diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/land.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/land.cpp
index 7a17c8cd6b..38fba5136a 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/land.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/land.cpp
@@ -74,8 +74,12 @@ Land::on_active()
 	if (_navigator->get_vstatus()->is_vtol &&
 	    _navigator->get_vstatus()->in_transition_mode) {
 		struct position_setpoint_triplet_s *pos_sp_triplet = _navigator->get_position_setpoint_triplet();
-		pos_sp_triplet->current.lat = _navigator->get_global_position()->lat;
-		pos_sp_triplet->current.lon = _navigator->get_global_position()->lon;
+
+		// create a virtual wp 1m in front of the vehicle to track during the backtransition
+		waypoint_from_heading_and_distance(_navigator->get_global_position()->lat, _navigator->get_global_position()->lon,
+						   _navigator->get_position_setpoint_triplet()->current.yaw, 1.f,
+						   &pos_sp_triplet->current.lat, &pos_sp_triplet->current.lon);
+
 		_navigator->set_position_setpoint_triplet_updated();
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp
index f75a2700ed..d9e799ace2 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp
@@ -795,7 +795,7 @@ MissionBlock::set_vtol_transition_item(struct mission_item_s *item, const uint8_
 	item->nav_cmd = NAV_CMD_DO_VTOL_TRANSITION;
 	item->params[0] = (float) new_mode;
 	item->params[1] = 0.0f;
-	item->yaw = _navigator->get_local_position()->heading;
+	item->yaw = _navigator->get_local_position()->heading; // ideally that would be course and not heading
 	item->autocontinue = true;
 }