diff --git a/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.cpp b/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.cpp
index e5d8728be8..5374ca3f35 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/ArduPlane.cpp
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ void Plane::update_speed_height(void)
  */
 void Plane::update_compass(void)
 {
-    if (g.compass_enabled && compass.read()) {
+    if (AP::compass().enabled() && compass.read()) {
         ahrs.set_compass(&compass);
         if (should_log(MASK_LOG_COMPASS) && !ahrs.have_ekf_logging()) {
             logger.Write_Compass();
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ void Plane::one_second_loop()
 
 void Plane::compass_save()
 {
-    if (g.compass_enabled &&
+    if (AP::compass().enabled() &&
         compass.get_learn_type() >= Compass::LEARN_INTERNAL &&
         !hal.util->get_soft_armed()) {
         /*
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ void Plane::update_GPS_10Hz(void)
 
                 next_WP_loc = prev_WP_loc = home;
 
-                if (g.compass_enabled) {
+                if (AP::compass().enabled()) {
                     // Set compass declination automatically
                     const Location &loc = gps.location();
                     compass.set_initial_location(loc.lat, loc.lng);
diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Plane.cpp b/ArduPlane/GCS_Plane.cpp
index 8416591763..7aafcc9388 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Plane.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Plane.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 void GCS_Plane::update_vehicle_sensor_status_flags(void)
 {
     // first what sensors/controllers we have
-    if (plane.g.compass_enabled) {
+    if (AP::compass().enabled()) {
         control_sensors_present |= MAV_SYS_STATUS_SENSOR_3D_MAG;
         control_sensors_enabled |= MAV_SYS_STATUS_SENSOR_3D_MAG;
     }
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ void GCS_Plane::update_vehicle_sensor_status_flags(void)
     AP_AHRS &ahrs = AP::ahrs();
 
     const Compass &compass = AP::compass();
-    if (plane.g.compass_enabled && compass.healthy() && ahrs.use_compass()) {
+    if (AP::compass().enabled() && compass.healthy() && ahrs.use_compass()) {
         control_sensors_health |= MAV_SYS_STATUS_SENSOR_3D_MAG;
     }
     if (gps.status() >= AP_GPS::GPS_OK_FIX_3D && gps.is_healthy()) {
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Parameters.cpp b/ArduPlane/Parameters.cpp
index 2fa1605f57..a04af55894 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Parameters.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/Parameters.cpp
@@ -760,13 +760,6 @@ const AP_Param::Info Plane::var_info[] = {
     // @User: User
     GSCALAR(FBWB_min_altitude_cm,   "ALT_HOLD_FBWCM", ALT_HOLD_FBW_CM),
 
-    // @Param: MAG_ENABLE
-    // @DisplayName: Enable Compass
-    // @Description: Setting this to Enabled(1) will enable the compass. Setting this to Disabled(0) will disable the compass. Note that this is separate from COMPASS_USE. This will enable the low level senor, and will enable logging of magnetometer data. To use the compass for navigation you must also set COMPASS_USE to 1.
-    // @Values: 0:Disabled,1:Enabled
-    // @User: Standard
-    GSCALAR(compass_enabled,        "MAG_ENABLE",     1),
-
     // @Param: FLAP_IN_CHANNEL
     // @DisplayName: Flap input channel
     // @Description: An RC input channel to use for flaps control. If this is set to a RC channel number then that channel will be used for manual flaps control. When enabled, the percentage of flaps is taken as the percentage travel from the TRIM value of the channel to the MIN value of the channel. A value above the TRIM values will give inverse flaps (spoilers). This option needs to be enabled in conjunction with a FUNCTION setting on an output channel to one of the flap functions. When a FLAP_IN_CHANNEL is combined with auto-flaps the higher of the two flap percentages is taken.
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Parameters.h b/ArduPlane/Parameters.h
index 64b68431f5..76382a7944 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Parameters.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/Parameters.h
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ public:
         k_param_imu = 130,  // unused
         k_param_altitude_mix, // deprecated
 
-        k_param_compass_enabled,
+        k_param_compass_enabled_deprecated,
         k_param_compass,
         k_param_battery_monitoring, // unused
         k_param_volt_div_ratio,     // unused
@@ -461,7 +461,6 @@ public:
     AP_Int8  hil_mode;
 #endif
 
-    AP_Int8 compass_enabled;
     AP_Int8 flap_1_percent;
     AP_Int8 flap_1_speed;
     AP_Int8 flap_2_percent;
diff --git a/ArduPlane/system.cpp b/ArduPlane/system.cpp
index 14d7c11bc8..35a55833c3 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/system.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/system.cpp
@@ -107,22 +107,8 @@ void Plane::init_ardupilot()
     // initialise airspeed sensor
     airspeed.init();
 
-    if (g.compass_enabled==true) {
-        compass.init();
-        bool compass_ok = compass.read();
-#if HIL_SUPPORT
-    if (g.hil_mode != 0) {
-        compass_ok = true;
-    }
-#endif
-        if (!compass_ok) {
-            hal.console->printf("Compass initialisation failed!\n");
-            g.compass_enabled = false;
-        } else {
-            ahrs.set_compass(&compass);
-        }
-    }
-    
+    AP::compass().init();
+
 #if OPTFLOW == ENABLED
     // make optflow available to libraries
     if (optflow.enabled()) {