diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp
index 551d5f30e2..74d9b99f09 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp
@@ -379,6 +379,20 @@ Mavlink::serial_instance_exists(const char *device_name, Mavlink *self)
 	return false;
 }
 
+bool
+Mavlink::component_was_seen(int system_id, int component_id, Mavlink *self)
+{
+	LockGuard lg{mavlink_module_mutex};
+
+	for (Mavlink *inst : mavlink_module_instances) {
+		if (inst && (inst != self) && (inst->_receiver.component_was_seen(system_id, component_id))) {
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
 void
 Mavlink::forward_message(const mavlink_message_t *msg, Mavlink *self)
 {
@@ -399,7 +413,7 @@ Mavlink::forward_message(const mavlink_message_t *msg, Mavlink *self)
 		}
 	}
 
-	// If it's a message only for us, we keep it, otherwise, we forward it.
+	// If it's a message only for us, we keep it
 	if (target_system_id == self->get_system_id() && target_component_id == self->get_component_id()) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -412,8 +426,11 @@ Mavlink::forward_message(const mavlink_message_t *msg, Mavlink *self)
 	LockGuard lg{mavlink_module_mutex};
 
 	for (Mavlink *inst : mavlink_module_instances) {
-		if (inst && (inst != self)) {
-			inst->pass_message(msg);
+		if (inst && (inst != self) && (inst->_forwarding_on)) {
+			// Pass message only if target component was seen before
+			if (inst->_receiver.component_was_seen(target_system_id, target_component_id)) {
+				inst->pass_message(msg);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -1362,13 +1379,11 @@ Mavlink::message_buffer_get_ptr(void **ptr, bool *is_part)
 void
 Mavlink::pass_message(const mavlink_message_t *msg)
 {
-	if (_forwarding_on) {
-		/* size is 8 bytes plus variable payload */
-		int size = MAVLINK_NUM_NON_PAYLOAD_BYTES + msg->len;
-		pthread_mutex_lock(&_message_buffer_mutex);
-		message_buffer_write(msg, size);
-		pthread_mutex_unlock(&_message_buffer_mutex);
-	}
+	/* size is 8 bytes plus variable payload */
+	int size = MAVLINK_NUM_NON_PAYLOAD_BYTES + msg->len;
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&_message_buffer_mutex);
+	message_buffer_write(msg, size);
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&_message_buffer_mutex);
 }
 
 MavlinkShell *
diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.h b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.h
index e6d4e92e15..e22d6b5ce9 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.h
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.h
@@ -162,6 +162,8 @@ public:
 
 	static bool		serial_instance_exists(const char *device_name, Mavlink *self);
 
+	static bool		component_was_seen(int system_id, int component_id, Mavlink *self = nullptr);
+
 	static void		forward_message(const mavlink_message_t *msg, Mavlink *self);
 
 	int			get_uart_fd() const { return _uart_fd; }
diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
index 4261617497..7324530d49 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.cpp
@@ -462,8 +462,9 @@ void MavlinkReceiver::handle_message_command_both(mavlink_message_t *msg, const
 	uint8_t result = vehicle_command_ack_s::VEHICLE_RESULT_ACCEPTED;
 
 	if (!target_ok) {
-		if (!_mavlink->get_forwarding_on()) {
-			// Reject alien commands only if there is no forwarding enabled
+		// Reject alien commands only if there is no forwarding or we've never seen target component before
+		if (!_mavlink->get_forwarding_on()
+		    || !_mavlink->component_was_seen(cmd_mavlink.target_system, cmd_mavlink.target_component, _mavlink)) {
 			acknowledge(msg->sysid, msg->compid, cmd_mavlink.command, vehicle_command_ack_s::VEHICLE_RESULT_FAILED);
 		}
 
@@ -3146,6 +3147,23 @@ MavlinkReceiver::run()
 	}
 }
 
+bool MavlinkReceiver::component_was_seen(int system_id, int component_id)
+{
+	// For system broadcast messages return true if at least one component was seen before
+	if (system_id == 0) {
+		return _component_states_count > 0;
+	}
+
+	for (unsigned i = 0; i < _component_states_count; ++i) {
+		if (_component_states[i].system_id == system_id
+		    && (component_id == 0 || _component_states[i].component_id == component_id)) {
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
 void MavlinkReceiver::update_rx_stats(const mavlink_message_t &message)
 {
 	const bool component_states_has_still_space = [this, &message]() {
@@ -3183,6 +3201,8 @@ void MavlinkReceiver::update_rx_stats(const mavlink_message_t &message)
 				_component_states[i].last_time_received_ms = hrt_absolute_time() / 1000;
 				_component_states[i].last_sequence = message.seq;
 
+				_component_states_count = i + 1;
+
 				// Also update overall stats
 				++_total_received_counter;
 
@@ -3204,7 +3224,7 @@ void MavlinkReceiver::print_detailed_rx_stats() const
 	const uint32_t now_ms = hrt_absolute_time() / 1000;
 
 	// TODO: add mutex around shared data.
-	for (unsigned i = 0; i < MAX_REMOTE_COMPONENTS; ++i) {
+	for (unsigned i = 0; i < _component_states_count; ++i) {
 		if (_component_states[i].received_messages > 0) {
 			printf("\t  received from sysid: %" PRIu8 " compid: %" PRIu8 ": %" PRIu32 ", lost: %" PRIu32 ", last %" PRIu32
 			       " ms ago\n",
diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.h b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.h
index 2f9da22783..9f898e4711 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.h
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_receiver.h
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ public:
 	void start();
 	void stop();
 
+	bool component_was_seen(int system_id, int component_id);
 	void print_detailed_rx_stats() const;
 
 private:
@@ -241,7 +242,7 @@ private:
 
 	orb_advert_t _mavlink_log_pub{nullptr};
 
-	static constexpr int MAX_REMOTE_COMPONENTS{8};
+	static constexpr unsigned MAX_REMOTE_COMPONENTS{8};
 	struct ComponentState {
 		uint32_t last_time_received_ms{0};
 		uint32_t received_messages{0};
@@ -251,6 +252,7 @@ private:
 		uint8_t last_sequence{0};
 	};
 	ComponentState _component_states[MAX_REMOTE_COMPONENTS] {};
+	unsigned _component_states_count{0};
 	bool _warned_component_states_full_once{false};
 
 	uint64_t _total_received_counter{0};                            ///< The total number of successfully received messages