diff --git a/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py b/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
index b14925cbcf..5c78a3a7a1 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/arducopter.py
@@ -7014,11 +7014,14 @@ class AutoTestHeli(AutoTestCopter):
                            (start_alt + 5),
                            relative=True,
                            timeout=timeout)
+        self.context_collect('STATUSTEXT')
         self.progress("Triggering autorotate by raising interlock")
         self.set_rc(8, 1000)
-        self.mavproxy.expect("SS Glide Phase")
-        self.mavproxy.expect("Hit ground at ([0-9.]+) m/s")
-        speed = float(self.mavproxy.match.group(1))
+        self.wait_statustext("SS Glide Phase", check_context=True)
+        self.wait_statustext(r"SIM Hit ground at ([0-9.]+) m/s",
+                             check_context=True,
+                             regex=True)
+        speed = float(self.re_match.group(1))
         if speed > 30:
             raise NotAchievedException("Hit too hard")
         self.wait_disarmed()
diff --git a/Tools/autotest/common.py b/Tools/autotest/common.py
index c401125496..82b7322892 100644
--- a/Tools/autotest/common.py
+++ b/Tools/autotest/common.py
@@ -5188,7 +5188,8 @@ Also, ignores heartbeats not from our target system'''
             if m.get_type() != "STATUSTEXT":
                 return
             if regex:
-                if re.match(text, m.text):
+                self.re_match = re.match(text, m.text)
+                if self.re_match:
                     statustext_found = True
             if text.lower() in m.text.lower():
                 self.progress("Received expected text: %s" % m.text.lower())