diff --git a/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.pde b/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.pde
index a15507de75..871b2032b5 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.pde
@@ -1419,10 +1419,8 @@ static void update_navigation()
             nav_controller->reached_loiter_target() && 
             labs(altitude_error_cm) < 1000) {
             // we've reached the RTL point, see if we have a landing sequence
-            if (!auto_state.checked_for_autoland &&
-                mission.jump_to_landing_sequence()) {
-                gcs_send_text_P(SEVERITY_LOW, PSTR("Starting auto landing"));
-                set_mode(AUTO);
+            if (!auto_state.checked_for_autoland) {
+                jump_to_landing_sequence();
             }
             // prevent running the expensive jump_to_landing_sequence
             // on every loop
diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
index d26b932425..200b296629 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.pde
@@ -1111,12 +1111,11 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK::handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
 
         case MAV_CMD_DO_LAND_START:
             result = MAV_RESULT_FAILED;
-
+            
             // attempt to switch to next DO_LAND_START command in the mission
-            if (mission.jump_to_landing_sequence()) {
-                set_mode(AUTO);
+            if (jump_to_landing_sequence()) {
                 result = MAV_RESULT_ACCEPTED;
-            }
+            } 
             break;
 
         case MAV_CMD_DO_FENCE_ENABLE:
diff --git a/ArduPlane/landing.pde b/ArduPlane/landing.pde
index 675acc1c3e..147e9ab9a6 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/landing.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/landing.pde
@@ -115,3 +115,26 @@ static void setup_landing_glide_slope(void)
         // stay within the range of the start and end locations in altitude
         constrain_target_altitude_location(loc, prev_WP_loc);
 }
+
+/* find the nearest landing sequence starting point (DO_LAND_START) and
+ * switch to that mission item.  Returns false if no DO_LAND_START available.*/
+static bool jump_to_landing_sequence(void) {
+    uint16_t land_idx = mission.get_landing_sequence_start();
+    if (land_idx != 0) {
+        
+        set_mode(AUTO);
+
+        if (mission.set_current_cmd(land_idx)) {
+            //if the mission has ended it has to be restarted
+            if (mission.state() == AP_Mission::MISSION_STOPPED) {
+                mission.resume();
+            }
+
+            gcs_send_text_P(SEVERITY_LOW, PSTR("Landing sequence begun."));
+            return true;
+        }            
+    }
+
+    gcs_send_text_P(SEVERITY_HIGH, PSTR("Unable to start landing sequence."));
+    return false;
+}