diff --git a/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp b/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
index a2c62cf067..38cfce2e9f 100644
--- a/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
@@ -587,6 +587,9 @@ PX4FMU::task_main()
 
 					uint16_t pwm_limited[num_outputs];
 
+					// XXX: hack: always armed
+					_armed = true;
+
 					pwm_limit_calc(_armed, num_outputs, _disarmed_pwm, _min_pwm, _max_pwm, outputs.output, pwm_limited, &_pwm_limit);
 
 					/* output actual limited values */