diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_mission.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_mission.cpp
index 89a37d1d1b..4b04d2205c 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_mission.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_mission.cpp
@@ -900,6 +900,11 @@ MavlinkMissionManager::parse_mavlink_mission_item(const mavlink_mission_item_t *
 			mission_item->altitude_is_relative = true;
 		}
 
+		/* this field is shared with pitch_min in memory and
+		 * exclusive in the MAVLink spec. Set it to 0 first
+		 * and then set minimum pitch later only for the
+		 * corresponding item
+		 */
 		mission_item->time_inside = 0.0f;
 
 		switch (mavlink_mission_item->command) {
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/datalinkloss.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/datalinkloss.cpp
index 14cfd66016..5511a15f45 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/datalinkloss.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/datalinkloss.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,6 @@ DataLinkLoss::set_dll_item()
 		_mission_item.nav_cmd = NAV_CMD_LOITER_TIME_LIMIT;
 		_mission_item.acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 		_mission_item.time_inside = _param_commsholdwaittime.get() < 0.0f ? 0.0f : _param_commsholdwaittime.get();
-		_mission_item.pitch_min = 0.0f;
 		_mission_item.autocontinue = true;
 		_mission_item.origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 
@@ -144,7 +143,6 @@ DataLinkLoss::set_dll_item()
 		_mission_item.nav_cmd = NAV_CMD_LOITER_TIME_LIMIT;
 		_mission_item.time_inside = _param_airfieldhomewaittime.get() < 0.0f ? 0.0f : _param_airfieldhomewaittime.get();
 		_mission_item.acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
-		_mission_item.pitch_min = 0.0f;
 		_mission_item.autocontinue = true;
 		_mission_item.origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/enginefailure.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/enginefailure.cpp
index 495ec696b8..6f74149728 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/enginefailure.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/enginefailure.cpp
@@ -115,7 +115,6 @@ EngineFailure::set_ef_item()
 		_mission_item.loiter_radius = _navigator->get_loiter_radius();
 		_mission_item.nav_cmd = NAV_CMD_LOITER_UNLIMITED;
 		_mission_item.acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
-		_mission_item.pitch_min = 0.0f;
 		_mission_item.autocontinue = true;
 		_mission_item.origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp
index 10f2acbb15..7176922ad7 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/mission_block.cpp
@@ -575,7 +575,6 @@ MissionBlock::set_loiter_item(struct mission_item_s *item, float min_clearance)
 		item->loiter_radius = _navigator->get_loiter_radius();
 		item->acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 		item->time_inside = 0.0f;
-		item->pitch_min = 0.0f;
 		item->autocontinue = false;
 		item->origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 	}
@@ -610,7 +609,6 @@ MissionBlock::set_follow_target_item(struct mission_item_s *item, float min_clea
 	item->loiter_radius = _navigator->get_loiter_radius();
 	item->acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 	item->time_inside = 0.0f;
-	item->pitch_min = 0.0f;
 	item->autocontinue = false;
 	item->origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 }
@@ -629,7 +627,6 @@ MissionBlock::set_takeoff_item(struct mission_item_s *item, float abs_altitude,
 
 	item->yaw = NAN;
 	item->loiter_radius = _navigator->get_loiter_radius();
-	item->time_inside = 0.0f;
 	item->pitch_min = min_pitch;
 	item->autocontinue = false;
 	item->origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
@@ -672,7 +669,6 @@ MissionBlock::set_land_item(struct mission_item_s *item, bool at_current_locatio
 	item->loiter_radius = _navigator->get_loiter_radius();
 	item->acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 	item->time_inside = 0.0f;
-	item->pitch_min = 0.0f;
 	item->autocontinue = true;
 	item->origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 }
@@ -689,7 +685,6 @@ MissionBlock::set_current_position_item(struct mission_item_s *item)
 	item->loiter_radius = _navigator->get_loiter_radius();
 	item->acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 	item->time_inside = 0.0f;
-	item->pitch_min = 0.0f;
 	item->autocontinue = true;
 	item->origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 }
@@ -706,7 +701,6 @@ MissionBlock::set_idle_item(struct mission_item_s *item)
 	item->loiter_radius = _navigator->get_loiter_radius();
 	item->acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 	item->time_inside = 0.0f;
-	item->pitch_min = 0.0f;
 	item->autocontinue = true;
 	item->origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 }
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/rcloss.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/rcloss.cpp
index 9714afc1f2..d911653491 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/rcloss.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/rcloss.cpp
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ RCLoss::set_rcl_item()
 		_mission_item.nav_cmd = NAV_CMD_LOITER_TIME_LIMIT;
 		_mission_item.acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 		_mission_item.time_inside = _param_loitertime.get() < 0.0f ? 0.0f : _param_loitertime.get();
-		_mission_item.pitch_min = 0.0f;
 		_mission_item.autocontinue = true;
 		_mission_item.origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/rtl.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/rtl.cpp
index 7c83687988..e2cfb8501a 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/rtl.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/rtl.cpp
@@ -158,7 +158,6 @@ RTL::set_rtl_item()
 		_mission_item.nav_cmd = NAV_CMD_WAYPOINT;
 		_mission_item.acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 		_mission_item.time_inside = 0.0f;
-		_mission_item.pitch_min = 0.0f;
 		_mission_item.autocontinue = true;
 		_mission_item.origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 
@@ -199,7 +198,6 @@ RTL::set_rtl_item()
 		_mission_item.nav_cmd = NAV_CMD_WAYPOINT;
 		_mission_item.acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 		_mission_item.time_inside = 0.0f;
-		_mission_item.pitch_min = 0.0f;
 		_mission_item.autocontinue = true;
 		_mission_item.origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 
@@ -245,7 +243,6 @@ RTL::set_rtl_item()
 		_mission_item.nav_cmd = NAV_CMD_WAYPOINT;
 		_mission_item.acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 		_mission_item.time_inside = 0.0f;
-		_mission_item.pitch_min = 0.0f;
 		_mission_item.autocontinue = false;
 		_mission_item.origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;
 
@@ -269,7 +266,6 @@ RTL::set_rtl_item()
 		_mission_item.nav_cmd = autoland ? NAV_CMD_LOITER_TIME_LIMIT : NAV_CMD_LOITER_UNLIMITED;
 		_mission_item.acceptance_radius = _navigator->get_acceptance_radius();
 		_mission_item.time_inside = _param_land_delay.get() < 0.0f ? 0.0f : _param_land_delay.get();
-		_mission_item.pitch_min = 0.0f;
 		_mission_item.autocontinue = autoland;
 		_mission_item.origin = ORIGIN_ONBOARD;