diff --git a/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_Outputs.cpp b/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_Outputs.cpp
index 109a2ce8c6..805f9a3cce 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_Outputs.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_Outputs.cpp
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ bool NavEKF2_core::healthy(void) const
     if ((imuSampleTime_ms - ekfStartTime_ms) < 1000 ) {
         return false;
     }
-    // barometer and position innovations must be within limits when on-ground
+    // position and height innovations must be within limits when on-ground and in a static mode of operation
     float horizErrSq = sq(innovVelPos[3]) + sq(innovVelPos[4]);
-    if (onGround && (fabsf(innovVelPos[5]) > 1.0f || horizErrSq > 1.0f)) {
+    if (onGround && (PV_AidingMode == AID_NONE) && ((horizErrSq > 1.0f) || (fabsf(hgtInnovFiltState) > 1.0f))) {
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_PosVelFusion.cpp b/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_PosVelFusion.cpp
index 93af3e4ddd..e3f85a9c11 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_PosVelFusion.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_PosVelFusion.cpp
@@ -410,6 +410,16 @@ void NavEKF2_core::FuseVelPosNED()
             hgtTimeout = (imuSampleTime_ms - lastHgtPassTime_ms) > hgtRetryTime_ms;
             // Fuse height data if healthy or timed out or in constant position mode
             if (hgtHealth || hgtTimeout || (PV_AidingMode == AID_NONE)) {
+                // Calculate a filtered value to be used by pre-flight health checks
+                // We need to filter because wind gusts can generate significant baro noise and we want to be able to detect bias errors in the inertial solution
+                if (onGround) {
+                    float dtBaro = (imuSampleTime_ms - lastHgtPassTime_ms)*1.0e-3f;
+                    const float hgtInnovFiltTC = 2.0f;
+                    float alpha = constrain_float(dtBaro/(dtBaro+hgtInnovFiltTC),0.0f,1.0f);
+                    hgtInnovFiltState += (innovVelPos[5]-hgtInnovFiltState)*alpha;
+                } else {
+                    hgtInnovFiltState = 0.0f;
+                }
                 hgtHealth = true;
                 lastHgtPassTime_ms = imuSampleTime_ms;
                 // if timed out, reset the height, but do not fuse data on this time step
diff --git a/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_core.cpp b/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_core.cpp
index 71e52fd43b..5c8615ef22 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_core.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_core.cpp
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ void NavEKF2_core::InitialiseVariables()
     magFuseTiltInhibit = false;
     posResetNE.zero();
     velResetNE.zero();
+    hgtInnovFiltState = 0.0f;
 }
 
 // Initialise the states from accelerometer and magnetometer data (if present)
diff --git a/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_core.h b/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_core.h
index ffcf144fce..6524fcdcbd 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_core.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_NavEKF2/AP_NavEKF2_core.h
@@ -782,6 +782,7 @@ private:
     float yawTestRatio;             // square of magnetometer yaw angle innovation divided by fail threshold
     Quaternion prevQuatMagReset;    // Quaternion from the last time the magnetic field state reset condition test was performed
     uint8_t fusionHorizonOffset;    // number of IMU samples that the fusion time horizon  has been shifted forward to prevent multiple EKF instances fusing data at the same time
+    float hgtInnovFiltState;        // state used for fitering of the height innovations used for pre-flight checks
 
     // variables used to calulate a vertical velocity that is kinematically consistent with the verical position
     float posDownDerivative;        // Rate of chage of vertical position (dPosD/dt) in m/s. This is the first time derivative of PosD.