diff --git a/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp b/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
index a4bda51d80..840d7a0ebf 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
@@ -2560,18 +2560,25 @@ int commander_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 			status.rc_signal_lost = false;
 
-			/* check if left stick is in lower left position or arm button is pushed and we are in MANUAL, Rattitude, or AUTO_READY mode or (ASSIST mode and landed) -> disarm
+			/* DISARM
+			 * check if left stick is in lower left position or arm button is pushed or arm switch has transition from arm to disarm
+			 * and we are in MANUAL, Rattitude, or AUTO_READY mode or (ASSIST mode and landed)
 			 * do it only for rotary wings in manual mode or fixed wing if landed */
+			bool arm_switch_to_disarm_transition =  arm_switch_is_button == 0 &&
+					_last_sp_man_arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_ON &&
+					sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_OFF;
 			if ((status.is_rotary_wing || (!status.is_rotary_wing && land_detector.landed)) && status.rc_input_mode != vehicle_status_s::RC_IN_MODE_OFF &&
-			    (status.arming_state == vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED || status.arming_state == vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED_ERROR) &&
-			    (internal_state.main_state == commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_MANUAL ||
-			    	internal_state.main_state == commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_ACRO ||
-			    	internal_state.main_state == commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_STAB ||
-			    	internal_state.main_state == commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_RATTITUDE ||
-			    	land_detector.landed) &&
-			    ((sp_man.r < -STICK_ON_OFF_LIMIT && sp_man.z < 0.1f) || (arm_switch_is_button == 1 && sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_ON)) ) {
-
-				if (stick_off_counter == rc_arm_hyst && stick_on_counter < rc_arm_hyst) {
+				(status.arming_state == vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED || status.arming_state == vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED_ERROR) &&
+				(internal_state.main_state == commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_MANUAL ||
+						internal_state.main_state == commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_ACRO ||
+						internal_state.main_state == commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_STAB ||
+						internal_state.main_state == commander_state_s::MAIN_STATE_RATTITUDE ||
+						land_detector.landed) &&
+				((sp_man.r < -STICK_ON_OFF_LIMIT && sp_man.z < 0.1f) ||
+					(arm_switch_is_button == 1 && sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_ON) ||
+					arm_switch_to_disarm_transition) ) {
+
+				if ((stick_off_counter == rc_arm_hyst && stick_on_counter < rc_arm_hyst) || arm_switch_to_disarm_transition) {
 					/* disarm to STANDBY if ARMED or to STANDBY_ERROR if ARMED_ERROR */
 					arming_state_t new_arming_state = (status.arming_state == vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED ? vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_STANDBY :
 									   vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_STANDBY_ERROR);
@@ -2592,16 +2599,23 @@ int commander_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 					}
 				}
 				stick_off_counter++;
-
-			} else if (arm_switch_is_button == 1 && sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_OFF) {
+			/* do not reset the counter when holding the arm button longer than needed */
+			} else if (!(arm_switch_is_button == 1 && sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_ON)) {
 				stick_off_counter = 0;
 			}
 
-			/* check if left stick is in lower right position or arm button is pushed and we're in MANUAL mode -> arm */
+			/* ARM
+			 * check if left stick is in lower right position or arm button is pushed or arm switch has transition from disarm to arm
+			 * and we're in MANUAL mode */
+			bool arm_switch_to_arm_transition = arm_switch_is_button == 0 &&
+					_last_sp_man_arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_OFF &&
+					sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_ON;
 			if (status.rc_input_mode != vehicle_status_s::RC_IN_MODE_OFF &&
-					(status.arming_state != vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED && status.arming_state != vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED_ERROR) &&
-					((sp_man.r > STICK_ON_OFF_LIMIT && sp_man.z < 0.1f) || (arm_switch_is_button == 1 && sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_ON)) ) {
-				if (stick_on_counter == rc_arm_hyst && stick_off_counter < rc_arm_hyst) {
+				(status.arming_state != vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED && status.arming_state != vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED_ERROR) &&
+				((sp_man.r > STICK_ON_OFF_LIMIT && sp_man.z < 0.1f) ||
+					(arm_switch_is_button == 1 && sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_ON) ||
+					arm_switch_to_arm_transition) ) {
+				if ((stick_on_counter == rc_arm_hyst && stick_off_counter < rc_arm_hyst) || arm_switch_to_arm_transition) {
 
 					/* we check outside of the transition function here because the requirement
 					 * for being in manual mode only applies to manual arming actions.
@@ -2643,11 +2657,13 @@ int commander_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 					}
 				}
 				stick_on_counter++;
-
-			} else if (arm_switch_is_button == 1 && sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_OFF) {
+			/* do not reset the counter when holding the arm button longer than needed */
+			} else if (!(arm_switch_is_button == 1 && sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_ON)) {
 				stick_on_counter = 0;
 			}
 
+			_last_sp_man_arm_switch = sp_man.arm_switch;
+
 			if (arming_ret == TRANSITION_CHANGED) {
 				if (status.arming_state == vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_ARMED) {
 					mavlink_log_info(&mavlink_log_pub, "ARMED by RC");
@@ -2696,29 +2712,6 @@ int commander_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				armed.lockdown = false;
 			}
 			/* no else case: do not change lockdown flag in unconfigured case */
-
-			/* check arm switch if it is not used as button */
-			if (arm_switch_is_button == 0) {
-				/* transition of the switch from disarm to arm */
-				if (_last_sp_man_arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_OFF &&
-						sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_ON) {
-					if (TRANSITION_CHANGED != arm_disarm(true, &mavlink_log_pub, "arm switch")) {
-						mavlink_log_info(&mavlink_log_pub, "arming by switch failed");
-					} else {
-						arming_state_changed = true;
-					}
-				/* transition of the switch from arm to disarm */
-				} else if (_last_sp_man_arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_ON &&
-						sp_man.arm_switch == manual_control_setpoint_s::SWITCH_POS_OFF) {
-					if (TRANSITION_CHANGED != arm_disarm(false, &mavlink_log_pub, "arm switch")) {
-						mavlink_log_info(&mavlink_log_pub, "rejected disarming by switch");
-					} else {
-						arming_state_changed = true;
-					}
-				}
-				/* no else case: do not change arming here if arm switch unconfigured */
-			}
-			_last_sp_man_arm_switch = sp_man.arm_switch;
 		} else {
 			if (!status_flags.rc_input_blocked && !status.rc_signal_lost) {
 				mavlink_log_critical(&mavlink_log_pub, "MANUAL CONTROL LOST (at t=%llums)", hrt_absolute_time() / 1000);