diff --git a/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp b/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
index 919a4ae8b9..61e0450c3b 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
@@ -2985,13 +2985,18 @@ void QuadPlane::assign_tilt_to_fwd_thr(void) {
     float fwd_tilt_rad = radians(constrain_float(-0.01f * (float)plane.nav_pitch_cd, 0.0f, 45.0f));
     q_fwd_throttle = MIN(q_fwd_thr_gain * tanf(fwd_tilt_rad), 1.0f);
 
-    // Slowly relax forward tilt limit if the position controller is saturating in the forward direction because
+    // Relax forward tilt limit if the position controller is saturating in the forward direction because
     // the forward thrust motor could be failed
     const float fwd_tilt_range_cd = (float)aparm.angle_max - 100.0f * q_fwd_pitch_lim;
     if (is_positive(fwd_tilt_range_cd)) {
+        // rate limit the forward tilt change to slew between the motor good and motor failed
+        // value over 10 seconds
         const float fwd_pitch_lim_cd_tgt = plane.quadplane.pos_control->get_fwd_pitch_is_limited() ? (float)aparm.angle_max : 100.0f * q_fwd_pitch_lim;
         const float delta_max = 0.1f * fwd_tilt_range_cd * plane.G_Dt;
         q_fwd_pitch_lim_cd += constrain_float((fwd_pitch_lim_cd_tgt - q_fwd_pitch_lim_cd), -delta_max, delta_max);
+        // Don't let the forward pitch limit be more than the forward pitch demand before limiting to
+        // avoid opening up the limit more than necessary
+        q_fwd_pitch_lim_cd = MIN(q_fwd_pitch_lim_cd, MAX(-(float)plane.nav_pitch_cd, 100.0f * q_fwd_pitch_lim));
     } else {
         // take the lesser of the two limits
         q_fwd_pitch_lim_cd = (float)aparm.angle_max;
@@ -3017,7 +3022,7 @@ void QuadPlane::assign_tilt_to_fwd_thr(void) {
 
     // Diagnostics logging - remove when feature is fully flight tested.
     AP::logger().WriteStreaming("FWDT",
-                                "TimeUS,fts,qfpcd,npllcd,npcd,qft",  // labels
+                                "TimeUS,fts,qfplcd,npllcd,npcd,qft",  // labels
                                 "Qfffff",    // fmt
                                 AP_HAL::micros64(),
                                 (double)fwd_thr_scaler,