diff --git a/EKF/airspeed_fusion.cpp b/EKF/airspeed_fusion.cpp
index 49d9582f27..867b3934d8 100644
--- a/EKF/airspeed_fusion.cpp
+++ b/EKF/airspeed_fusion.cpp
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ void Ekf::fuseAirspeed()
 			P = P - KHP;
 
 			// correct the covariance matrix for gross errors
-			fixCovarianceErrors();
+			fixCovarianceErrors(true);
 
 			// apply the state corrections
 			fuse(Kfusion, _airspeed_innov);
diff --git a/EKF/covariance.cpp b/EKF/covariance.cpp
index 8454caccb1..8645991b04 100644
--- a/EKF/covariance.cpp
+++ b/EKF/covariance.cpp
@@ -706,11 +706,11 @@ void Ekf::predictCovariance()
 
 	// fix gross errors in the covariance matrix and ensure rows and
 	// columns for un-used states are zero
-	fixCovarianceErrors();
+	fixCovarianceErrors(false);
 
 }
 
-void Ekf::fixCovarianceErrors()
+void Ekf::fixCovarianceErrors(bool force_symmetry)
 {
 	// NOTE: This limiting is a last resort and should not be relied on
 	// TODO: Split covariance prediction into separate F*P*transpose(F) and Q contributions
@@ -748,7 +748,9 @@ void Ekf::fixCovarianceErrors()
 	}
 
 	// force symmetry on the quaternion, velocity and position state covariances
-	P.makeRowColSymmetric<13>(0);
+	if (force_symmetry) {
+		P.makeRowColSymmetric<13>(0);
+	}
 
 	// the following states are optional and are deactivated when not required
 	// by ensuring the corresponding covariance matrix values are kept at zero
@@ -821,7 +823,7 @@ void Ekf::fixCovarianceErrors()
 			_fault_status.flags.bad_acc_bias = false;
 			ECL_WARN_TIMESTAMPED("invalid accel bias - resetting covariance");
 
-		} else {
+		} else if (force_symmetry) {
 			// ensure the covariance values are symmetrical
 			P.makeRowColSymmetric<3>(13);
 		}
@@ -843,8 +845,10 @@ void Ekf::fixCovarianceErrors()
 		}
 
 		// force symmetry
-		P.makeRowColSymmetric<3>(16);
-		P.makeRowColSymmetric<3>(19);
+		if (force_symmetry) {
+			P.makeRowColSymmetric<3>(16);
+			P.makeRowColSymmetric<3>(19);
+		}
 
 	}
 
@@ -859,7 +863,9 @@ void Ekf::fixCovarianceErrors()
 		}
 
 		// force symmetry
-		P.makeRowColSymmetric<2>(22);
+		if (force_symmetry) {
+			P.makeRowColSymmetric<2>(22);
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/EKF/drag_fusion.cpp b/EKF/drag_fusion.cpp
index 6e5b44d27b..362919e4fa 100644
--- a/EKF/drag_fusion.cpp
+++ b/EKF/drag_fusion.cpp
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ void Ekf::fuseDrag()
 				}
 
 				// correct the covariance matrix for gross errors
-				fixCovarianceErrors();
+				fixCovarianceErrors(true);
 
 				// apply the state corrections
 				fuse(Kfusion, _drag_innov[axis_index]);
diff --git a/EKF/ekf.h b/EKF/ekf.h
index c86c36e52c..40e12d099e 100644
--- a/EKF/ekf.h
+++ b/EKF/ekf.h
@@ -634,7 +634,8 @@ private:
 	void resetExtVisRotMat();
 
 	// limit the diagonal of the covariance matrix
-	void fixCovarianceErrors();
+	// force symmetry when the argument is true
+	void fixCovarianceErrors(bool force_symmetry);
 
 	// constrain the ekf states
 	void constrainStates();
diff --git a/EKF/gps_yaw_fusion.cpp b/EKF/gps_yaw_fusion.cpp
index 2300e86650..68d1b18337 100644
--- a/EKF/gps_yaw_fusion.cpp
+++ b/EKF/gps_yaw_fusion.cpp
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ void Ekf::fuseGpsAntYaw()
 		}
 
 		// correct the covariance matrix for gross errors
-		fixCovarianceErrors();
+		fixCovarianceErrors(true);
 
 		// apply the state corrections
 		fuse(Kfusion, _heading_innov);
diff --git a/EKF/mag_fusion.cpp b/EKF/mag_fusion.cpp
index 88414a14a8..463ff61ba8 100644
--- a/EKF/mag_fusion.cpp
+++ b/EKF/mag_fusion.cpp
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ void Ekf::fuseMag()
 			}
 
 			// correct the covariance matrix for gross errors
-			fixCovarianceErrors();
+			fixCovarianceErrors(true);
 
 			// apply the state corrections
 			fuse(Kfusion, _mag_innov[index]);
@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ void Ekf::fuseHeading()
 		}
 
 		// correct the covariance matrix for gross errors
-		fixCovarianceErrors();
+		fixCovarianceErrors(true);
 
 		// apply the state corrections
 		fuse(Kfusion, _heading_innov);
@@ -939,7 +939,7 @@ void Ekf::fuseDeclination(float decl_sigma)
 		}
 
 		// correct the covariance matrix for gross errors
-		fixCovarianceErrors();
+		fixCovarianceErrors(true);
 
 		// apply the state corrections
 		fuse(Kfusion, innovation);
diff --git a/EKF/optflow_fusion.cpp b/EKF/optflow_fusion.cpp
index 59eecf5770..a91d17ba3f 100644
--- a/EKF/optflow_fusion.cpp
+++ b/EKF/optflow_fusion.cpp
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ void Ekf::fuseOptFlow()
 			}
 
 			// correct the covariance matrix for gross errors
-			fixCovarianceErrors();
+			fixCovarianceErrors(true);
 
 			// apply the state corrections
 			fuse(gain, _flow_innov[obs_index]);
diff --git a/EKF/sideslip_fusion.cpp b/EKF/sideslip_fusion.cpp
index 3a780adb09..a67ca17856 100644
--- a/EKF/sideslip_fusion.cpp
+++ b/EKF/sideslip_fusion.cpp
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ void Ekf::fuseSideslip()
 			}
 
 			// correct the covariance matrix for gross errors
-			fixCovarianceErrors();
+			fixCovarianceErrors(true);
 
 			// apply the state corrections
 			fuse(Kfusion, _beta_innov);
diff --git a/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp b/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp
index c78b6bc052..336d0430f4 100644
--- a/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp
+++ b/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ void Ekf::fuseVelPosHeight(const float innov, const float innov_var, const int o
 		}
 
 		// correct the covariance matrix for gross errors
-		fixCovarianceErrors();
+		fixCovarianceErrors(true);
 
 		// apply the state corrections
 		fuse(Kfusion, innov);