diff --git a/EKF/control.cpp b/EKF/control.cpp
index 1f598c6bf4..1b7926120b 100644
--- a/EKF/control.cpp
+++ b/EKF/control.cpp
@@ -601,6 +601,9 @@ void Ekf::controlGpsFusion()
 
 			if (!_control_status.flags.in_air) {
 				_time_last_on_ground_us = _time_last_imu;
+
+			} else {
+				_time_last_in_air = _time_last_imu;
 			}
 
 			const bool recent_takeoff_nav_failure = _control_status.flags.in_air &&
diff --git a/EKF/ekf.h b/EKF/ekf.h
index a8122ccebf..55b9de04b1 100644
--- a/EKF/ekf.h
+++ b/EKF/ekf.h
@@ -959,7 +959,8 @@ private:
 	EKFGSF_yaw _yawEstimator;
 
 	int64_t _ekfgsf_yaw_reset_time{0};	///< timestamp of last emergency yaw reset (uSec)
-	uint64_t _time_last_on_ground_us{0};	///< last tine we were on the ground (uSec)
+	uint64_t _time_last_on_ground_us{0};	///< last time we were on the ground (uSec)
+	uint64_t _time_last_in_air{0};		///< last time we were in air (uSec)
 	bool _do_ekfgsf_yaw_reset{false};	// true when an emergency yaw reset has been requested
 	uint8_t _ekfgsf_yaw_reset_count{0};	// number of times the yaw has been reset to the EKF-GSF estimate
 
diff --git a/EKF/mag_fusion.cpp b/EKF/mag_fusion.cpp
index add82b9dd5..2b5d73d1d5 100644
--- a/EKF/mag_fusion.cpp
+++ b/EKF/mag_fusion.cpp
@@ -646,13 +646,15 @@ void Ekf::updateQuaternion(const float innovation, const float variance, const f
 		// if we are in air we don't want to fuse the measurement
 		// we allow to use it when on the ground because the large innovation could be caused
 		// by interference or a large initial gyro bias
-		if (_control_status.flags.in_air) {
-			return;
-
-		} else {
+		if (!_control_status.flags.in_air && isTimedOut(_time_last_in_air, (uint64_t)5e6)) {
 			// constrain the innovation to the maximum set by the gate
+			// we need to delay this forced fusion to avoid starting it
+			// immediately after touchdown, when the drone is still armed
 			float gate_limit = sqrtf((sq(gate_sigma) * _heading_innov_var));
 			_heading_innov = math::constrain(innovation, -gate_limit, gate_limit);
+
+		} else {
+			return;
 		}
 
 	} else {