diff --git a/ArduCopter/Copter.h b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
index 08333da789..e1179094cd 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Copter.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
@@ -381,7 +381,6 @@ private:
 
         int8_t radio_counter;            // number of iterations with throttle below throttle_fs_value
 
-        uint8_t rc_override_active  : 1; // true if rc control are overwritten by ground station
         uint8_t radio               : 1; // A status flag for the radio failsafe
         uint8_t gcs                 : 1; // A status flag for the ground station failsafe
         uint8_t ekf                 : 1; // true if ekf failsafe has occurred
diff --git a/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index 4d0156a947..ebd59755d9 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -1052,13 +1052,7 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK_Copter::handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
         if(msg->sysid != copter.g.sysid_my_gcs) {
             break; // Only accept control from our gcs
         }
-        if (!rc().gcs_overrides_enabled()) {
-            if (copter.failsafe.rc_override_active) {  // if overrides were active previously, disable them
-                copter.failsafe.rc_override_active = false;
-                RC_Channels::clear_overrides();
-            }
-            break;
-        }
+
         uint32_t tnow = AP_HAL::millis();
 
         mavlink_rc_channels_override_t packet;
@@ -1073,9 +1067,6 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK_Copter::handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
         RC_Channels::set_override(6, packet.chan7_raw, tnow);
         RC_Channels::set_override(7, packet.chan8_raw, tnow);
 
-        // record that rc are overwritten so we can trigger a failsafe if we lose contact with groundstation
-        copter.failsafe.rc_override_active = RC_Channels::has_active_overrides();
-
         // a RC override message is considered to be a 'heartbeat' from the ground station for failsafe purposes
         copter.failsafe.last_heartbeat_ms = tnow;
         break;
@@ -1110,9 +1101,6 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK_Copter::handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
         RC_Channels::set_override(uint8_t(copter.rcmap.throttle() - 1), throttle, tnow);
         RC_Channels::set_override(uint8_t(copter.rcmap.yaw() - 1), yaw, tnow);
 
-        // record that rc are overwritten so we can trigger a failsafe if we lose contact with groundstation
-        copter.failsafe.rc_override_active = RC_Channels::has_active_overrides();
-
         // a manual control message is considered to be a 'heartbeat' from the ground station for failsafe purposes
         copter.failsafe.last_heartbeat_ms = tnow;
         break;
diff --git a/ArduCopter/events.cpp b/ArduCopter/events.cpp
index 64a2ad76d6..ff02e062ef 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/events.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/events.cpp
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ void Copter::failsafe_gcs_check()
 
     // return immediately if gcs failsafe is disabled, gcs has never been connected or we are not overriding rc controls from the gcs and we are not in guided mode
     // this also checks to see if we have a GCS failsafe active, if we do, then must continue to process the logic for recovery from this state.
-    if ((!failsafe.gcs)&&(g.failsafe_gcs == FS_GCS_DISABLED || failsafe.last_heartbeat_ms == 0 || (!failsafe.rc_override_active && control_mode != GUIDED))) {
+    if ((!failsafe.gcs)&&(g.failsafe_gcs == FS_GCS_DISABLED || failsafe.last_heartbeat_ms == 0 || (!RC_Channels::has_active_overrides() && control_mode != GUIDED))) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ void Copter::failsafe_gcs_check()
 
     // clear overrides so that RC control can be regained with radio.
     RC_Channels::clear_overrides();
-    failsafe.rc_override_active = false;
 
     if (should_disarm_on_failsafe()) {
         init_disarm_motors();
diff --git a/ArduCopter/radio.cpp b/ArduCopter/radio.cpp
index 89db9527f1..00e22bbcaa 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/radio.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/radio.cpp
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ void Copter::enable_motor_output()
 
 void Copter::read_radio()
 {
-    uint32_t tnow_ms = millis();
+    const uint32_t tnow_ms = millis();
 
     if (rc().read_input()) {
         ap.new_radio_frame = true;
@@ -98,9 +98,10 @@ void Copter::read_radio()
         set_throttle_and_failsafe(channel_throttle->get_radio_in());
         set_throttle_zero_flag(channel_throttle->get_control_in());
 
-        // flag we must have an rc receiver attached
-        if (!failsafe.rc_override_active) {
-            ap.rc_receiver_present = true;
+        if (!ap.rc_receiver_present) {
+            // RC receiver must be attached if we've just go input and
+            // there are no overrides
+            ap.rc_receiver_present = !RC_Channels::has_active_overrides();
         }
 
         // pass pilot input through to motors (used to allow wiggling servos while disarmed on heli, single, coax copters)
@@ -112,7 +113,8 @@ void Copter::read_radio()
     }else{
         uint32_t elapsed = tnow_ms - last_radio_update_ms;
         // turn on throttle failsafe if no update from the RC Radio for 500ms or 2000ms if we are using RC_OVERRIDE
-        if (((!failsafe.rc_override_active && (elapsed >= FS_RADIO_TIMEOUT_MS)) || (failsafe.rc_override_active && (elapsed >= FS_RADIO_RC_OVERRIDE_TIMEOUT_MS))) &&
+        const bool has_active_overrides = RC_Channels::has_active_overrides();
+        if (((!has_active_overrides && (elapsed >= FS_RADIO_TIMEOUT_MS)) || (has_active_overrides && (elapsed >= FS_RADIO_RC_OVERRIDE_TIMEOUT_MS))) &&
             (g.failsafe_throttle && (ap.rc_receiver_present||motors->armed()) && !failsafe.radio)) {
             Log_Write_Error(ERROR_SUBSYSTEM_RADIO, ERROR_CODE_RADIO_LATE_FRAME);
             set_failsafe_radio(true);