diff --git a/ArduPlane/Plane.h b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
index 8d5a08a189..0cdb615814 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Plane.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
@@ -680,6 +680,9 @@ private:
 
         // The amount of time we should stay in a loiter for the Loiter Time command.  Milliseconds.
         uint32_t time_max_ms;
+
+        // current value of loiter radius in metres used by the controller
+        float radius;
     } loiter;
 
     // Conditional command
diff --git a/ArduPlane/mode_loiter.cpp b/ArduPlane/mode_loiter.cpp
index e7b07c9db1..056d1e7155 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/mode_loiter.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/mode_loiter.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ bool ModeLoiter::isHeadingLinedUp(const Location loiterCenterLoc, const Location
     // Return true if current heading is aligned to vector to targetLoc.
     // Tolerance is initially 10 degrees and grows at 10 degrees for each loiter circle completed.
 
-    const uint16_t loiterRadius = abs(plane.aparm.loiter_radius);
-    if (loiterCenterLoc.get_distance(targetLoc) < loiterRadius + loiterRadius*0.05) {
+    if (loiterCenterLoc.get_distance(targetLoc) < 1.05f * fabsf(plane.loiter.radius)) {
         /* Whenever next waypoint is within the loiter radius plus 5%,
            maintaining loiter would prevent us from ever pointing toward the next waypoint.
            Hence break out of loiter immediately
diff --git a/ArduPlane/navigation.cpp b/ArduPlane/navigation.cpp
index 16ceb26035..edb65fc2c5 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/navigation.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/navigation.cpp
@@ -344,6 +344,9 @@ void Plane::update_loiter(uint16_t radius)
         }
     }
 
+    // the radius actually being used by the controller is required by other functions
+    loiter.radius = (float)radius;
+
     update_loiter_update_nav(radius);
 
     if (loiter.start_time_ms == 0) {