diff --git a/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp b/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
index a7e58d8b9d..97c8fd5788 100644
--- a/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
@@ -785,6 +785,7 @@ PX4IO::init()
 		/* send command to arm system via command API */
 		vcmd.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
 		vcmd.param1 = 1.0f; /* request arming */
+		vcmd.param3 = 1234.f; /* mark the command coming from IO (for in-air restoring) */
 		vcmd.command = vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_COMPONENT_ARM_DISARM;
 
 		/* send command once */
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp b/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp
index 75e6162dd6..3116cbb063 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/Commander.cpp
@@ -691,8 +691,11 @@ Commander::handle_command(vehicle_status_s *status_local, const vehicle_command_
 						break;
 					}
 
-					// Flick to inair restore first if this comes from an onboard system
-					if (cmd.source_system == status_local->system_id && cmd.source_component == status_local->component_id) {
+					const bool cmd_from_io = (static_cast<int>(roundf(cmd.param3)) == 1234);
+
+					// Flick to inair restore first if this comes from an onboard system and from IO
+					if (cmd.source_system == status_local->system_id && cmd.source_component == status_local->component_id
+					    && cmd_from_io && cmd_arms) {
 						status.arming_state = vehicle_status_s::ARMING_STATE_IN_AIR_RESTORE;
 
 					} else {