd)) {
+            if (start_command(_nav_cmd)) {
                 _flags.nav_cmd_loaded = true;
             }
         }else{
@@ -1419,7 +1429,7 @@ bool AP_Mission::advance_current_nav_cmd(uint16_t starting_index)
             if (!_flags.do_cmd_loaded) {
                 _do_cmd = cmd;
                 _flags.do_cmd_loaded = true;
-                _cmd_start_fn(_do_cmd);
+                start_command(_do_cmd);
             } else {
                 // protect against endless loops of do-commands
                 if (max_loops-- == 0) {
@@ -1473,7 +1483,7 @@ void AP_Mission::advance_current_do_cmd()
         // set current do command and start it
         _do_cmd = cmd;
         _flags.do_cmd_loaded = true;
-        _cmd_start_fn(_do_cmd);
+        start_command(_do_cmd);
     }else{
         // set flag to stop unnecessarily searching for do commands
         _flags.do_cmd_all_done = true;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.h b/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.h
index 267349def5..542d9ce5ff 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.h
@@ -499,6 +499,9 @@ private:
     /// complete - mission is marked complete and clean-up performed including calling the mission_complete_fn
     void complete();
 
+    bool verify_command(const Mission_Command& cmd);
+    bool start_command(const Mission_Command& cmd);
+
     /// advance_current_nav_cmd - moves current nav command forward
     //      starting_index is used to set the index from which searching will begin, leave as 0 to search from the current navigation target
     ///     do command will also be loaded