diff --git a/msg/input_rc.msg b/msg/input_rc.msg
index 0896bdd34f..4df163fb49 100644
--- a/msg/input_rc.msg
+++ b/msg/input_rc.msg
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ uint8 RC_INPUT_SOURCE_PX4IO_SUMD = 13
 
 uint8 RC_INPUT_MAX_CHANNELS = 18 	# Maximum number of R/C input channels in the system. S.Bus has up to 18 channels.
 
-uint64 timestamp_publication		# publication time
 uint64 timestamp_last_signal		# last valid reception time
 uint32 channel_count			# number of channels actually being seen
 int32 rssi				# receive signal strength indicator (RSSI): < 0: Undefined, 0: no signal, 100: full reception
diff --git a/src/drivers/navio_sysfs_rc_in/navio_sysfs_rc_in.cpp b/src/drivers/navio_sysfs_rc_in/navio_sysfs_rc_in.cpp
index 598f354ba4..07818f5e88 100644
--- a/src/drivers/navio_sysfs_rc_in/navio_sysfs_rc_in.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/navio_sysfs_rc_in/navio_sysfs_rc_in.cpp
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ void RcInput::_measure(void)
 	}
 
 	ts = hrt_absolute_time();
-	_data.timestamp_publication = ts;
+	_data.timestamp = ts;
 	_data.timestamp_last_signal = ts;
 	_data.channel_count = _channels;
 	_data.rssi = 100;
diff --git a/src/drivers/pwm_out_rc_in/pwm_out_rc_in.cpp b/src/drivers/pwm_out_rc_in/pwm_out_rc_in.cpp
index e7756c3d8f..b9fa461aaf 100644
--- a/src/drivers/pwm_out_rc_in/pwm_out_rc_in.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/pwm_out_rc_in/pwm_out_rc_in.cpp
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ void handle_message(mavlink_message_t *rc_message)
 {
 	mavlink_rc_channels_t rc;
 	mavlink_msg_rc_channels_decode(rc_message, &rc);
-	_rc.timestamp_publication = hrt_absolute_time();
+	_rc.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
 	_rc.timestamp_last_signal = hrt_absolute_time();
 	_rc.channel_count = rc.chancount;
 	_rc.rc_lost = false;
diff --git a/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp b/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
index 523be4b022..895d172396 100644
--- a/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
@@ -810,8 +810,8 @@ PX4FMU::fill_rc_in(uint16_t raw_rc_count,
 		}
 	}
 
-	_rc_in.timestamp_publication = now;
-	_rc_in.timestamp_last_signal = _rc_in.timestamp_publication;
+	_rc_in.timestamp = now;
+	_rc_in.timestamp_last_signal = _rc_in.timestamp;
 	_rc_in.rc_ppm_frame_length = 0;
 
 	/* fake rssi if no value was provided */
diff --git a/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp b/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
index 736412ac73..b03b7f319b 100644
--- a/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
@@ -1839,7 +1839,7 @@ PX4IO::io_get_raw_rc_input(rc_input_values &input_rc)
 
 	_rc_chan_count = channel_count;
 
-	input_rc.timestamp_publication = hrt_absolute_time();
+	input_rc.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
 
 	input_rc.rc_ppm_frame_length = regs[PX4IO_P_RAW_RC_DATA];
 
@@ -1868,7 +1868,7 @@ PX4IO::io_get_raw_rc_input(rc_input_values &input_rc)
 
 	/* rc_lost has to be set before the call to this function */
 	if (!input_rc.rc_lost && !input_rc.rc_failsafe) {
-		_rc_last_valid = input_rc.timestamp_publication;
+		_rc_last_valid = input_rc.timestamp;
 	}
 
 	input_rc.timestamp_last_signal = _rc_last_valid;
diff --git a/src/drivers/snapdragon_rc_pwm/snapdragon_rc_pwm.cpp b/src/drivers/snapdragon_rc_pwm/snapdragon_rc_pwm.cpp
index bda765783e..f676c46206 100644
--- a/src/drivers/snapdragon_rc_pwm/snapdragon_rc_pwm.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/snapdragon_rc_pwm/snapdragon_rc_pwm.cpp
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ void set_pwm_output(mavlink_actuator_control_target_t *actuator_controls)
 void send_rc_mavlink()
 {
 	mavlink_rc_channels_t rc_message;
-	rc_message.time_boot_ms = _rc.timestamp_publication / 1000;
+	rc_message.time_boot_ms = _rc.timestamp / 1000;
 	rc_message.chancount = _rc.channel_count;
 	rc_message.chan1_raw = (_rc.channel_count > 0) ? _rc.values[0] : UINT16_MAX;
 	rc_message.chan2_raw = (_rc.channel_count > 1) ? _rc.values[1] : UINT16_MAX;
diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_messages.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_messages.cpp
index 59ac1ecd9f..2d632d0b8c 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_messages.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_messages.cpp
@@ -2645,7 +2645,7 @@ protected:
 			/* send RC channel data and RSSI */
 			mavlink_rc_channels_t msg;
 
-			msg.time_boot_ms = rc.timestamp_publication / 1000;
+			msg.time_boot_ms = rc.timestamp / 1000;
 			msg.chancount = rc.channel_count;
 			msg.chan1_raw = (rc.channel_count > 0) ? rc.values[0] : UINT16_MAX;
 			msg.chan2_raw = (rc.channel_count > 1) ? rc.values[1] : UINT16_MAX;
diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
index 25048257fc..e45b960818 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
@@ -1277,9 +1277,9 @@ MavlinkReceiver::handle_message_rc_channels_override(mavlink_message_t *msg)
 
 	struct rc_input_values rc = {};
 
-	rc.timestamp_publication = hrt_absolute_time();
+	rc.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
 
-	rc.timestamp_last_signal = rc.timestamp_publication;
+	rc.timestamp_last_signal = rc.timestamp;
 
 	rc.channel_count = 8;
 
@@ -1336,8 +1336,8 @@ MavlinkReceiver::handle_message_manual_control(mavlink_message_t *msg)
 	if (_mavlink->get_manual_input_mode_generation()) {
 
 		struct rc_input_values rc = {};
-		rc.timestamp_publication = hrt_absolute_time();
-		rc.timestamp_last_signal = rc.timestamp_publication;
+		rc.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
+		rc.timestamp_last_signal = rc.timestamp;
 
 		rc.channel_count = 8;
 		rc.rc_failsafe = false;
diff --git a/src/modules/simulator/simulator_mavlink.cpp b/src/modules/simulator/simulator_mavlink.cpp
index 1fd50bbe57..003f3fe9c2 100644
--- a/src/modules/simulator/simulator_mavlink.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/simulator/simulator_mavlink.cpp
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ void Simulator::send_controls()
 
 static void fill_rc_input_msg(struct rc_input_values *rc, mavlink_rc_channels_t *rc_channels)
 {
-	rc->timestamp_publication = hrt_absolute_time();
-	rc->timestamp_last_signal = hrt_absolute_time();
+	rc->timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
+	rc->timestamp_last_signal = rc->timestamp;
 	rc->channel_count = rc_channels->chancount;
 	rc->rssi = rc_channels->rssi;
 
diff --git a/src/platforms/qurt/fc_addon/rc_receiver/rc_receiver_main.cpp b/src/platforms/qurt/fc_addon/rc_receiver/rc_receiver_main.cpp
index 8f3e194ec9..c2269a88ff 100644
--- a/src/platforms/qurt/fc_addon/rc_receiver/rc_receiver_main.cpp
+++ b/src/platforms/qurt/fc_addon/rc_receiver/rc_receiver_main.cpp
@@ -248,8 +248,8 @@ void task_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 		// populate the input_rc_s structure
 		if (ret == 0) {
-			_rc_in.timestamp_publication = ts;
-			_rc_in.timestamp_last_signal = _rc_in.timestamp_publication;
+			_rc_in.timestamp = ts;
+			_rc_in.timestamp_last_signal = _rc_in.timestamp;
 			_rc_in.channel_count = num_channels;
 
 			// TODO - need to add support for RSSI, failsafe mode