diff --git a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_PosControl.cpp b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_PosControl.cpp
index 583f0b670f..155b3000a6 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_PosControl.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_PosControl.cpp
@@ -785,6 +785,16 @@ int32_t AC_PosControl::get_bearing_to_target() const
     return get_bearing_cd(_inav.get_position(), _pos_target);
 }
 
+// relax velocity controller by clearing velocity error and setting velocity target to current velocity
+void AC_PosControl::relax_velocity_controller_xy()
+{
+    const Vector3f& curr_vel = _inav.get_velocity();
+    _vel_target.x = curr_vel.x;
+    _vel_target.y = curr_vel.y;
+    _vel_error.x = 0.0f;
+    _vel_error.y = 0.0f;
+}
+
 // is_active_xy - returns true if the xy position controller has been run very recently
 bool AC_PosControl::is_active_xy() const
 {
diff --git a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_PosControl.h b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_PosControl.h
index 7637072186..1c10389d9e 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_PosControl.h
+++ b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_PosControl.h
@@ -233,6 +233,9 @@ public:
     /// freeze_ff_z - used to stop the feed forward being calculated during a known discontinuity
     void freeze_ff_z() { _flags.freeze_ff_z = true; }
 
+    // relax velocity controller by clearing velocity error and setting velocity target to current velocity
+    void relax_velocity_controller_xy();
+
     // is_active_xy - returns true if the xy position controller has been run very recently
     bool is_active_xy() const;