diff --git a/src/modules/control_allocator/VehicleActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessStandardVTOL.cpp b/src/modules/control_allocator/VehicleActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessStandardVTOL.cpp
index 0b7d3934c1..41a1e0e291 100644
--- a/src/modules/control_allocator/VehicleActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessStandardVTOL.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/control_allocator/VehicleActuatorEffectiveness/ActuatorEffectivenessStandardVTOL.cpp
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ void ActuatorEffectivenessStandardVTOL::setFlightPhase(const FlightPhase &flight
 	// update stopped motors
 	switch (flight_phase) {
 	case FlightPhase::FORWARD_FLIGHT:
-		_stopped_motors_mask |= _upwards_motors_mask;
+		// _stopped_motors_mask |= _upwards_motors_mask;
+		_stopped_motors_mask = 0;
 		break;
 
 	case FlightPhase::HOVER_FLIGHT:
diff --git a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/standard.cpp b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/standard.cpp
index eac79a88b1..ace1676f84 100644
--- a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/standard.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/standard.cpp
@@ -361,7 +361,17 @@ void Standard::fill_actuator_outputs()
 		_torque_setpoint_1->xyz[2] = _vehicle_torque_setpoint_virtual_fw->xyz[2];
 		_thrust_setpoint_0->xyz[0] = _vehicle_thrust_setpoint_virtual_fw->xyz[0];
 
+		// simulate toggling some param on and off just to test
+		const int period_sec = 10;
+		const int on_sec = 5;
 
+		if ((now / 1_s) % period_sec < on_sec) {
+			_thrust_setpoint_0->xyz[2] = -0.1;
+		}
+
+		// TODO bypass the off motors mask or whatever in the allocator
+		// OR do it straight from the allocator?
+		// ActuatorEffectivenessStandardVTOL::setFlightPhase
 
 		break;
 	}