diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp
index c7170ec490..15319a3af4 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp
@@ -59,14 +59,7 @@ using matrix::wrap_pi;
 MissionBlock::MissionBlock(Navigator *navigator) :
 	NavigatorMode(navigator)
 {
-	_mission_item.lat = (double)NAN;
-	_mission_item.lon = (double)NAN;
-	_mission_item.yaw = NAN;
-	_mission_item.loiter_radius = _navigator->get_loiter_radius();
-	_mission_item.acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
-	_mission_item.time_inside = 0.0f;
-	_mission_item.autocontinue = true;
-	_mission_item.origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
+
 }
 
 bool
@@ -932,3 +925,16 @@ MissionBlock::get_absolute_altitude_for_item(const mission_item_s &mission_item)
 		return mission_item.altitude;
 	}
 }
+
+void
+MissionBlock::initialize()
+{
+	_mission_item.lat = (double)NAN;
+	_mission_item.lon = (double)NAN;
+	_mission_item.yaw = NAN;
+	_mission_item.loiter_radius = _navigator->get_loiter_radius();
+	_mission_item.acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
+	_mission_item.time_inside = 0.0f;
+	_mission_item.autocontinue = true;
+	_mission_item.origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
+}
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.h b/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.h
index 544b5abc81..c2c05eb17d 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.h
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.h
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ public:
 	MissionBlock(const MissionBlock &) = delete;
 	MissionBlock &operator=(const MissionBlock &) = delete;
 
+	void initialize() override;
+
 	/**
 	 * Check if the mission item contains a navigation position
 	 *
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/navigator_main.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/navigator_main.cpp
index 775428a740..8bba5d4131 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/navigator_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/navigator_main.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,13 @@ Navigator::Navigator() :
 	_navigation_mode_array[5] = &_precland;
 	_navigation_mode_array[6] = &_vtol_takeoff;
 
+	/* iterate through navigation modes and initialize _mission_item for each */
+	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < NAVIGATOR_MODE_ARRAY_SIZE; i++) {
+		if (_navigation_mode_array[i]) {
+			_navigation_mode_array[i]->initialize();
+		}
+	}
+
 	_handle_back_trans_dec_mss = param_find("VT_B_DEC_MSS");
 	_handle_reverse_delay = param_find("VT_B_REV_DEL");
 
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/navigator_mode.h b/src/modules/navigator/navigator_mode.h
index a3a48a920a..3aa6f255f6 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/navigator_mode.h
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/navigator_mode.h
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ public:
 	NavigatorMode(Navigator *navigator);
 	virtual ~NavigatorMode() = default;
 	NavigatorMode(const NavigatorMode &) = delete;
-	NavigatorMode operator=(const NavigatorMode &) = delete;
+	NavigatorMode &operator=(const NavigatorMode &) = delete;
+	virtual void initialize() = 0;
 
 	void run(bool active);