diff --git a/src/modules/baro_thrust_estimator/baro_thrust_cf_rls.cpp b/src/modules/baro_thrust_estimator/baro_thrust_cf_rls.cpp
index a0d652b7f1..c9e23339a1 100644
--- a/src/modules/baro_thrust_estimator/baro_thrust_cf_rls.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/baro_thrust_estimator/baro_thrust_cf_rls.cpp
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ void BaroThrustCfRls::reset()
 	_converged_locked = false;
 	_converged_elapsed_s = 0.f;
 	_k_stable_elapsed_s = 0.f;
+	_excitation_elapsed_s = 0.f;
 	_k_est_smoothed.reset(0.f);
 	_thrust_mean.reset(0.f);
 	_thrust_var.reset(0.f);
@@ -120,7 +121,14 @@ void BaroThrustCfRls::checkConvergence(float elapsed_since_start_s, float dt)
 	}
 
 	const bool variance_ok = _rls.P[0][0] < CONVERGENCE_VAR_THR;
-	const bool excitation_ok = fmaxf(_thrust_var.getState(), 0.f) > (MIN_THRUST_EXCITATION * MIN_THRUST_EXCITATION);
+
+	// Accumulate time with sufficient thrust excitation. RLS doesn't need
+	// continuous excitation — intermittent bursts are enough to identify K.
+	if (fmaxf(_thrust_var.getState(), 0.f) > (MIN_THRUST_EXCITATION * MIN_THRUST_EXCITATION)) {
+		_excitation_elapsed_s += dt;
+	}
+
+	const bool excitation_ok = _excitation_elapsed_s > MIN_EXCITATION_TIME_S;
 
 	// Dual-path error check: absolute threshold works for refinement flights
 	// (PCOEF already set), relative threshold allows first calibration where
diff --git a/src/modules/baro_thrust_estimator/baro_thrust_cf_rls.hpp b/src/modules/baro_thrust_estimator/baro_thrust_cf_rls.hpp
index ed4447bf7b..208bc4761a 100644
--- a/src/modules/baro_thrust_estimator/baro_thrust_cf_rls.hpp
+++ b/src/modules/baro_thrust_estimator/baro_thrust_cf_rls.hpp
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ public:
 	static constexpr float CONVERGENCE_ERR_REL_THR = 0.4f;  ///< max error/total variance ratio (model explains >60%)
 	static constexpr float CONVERGENCE_ERR_MAX_THR = 4.0f;   ///< absolute error cap for relative path [m^2]
 	static constexpr float MIN_THRUST_EXCITATION = 0.05f;    ///< min thrust std dev to trust the estimate
+	static constexpr float MIN_EXCITATION_TIME_S = 5.f;      ///< cumulative seconds above excitation threshold
 	static constexpr float MIN_ESTIMATION_TIME_S = 30.f;     ///< min flight time before convergence allowed
 	static constexpr float K_STABILITY_TIME_S = 10.f;        ///< K must be stable within threshold for this long
 	static constexpr float CONVERGENCE_HOLD_TIME_S = 10.f;   ///< must stay converged this long before locking
@@ -166,6 +167,8 @@ private:
 	bool _converged_locked{false};         ///< converged and held long enough — ready to save
 	float _converged_elapsed_s{0.f};       ///< accumulated hold time while converged
 
+	float _excitation_elapsed_s{0.f};      ///< cumulative time with sufficient thrust excitation
+
 	// Thrust excitation tracking (need variation in thrust to observe K)
 	AlphaFilter<float> _thrust_mean{};     ///< low-pass mean thrust
 	AlphaFilter<float> _thrust_var{};      ///< low-pass thrust variance