diff --git a/ArduCopter/Copter.h b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
index d222d4f8ec..a77841d3f3 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Copter.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
@@ -354,6 +354,12 @@ private:
         uint32_t last_edge_time_ms;         // system time that switch position was last changed
     } control_switch_state;
 
+    // de-bounce counters for switches.cpp
+    struct debounce {
+        uint8_t count;
+        uint8_t ch_flag;
+    } aux_debounce[(CH_12 - CH_7)+1];
+
     typedef struct {
         bool running;
         float max_speed;
@@ -901,6 +907,7 @@ private:
     void init_aux_switches();
     void init_aux_switch_function(int8_t ch_option, uint8_t ch_flag);
     void do_aux_switch_function(int8_t ch_function, uint8_t ch_flag);
+    bool debounce_aux_switch(uint8_t chan, uint8_t ch_flag);
     void save_trim();
     void auto_trim();
 
diff --git a/ArduCopter/switches.cpp b/ArduCopter/switches.cpp
index 2493ac575e..c33cfe294f 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/switches.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/switches.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ uint8_t Copter::read_3pos_switch(uint8_t chan)
 #define read_aux_switch(chan, flag, option)                           \
     do {                                                            \
         switch_position = read_3pos_switch(chan); \
-        if (flag != switch_position) {                              \
+        if (debounce_aux_switch(chan, flag) && flag != switch_position) { \
             flag = switch_position;                                 \
             do_aux_switch_function(option, flag);                   \
         }                                                           \
@@ -209,6 +209,32 @@ void Copter::init_aux_switch_function(int8_t ch_option, uint8_t ch_flag)
     }
 }
 
+/*
+  debounce an aux switch using a counter in copter.debounce
+  structure. This will return false until the same ch_flag is seen debounce_count times
+ */
+bool Copter::debounce_aux_switch(uint8_t chan, uint8_t ch_flag)
+{
+    // a value of 2 means we need 3 values in a row with the same
+    // value to activate
+    const uint8_t debounce_count = 2;
+
+    if (chan < CH_7 || chan > CH_12) {
+        // someone has forgotten to expand the debounce channel range
+        return false;
+    }
+    struct debounce &db = aux_debounce[chan-CH_7];
+    if (db.ch_flag != ch_flag) {
+        db.ch_flag = ch_flag;
+        db.count = 0;
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (db.count < debounce_count) {
+        db.count++;
+    }
+    return db.count >= debounce_count;
+}
+
 // do_aux_switch_function - implement the function invoked by the ch7 or ch8 switch
 void Copter::do_aux_switch_function(int8_t ch_function, uint8_t ch_flag)
 {