diff --git a/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.cpp b/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.cpp
index b9bd353d59..a36634b58f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Mission/AP_Mission.cpp
@@ -125,10 +125,13 @@ bool AP_Mission::starts_with_takeoff_cmd()
     if (cmd_index == AP_MISSION_CMD_INDEX_NONE) {
         // start from beginning of the mission command list
         cmd_index = AP_MISSION_FIRST_REAL_COMMAND;
-        get_next_cmd(cmd_index, cmd, true);
-
+        if (!get_next_cmd(cmd_index, cmd, true)) {
+            return false;
+        }
     } else {
-        read_cmd_from_storage(cmd_index, cmd);
+        if (!read_cmd_from_storage(cmd_index, cmd)) {
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 
     if (cmd.id != MAV_CMD_NAV_TAKEOFF) {
@@ -767,7 +770,12 @@ MAV_MISSION_RESULT AP_Mission::mavlink_int_to_mission_cmd(const mavlink_mission_
         cmd.content.do_engine_control.cold_start = (packet.param2>0);
         cmd.content.do_engine_control.height_delay_cm = packet.param3*100;
         break;        
-        
+
+    case MAV_CMD_NAV_PAYLOAD_PLACE:
+        cmd.p1 = packet.param1*100; // copy max-descend parameter (m->cm)
+        copy_location = true;
+        break;
+
     default:
         // unrecognised command
         return MAV_MISSION_UNSUPPORTED;
@@ -1212,7 +1220,12 @@ bool AP_Mission::mission_cmd_to_mavlink_int(const AP_Mission::Mission_Command& c
         packet.param2 = cmd.content.do_engine_control.cold_start?1:0;
         packet.param3 = cmd.content.do_engine_control.height_delay_cm*0.01f;
         break;        
-                
+
+    case MAV_CMD_NAV_PAYLOAD_PLACE:
+        copy_location = true;
+        packet.param1 = cmd.p1/100.0f; // copy max-descend parameter (m->cm)
+        break;
+
     default:
         // unrecognised command
         return false;