diff --git a/msg/NavigatorMissionItem.msg b/msg/NavigatorMissionItem.msg
index 64af762f75..a10aa4656d 100644
--- a/msg/NavigatorMissionItem.msg
+++ b/msg/NavigatorMissionItem.msg
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 uint64 timestamp                 # time since system start (microseconds)
 
-uint32 instance_count            # Instance count of this mission. Increments monotonically whenever the mission is modified
-
 uint16 sequence_current          # Sequence of the current mission item
 
 uint16 nav_cmd
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/mission_base.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/mission_base.cpp
index 0a9a76bd2b..d41456ccce 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/mission_base.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/mission_base.cpp
@@ -870,7 +870,6 @@ void MissionBase::publish_navigator_mission_item()
 {
 	navigator_mission_item_s navigator_mission_item{};
 
-	navigator_mission_item.instance_count = _navigator->mission_instance_count();
 	navigator_mission_item.sequence_current = _mission.current_seq;
 	navigator_mission_item.nav_cmd = _mission_item.nav_cmd;
 	navigator_mission_item.latitude = _mission_item.lat;
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/navigator.h b/src/modules/navigator/navigator.h
index 93f630dbf5..45c4f158b7 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/navigator.h
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/navigator.h
@@ -249,8 +249,6 @@ public:
 
 	orb_advert_t *get_mavlink_log_pub() { return &_mavlink_log_pub; }
 
-	int mission_instance_count() const { return _mission_result.mission_id; }
-
 	void set_mission_failure_heading_timeout();
 
 	bool get_mission_start_land_available() { return _mission.get_land_start_available(); }