diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h
index 73b603a31a..f671fcad71 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h
@@ -516,6 +516,9 @@ protected:
     virtual MAV_VTOL_STATE vtol_state() const { return MAV_VTOL_STATE_UNDEFINED; }
     virtual MAV_LANDED_STATE landed_state() const { return MAV_LANDED_STATE_UNDEFINED; }
 
+    // return a MAVLink parameter type given a AP_Param type
+    static MAV_PARAM_TYPE mav_param_type(enum ap_var_type t);
+
     AP_Param *                  _queued_parameter;      ///< next parameter to
                                                         // be sent in queue
     mavlink_channel_t           chan;
diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.cpp b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.cpp
index 36cc08aaba..7fc3c5f0d1 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.cpp
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK::set_channel_private(mavlink_channel_t _chan)
 }
 
 // return a MAVLink parameter type given a AP_Param type
-MAV_PARAM_TYPE mav_param_type(enum ap_var_type t)
+MAV_PARAM_TYPE GCS_MAVLINK::mav_param_type(enum ap_var_type t)
 {
     if (t == AP_PARAM_INT8) {
 	    return MAV_PARAM_TYPE_INT8;
diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h
index f39c9a9f36..daf07c324c 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 /// @brief	One size fits all header for MAVLink integration.
 #pragma once
 
-#include <AP_Param/AP_Param.h>
+#include <AP_HAL/AP_HAL_Boards.h>
 
 // we have separate helpers disabled to make it possible
 // to select MAVLink 1.0 in the arduino GUI build
@@ -76,9 +76,6 @@ uint16_t comm_get_txspace(mavlink_channel_t chan);
 #define MAVLINK_USE_CONVENIENCE_FUNCTIONS
 #include "include/mavlink/v2.0/ardupilotmega/mavlink.h"
 
-// return a MAVLink parameter type given a AP_Param type
-MAV_PARAM_TYPE mav_param_type(enum ap_var_type t);
-
 // lock and unlock a channel, for multi-threaded mavlink send
 void comm_send_lock(mavlink_channel_t chan);
 void comm_send_unlock(mavlink_channel_t chan);
diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Param.cpp b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Param.cpp
index 748058deff..111b46f92c 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Param.cpp
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Param.cpp
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ void GCS::send_parameter_value(const char *param_name, ap_var_type param_type, f
     const uint8_t to_copy = MIN(ARRAY_SIZE(packet.param_id), strlen(param_name));
     memcpy(packet.param_id, param_name, to_copy);
     packet.param_value = param_value;
-    packet.param_type = mav_param_type(param_type);
+    packet.param_type = GCS_MAVLINK::mav_param_type(param_type);
     packet.param_count = AP_Param::count_parameters();
     packet.param_index = -1;