diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.cpp b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.cpp
index 39be5a7e8d..8859b7f767 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.cpp
@@ -1707,44 +1707,47 @@ void EKF2::UpdateMagSample(ekf2_timestamps_s &ekf2_timestamps)
 
 void EKF2::UpdateRangeSample(ekf2_timestamps_s &ekf2_timestamps)
 {
-	if (!_distance_sensor_selected) {
+	distance_sensor_s distance_sensor;
+
+	if (_distance_sensor_selected < 0) {
 
 		if (_distance_sensor_subs.advertised()) {
 			for (unsigned i = 0; i < _distance_sensor_subs.size(); i++) {
-				distance_sensor_s distance_sensor;
 
 				if (_distance_sensor_subs[i].update(&distance_sensor)) {
 					// only use the first instace which has the correct orientation
 					if ((hrt_elapsed_time(&distance_sensor.timestamp) < 100_ms)
 					    && (distance_sensor.orientation == distance_sensor_s::ROTATION_DOWNWARD_FACING)) {
-						if (_distance_sensor_sub.ChangeInstance(i)) {
-							int ndist = orb_group_count(ORB_ID(distance_sensor));
 
-							if (ndist > 1) {
-								PX4_INFO("%d - selected distance_sensor:%d (%d advertised)", _instance, i, ndist);
-							}
+						int ndist = orb_group_count(ORB_ID(distance_sensor));
 
-							_distance_sensor_selected = true;
-							break;
+						if (ndist > 1) {
+							PX4_INFO("%d - selected distance_sensor:%d (%d advertised)", _instance, i, ndist);
 						}
+
+						_distance_sensor_selected = i;
+						_last_range_sensor_update = distance_sensor.timestamp;
+						_distance_sensor_last_generation = _distance_sensor_subs[_distance_sensor_selected].get_last_generation() - 1;
+						break;
 					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	// EKF range sample
-	const unsigned last_generation = _distance_sensor_sub.get_last_generation();
-	distance_sensor_s distance_sensor;
+	if (_distance_sensor_selected >= 0 && _distance_sensor_subs[_distance_sensor_selected].update(&distance_sensor)) {
+		// EKF range sample
 
-	if (_distance_sensor_sub.update(&distance_sensor)) {
 		if (_msg_missed_distance_sensor_perf == nullptr) {
 			_msg_missed_distance_sensor_perf = perf_alloc(PC_COUNT, MODULE_NAME": distance_sensor messages missed");
 
-		} else if (_distance_sensor_sub.get_last_generation() != last_generation + 1) {
+		} else if (_distance_sensor_subs[_distance_sensor_selected].get_last_generation() != _distance_sensor_last_generation +
+			   1) {
 			perf_count(_msg_missed_distance_sensor_perf);
 		}
 
+		_distance_sensor_last_generation = _distance_sensor_subs[_distance_sensor_selected].get_last_generation();
+
 		if (distance_sensor.orientation == distance_sensor_s::ROTATION_DOWNWARD_FACING) {
 			rangeSample range_sample {
 				.time_us = distance_sensor.timestamp,
@@ -1765,7 +1768,7 @@ void EKF2::UpdateRangeSample(ekf2_timestamps_s &ekf2_timestamps)
 	}
 
 	if (hrt_elapsed_time(&_last_range_sensor_update) > 1_s) {
-		_distance_sensor_selected = false;
+		_distance_sensor_selected = -1;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.hpp b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.hpp
index 14f144127f..47ea4f7254 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.hpp
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.hpp
@@ -249,7 +249,6 @@ private:
 
 	uORB::Subscription _airdata_sub{ORB_ID(vehicle_air_data)};
 	uORB::Subscription _airspeed_sub{ORB_ID(airspeed)};
-	uORB::Subscription _distance_sensor_sub{ORB_ID(distance_sensor)};
 	uORB::Subscription _ev_odom_sub{ORB_ID(vehicle_visual_odometry)};
 	uORB::Subscription _landing_target_pose_sub{ORB_ID(landing_target_pose)};
 	uORB::Subscription _magnetometer_sub{ORB_ID(vehicle_magnetometer)};
@@ -265,10 +264,11 @@ private:
 	uORB::SubscriptionCallbackWorkItem _vehicle_imu_sub{this, ORB_ID(vehicle_imu)};
 
 	uORB::SubscriptionMultiArray<distance_sensor_s> _distance_sensor_subs{ORB_ID::distance_sensor};
+	int _distance_sensor_selected{-1}; // because we can have several distance sensor instances with different orientations
+	unsigned _distance_sensor_last_generation{0};
 
 	bool _callback_registered{false};
 
-	bool _distance_sensor_selected{false}; // because we can have several distance sensor instances with different orientations
 	bool _armed{false};
 	bool _standby{false}; // standby arming state