diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
index 32b27a4dda..ae76c260ec 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
@@ -909,22 +909,24 @@ MavlinkReceiver::handle_message_set_position_target_local_ned(mavlink_message_t
 					pos_sp_triplet.next.valid = false;
 					pos_sp_triplet.current.valid = true;
 
-					if (is_takeoff_sp) {
+					/* Order of statements matters. Takeoff can override loiter.
+					 * See https://github.com/mavlink/mavlink/pull/670 for a broader conversation. */
+					if (is_loiter_sp) {
+						pos_sp_triplet.current.type = position_setpoint_s::SETPOINT_TYPE_LOITER;
+
+					} else if (is_takeoff_sp) {
 						pos_sp_triplet.current.type = position_setpoint_s::SETPOINT_TYPE_TAKEOFF;
 
 					} else if (is_land_sp) {
 						pos_sp_triplet.current.type = position_setpoint_s::SETPOINT_TYPE_LAND;
 
-					} else if (is_loiter_sp) {
-						pos_sp_triplet.current.type = position_setpoint_s::SETPOINT_TYPE_LOITER;
-
 					} else if (is_idle_sp) {
 						pos_sp_triplet.current.type = position_setpoint_s::SETPOINT_TYPE_IDLE;
 
 					} else {
 						pos_sp_triplet.current.type = position_setpoint_s::SETPOINT_TYPE_POSITION;
 					}
-
+                    
 					/* set the local pos values */
 					if (!offboard_control_mode.ignore_position) {
 						pos_sp_triplet.current.position_valid = true;