diff --git a/src/lib/l1/ECL_L1_Pos_Controller.cpp b/src/lib/l1/ECL_L1_Pos_Controller.cpp
index fe3bf308a9..e46c7bac62 100644
--- a/src/lib/l1/ECL_L1_Pos_Controller.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/l1/ECL_L1_Pos_Controller.cpp
@@ -264,8 +264,8 @@ ECL_L1_Pos_Controller::navigate_loiter(const Vector2f &vector_A, const Vector2f
 	/* calculate velocity on circle / along tangent */
 	float tangent_vel = xtrack_vel_center * loiter_direction;
 
-	/* prevent PD output from turning the wrong way */
-	if (tangent_vel < 0.0f) {
+	/* prevent PD output from turning the wrong way when in circle mode */
+	if (tangent_vel < 0.0f && _circle_mode) {
 		lateral_accel_sp_circle_pd = math::max(lateral_accel_sp_circle_pd, 0.0f);
 	}