diff --git a/ArduCopter/Copter.h b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
index 0c99290b43..4367e1379f 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Copter.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/Copter.h
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ private:
     float get_look_ahead_yaw();
     void update_throttle_hover();
     void set_throttle_takeoff();
-    float get_pilot_desired_throttle(int16_t throttle_control, float thr_mid);
+    float get_pilot_desired_throttle(int16_t throttle_control, float thr_mid = 0.0f);
     float get_pilot_desired_climb_rate(float throttle_control);
     float get_non_takeoff_throttle();
     float get_surface_tracking_climb_rate(int16_t target_rate, float current_alt_target, float dt);
diff --git a/ArduCopter/control_drift.cpp b/ArduCopter/control_drift.cpp
index 6019af4653..e70fefc533 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/control_drift.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/control_drift.cpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ void Copter::drift_run()
     get_pilot_desired_lean_angles(channel_roll->get_control_in(), channel_pitch->get_control_in(), target_roll, target_pitch, aparm.angle_max);
 
     // get pilot's desired throttle
-    pilot_throttle_scaled = get_pilot_desired_throttle(channel_throttle->get_control_in(), 0.0f);
+    pilot_throttle_scaled = get_pilot_desired_throttle(channel_throttle->get_control_in());
 
     // Grab inertial velocity
     const Vector3f& vel = inertial_nav.get_velocity();
diff --git a/ArduCopter/control_flip.cpp b/ArduCopter/control_flip.cpp
index 9c7a78ca71..0f4dd68dd6 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/control_flip.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/control_flip.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ void Copter::flip_run()
     }
 
     // get pilot's desired throttle
-    throttle_out = get_pilot_desired_throttle(channel_throttle->get_control_in(), 0.0f);
+    throttle_out = get_pilot_desired_throttle(channel_throttle->get_control_in());
 
     // get corrected angle based on direction and axis of rotation
     // we flip the sign of flip_angle to minimize the code repetition
diff --git a/ArduCopter/control_stabilize.cpp b/ArduCopter/control_stabilize.cpp
index 6e4a863ae8..0037e1ddc1 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/control_stabilize.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/control_stabilize.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ bool Copter::stabilize_init(bool ignore_checks)
 {
     // if landed and the mode we're switching from does not have manual throttle and the throttle stick is too high
     if (motors.armed() && ap.land_complete && !mode_has_manual_throttle(control_mode) &&
-            (get_pilot_desired_throttle(channel_throttle->get_control_in(), 0.0f) > get_non_takeoff_throttle())) {
+            (get_pilot_desired_throttle(channel_throttle->get_control_in()) > get_non_takeoff_throttle())) {
         return false;
     }
     // set target altitude to zero for reporting
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ void Copter::stabilize_run()
     target_yaw_rate = get_pilot_desired_yaw_rate(channel_yaw->get_control_in());
 
     // get pilot's desired throttle
-    pilot_throttle_scaled = get_pilot_desired_throttle(channel_throttle->get_control_in(), 0.0f);
+    pilot_throttle_scaled = get_pilot_desired_throttle(channel_throttle->get_control_in());
 
     // call attitude controller
     attitude_control.input_euler_angle_roll_pitch_euler_rate_yaw(target_roll, target_pitch, target_yaw_rate, get_smoothing_gain());
diff --git a/ArduCopter/flight_mode.cpp b/ArduCopter/flight_mode.cpp
index 7684c5d51c..ef69f45beb 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/flight_mode.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/flight_mode.cpp
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ void Copter::exit_mode(control_mode_t old_control_mode, control_mode_t new_contr
     // smooth throttle transition when switching from manual to automatic flight modes
     if (mode_has_manual_throttle(old_control_mode) && !mode_has_manual_throttle(new_control_mode) && motors.armed() && !ap.land_complete) {
         // this assumes all manual flight modes use get_pilot_desired_throttle to translate pilot input to output throttle
-        set_accel_throttle_I_from_pilot_throttle(get_pilot_desired_throttle(channel_throttle->get_control_in(), 0.0f));
+        set_accel_throttle_I_from_pilot_throttle(get_pilot_desired_throttle(channel_throttle->get_control_in()));
     }
 
     // cancel any takeoffs in progress