diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/ekf_helper.cpp b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/ekf_helper.cpp
index ed254ae0ca..4a0dc6aa1f 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/ekf_helper.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/ekf_helper.cpp
@@ -760,9 +760,7 @@ void Ekf::get_ekf_soln_status(uint16_t *status) const
 	soln_status.flags.pos_horiz_rel = (_control_status.flags.gps || _control_status.flags.ev_pos || _control_status.flags.opt_flow) && (_fault_status.value == 0);
 	soln_status.flags.pos_horiz_abs = (_control_status.flags.gps || _control_status.flags.ev_pos) && (_fault_status.value == 0);
 	soln_status.flags.pos_vert_abs = soln_status.flags.velocity_vert;
-#if defined(CONFIG_EKF2_RANGE_FINDER)
 	soln_status.flags.pos_vert_agl = isTerrainEstimateValid();
-#endif // CONFIG_EKF2_RANGE_FINDER
 	soln_status.flags.const_pos_mode = !soln_status.flags.velocity_horiz;
 	soln_status.flags.pred_pos_horiz_rel = soln_status.flags.pos_horiz_rel;
 	soln_status.flags.pred_pos_horiz_abs = soln_status.flags.pos_horiz_abs;
@@ -1026,15 +1024,12 @@ void Ekf::initialiseQuatCovariances(Vector3f &rot_vec_var)
 void Ekf::updateGroundEffect()
 {
 	if (_control_status.flags.in_air && !_control_status.flags.fixed_wing) {
-#if defined(CONFIG_EKF2_RANGE_FINDER)
 		if (isTerrainEstimateValid()) {
 			// automatically set ground effect if terrain is valid
 			float height = _terrain_vpos - _state.pos(2);
 			_control_status.flags.gnd_effect = (height < _params.gnd_effect_max_hgt);
 
-		} else
-#endif // CONFIG_EKF2_RANGE_FINDER
-		if (_control_status.flags.gnd_effect) {
+		} else if (_control_status.flags.gnd_effect) {
 			// Turn off ground effect compensation if it times out
 			if (isTimedOut(_time_last_gnd_effect_on, GNDEFFECT_TIMEOUT)) {
 				_control_status.flags.gnd_effect = false;
diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/terrain_estimator.cpp b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/terrain_estimator.cpp
index a44e6cf3a3..657b989f48 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/terrain_estimator.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/terrain_estimator.cpp
@@ -415,10 +415,12 @@ void Ekf::controlHaglFakeFusion()
 
 bool Ekf::isTerrainEstimateValid() const
 {
+#if defined(CONFIG_EKF2_RANGE_FINDER)
 	// we have been fusing range finder measurements in the last 5 seconds
 	if (_hagl_sensor_status.flags.range_finder && isRecent(_time_last_hagl_fuse, (uint64_t)5e6)) {
 		return true;
 	}
+#endif // CONFIG_EKF2_RANGE_FINDER
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_EKF2_OPTICAL_FLOW)
 	// we have been fusing optical flow measurements for terrain estimation within the last 5 seconds
diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.cpp b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.cpp
index edd5fe06c6..932b3fc82b 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF2.cpp
@@ -1462,13 +1462,10 @@ void EKF2::PublishLocalPosition(const hrt_abstime &timestamp)
 	lpos.delta_heading = Eulerf(delta_q_reset).psi();
 	lpos.heading_good_for_control = _ekf.isYawFinalAlignComplete();
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_EKF2_RANGE_FINDER)
-	// Distance to bottom surface (ground) in meters
-	// constrain the distance to ground to _rng_gnd_clearance
-	lpos.dist_bottom = math::max(_ekf.getTerrainVertPos() - lpos.z, _param_ekf2_min_rng.get());
+	// Distance to bottom surface (ground) in meters, must be positive
+	lpos.dist_bottom = math::max(_ekf.getTerrainVertPos() - lpos.z, 0.f);
 	lpos.dist_bottom_valid = _ekf.isTerrainEstimateValid();
 	lpos.dist_bottom_sensor_bitfield = _ekf.getTerrainEstimateSensorBitfield();
-#endif // CONFIG_EKF2_RANGE_FINDER
 
 	_ekf.get_ekf_lpos_accuracy(&lpos.eph, &lpos.epv);
 	_ekf.get_ekf_vel_accuracy(&lpos.evh, &lpos.evv);