diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/common.h b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/common.h
index 8f5cfead8d..b107c43d1e 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/common.h
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/common.h
@@ -368,7 +368,8 @@ struct parameters {
 	float mcoef{0.1f};			///< rotor momentum drag coefficient for the X and Y axes (1/s)
 
 	// control of accel error detection and mitigation (IMU clipping)
-	const float vert_innov_test_lim{3.0f};	///< Number of standard deviations allowed before the combined vertical velocity and position test is declared as failed
+	const float vert_innov_test_lim{3.0f};	///< Number of standard deviations of vertical vel/pos innovations allowed before triggering a vertical acceleration failure
+	const float vert_innov_test_min{1.0f};	///< Minimum number of standard deviations of vertical vel/pos innovations required to trigger a vertical acceleration failure
 	const int bad_acc_reset_delay_us{500000};	///< Continuous time that the vertical position and velocity innovation test must fail before the states are reset (uSec)
 
 	// auxiliary velocity fusion
diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/control.cpp b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/control.cpp
index dff7f37d07..72f3b9d1b8 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/control.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/control.cpp
@@ -785,8 +785,8 @@ void Ekf::checkVerticalAccelerationHealth()
 			const bool using_gps_for_both = _control_status.flags.gps_hgt && _control_status.flags.gps;
 			const bool using_ev_for_both = _control_status.flags.ev_hgt && _control_status.flags.ev_vel;
 			are_vertical_pos_and_vel_independant = !(using_gps_for_both || using_ev_for_both);
-			is_inertial_nav_falling |= _vert_vel_innov_ratio > _params.vert_innov_test_lim && _vert_pos_innov_ratio > 0.0f;
-			is_inertial_nav_falling |= _vert_pos_innov_ratio > _params.vert_innov_test_lim && _vert_vel_innov_ratio > 0.0f;
+			is_inertial_nav_falling |= _vert_vel_innov_ratio > _params.vert_innov_test_lim && _vert_pos_innov_ratio > _params.vert_innov_test_min;
+			is_inertial_nav_falling |= _vert_pos_innov_ratio > _params.vert_innov_test_lim && _vert_vel_innov_ratio > _params.vert_innov_test_min;
 
 		} else {
 			// only height sensing available