diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/ekf.h b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/ekf.h
index 299dd3e3f1..7ca45805c2 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/ekf.h
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/ekf.h
@@ -550,7 +550,6 @@ private:
 	// imu fault status
 	uint64_t _time_bad_vert_accel{0};	///< last time a bad vertical accel was detected (uSec)
 	uint64_t _time_good_vert_accel{0};	///< last time a good vertical accel was detected (uSec)
-	bool _bad_vert_accel_detected{false};	///< true when bad vertical accelerometer data has been detected
 	uint16_t _clip_counter{0};		///< counter that increments when clipping ad decrements when not
 
 	// variables used to control range aid functionality
diff --git a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp
index 3df12d7b2e..4b1163d303 100644
--- a/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/ekf2/EKF/vel_pos_fusion.cpp
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ bool Ekf::fuseVerticalVelocity(const Vector3f &innov, const Vector2f &innov_gate
 	// but limit innovation to prevent spikes that could destabilise the filter
 	float innovation;
 
-	if (_bad_vert_accel_detected && !innov_check_pass) {
+	if (_fault_status.flags.bad_acc_vertical && !innov_check_pass) {
 		const float innov_limit = innov_gate(1) * sqrtf(innov_var(2));
 		innovation = math::constrain(innov(2), -innov_limit, innov_limit);
 		innov_check_pass = true;
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ bool Ekf::fuseVerticalPosition(const Vector3f &innov, const Vector2f &innov_gate
 	// but limit innovation to prevent spikes that could destabilise the filter
 	float innovation;
 
-	if (_bad_vert_accel_detected && !innov_check_pass) {
+	if (_fault_status.flags.bad_acc_vertical && !innov_check_pass) {
 		const float innov_limit = innov_gate(1) * sqrtf(innov_var(2));
 		innovation = math::constrain(innov(2), -innov_limit, innov_limit);
 		innov_check_pass = true;