diff --git a/src/modules/rover_pos_control/RoverPositionControl.cpp b/src/modules/rover_pos_control/RoverPositionControl.cpp
index fb808604dc..a016bf69b5 100644
--- a/src/modules/rover_pos_control/RoverPositionControl.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/rover_pos_control/RoverPositionControl.cpp
@@ -462,12 +462,7 @@ RoverPositionControl::run()
 
 					pos_ctrl_status.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
 
-					if (_pos_ctrl_status_pub != nullptr) {
-						orb_publish(ORB_ID(position_controller_status), _pos_ctrl_status_pub, &pos_ctrl_status);
-
-					} else {
-						_pos_ctrl_status_pub = orb_advertise(ORB_ID(position_controller_status), &pos_ctrl_status);
-					}
+					_pos_ctrl_status_pub.publish(pos_ctrl_status);
 
 				}
 
@@ -518,13 +513,12 @@ RoverPositionControl::run()
 			//orb_copy(ORB_ID(vehicle_attitude), _vehicle_attitude_sub, &_vehicle_att);
 			_act_controls.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
 
-			if (_actuator_controls_pub != nullptr) {
-				//PX4_INFO("Publishing actuator from pos control");
-				orb_publish(ORB_ID(actuator_controls_0), _actuator_controls_pub, &_act_controls);
-
-			} else {
-
-				_actuator_controls_pub = orb_advertise(ORB_ID(actuator_controls_0), &_act_controls);
+			/* Only publish if any of the proper modes are enabled */
+			if (_control_mode.flag_control_velocity_enabled ||
+			    _control_mode.flag_control_attitude_enabled ||
+			    manual_mode) {
+				/* publish the actuator controls */
+				_actuator_controls_pub.publish(_act_controls);
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/modules/rover_pos_control/RoverPositionControl.hpp b/src/modules/rover_pos_control/RoverPositionControl.hpp
index 8543089844..7b5b1de2a6 100644
--- a/src/modules/rover_pos_control/RoverPositionControl.hpp
+++ b/src/modules/rover_pos_control/RoverPositionControl.hpp
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include <px4_platform_common/module.h>
 #include <px4_platform_common/module_params.h>
 #include <uORB/Subscription.hpp>
+#include <uORB/Publication.hpp>
 #include <uORB/topics/manual_control_setpoint.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/parameter_update.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/position_controller_status.h>
@@ -98,29 +99,29 @@ public:
 	void run() override;
 
 private:
-	orb_advert_t	_pos_ctrl_status_pub{nullptr};		/**< navigation capabilities publication */
-	orb_advert_t    _actuator_controls_pub{nullptr};	/**< actuator controls publication */
+	uORB::Publication<position_controller_status_s>	_pos_ctrl_status_pub{ORB_ID(position_controller_status)};
+	uORB::Publication<actuator_controls_s>		_actuator_controls_pub{ORB_ID(actuator_controls_0)};
 
-	int		_control_mode_sub{-1};		/**< control mode subscription */
+	int		_control_mode_sub{-1};			/**< control mode subscription */
 	int		_global_pos_sub{-1};
 	int		_local_pos_sub{-1};
 	int		_manual_control_sub{-1};		/**< notification of manual control updates */
 	int		_pos_sp_triplet_sub{-1};
-	int 		_att_sp_sub{-1};
-	int     _vehicle_attitude_sub{-1};
+	int		_att_sp_sub{-1};
+	int		_vehicle_attitude_sub{-1};
 	int		_sensor_combined_sub{-1};
 
 	uORB::Subscription	_parameter_update_sub{ORB_ID(parameter_update)};
 
-	manual_control_setpoint_s		_manual{};			    /**< r/c channel data */
+	manual_control_setpoint_s		_manual{};			/**< r/c channel data */
 	position_setpoint_triplet_s		_pos_sp_triplet{};		/**< triplet of mission items */
 	vehicle_attitude_setpoint_s		_att_sp{};			/**< attitude setpoint > */
 	vehicle_control_mode_s			_control_mode{};		/**< control mode */
 	vehicle_global_position_s		_global_pos{};			/**< global vehicle position */
 	vehicle_local_position_s		_local_pos{};			/**< global vehicle position */
-	actuator_controls_s			    _act_controls{};		/**< direct control of actuators */
-	vehicle_attitude_s              _vehicle_att{};
-	sensor_combined_s				_sensor_combined{};
+	actuator_controls_s			_act_controls{};		/**< direct control of actuators */
+	vehicle_attitude_s			_vehicle_att{};
+	sensor_combined_s			_sensor_combined{};
 
 	SubscriptionData<vehicle_acceleration_s>		_vehicle_acceleration_sub{ORB_ID(vehicle_acceleration)};