diff --git a/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp b/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
index f2da406219..3648089b8b 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
@@ -442,6 +442,13 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo QuadPlane::var_info2[] = {
     // @Increment: 0.05
     // @User: Standard
     AP_GROUPINFO("LAND_ALTCHG", 31, QuadPlane, landing_detect.detect_alt_change, 0.2),
+
+    // @Param: NAVALT_MIN
+    // @DisplayName: Minimum navigation altitude
+    // @Description: This is the altitude in meters above which navigation begins in auto takeoff. Below this altitude the target roll and pitch will be zero. A value of zero disables the feature
+    // @Range: 0 5
+    // @User: Advanced
+    AP_GROUPINFO("NAVALT_MIN", 32, QuadPlane, takeoff_navalt_min, 0),
     
     AP_GROUPEND
 };
@@ -2790,16 +2797,40 @@ void QuadPlane::takeoff_controller(void)
         vel = poscontrol.velocity_match * 100;
     }
 
-    pos_control->set_accel_desired_xy_cmss(zero);
-    pos_control->set_vel_desired_xy_cms(vel);
-    pos_control->input_vel_accel_xy(vel, zero);
+    /*
+      support zeroing roll/pitch during early part of takeoff. This
+      can help particularly with poor GPS velocity data
+     */
+    bool no_navigation = false;
+    if (takeoff_navalt_min > 0) {
+        uint32_t now = AP_HAL::millis();
+        const float alt = plane.current_loc.alt*0.01;
+        if (takeoff_last_run_ms == 0 ||
+            now - takeoff_last_run_ms > 1000) {
+            takeoff_start_alt = alt;
+        }
+        takeoff_last_run_ms = now;
+        if (alt - takeoff_start_alt < takeoff_navalt_min) {
+            no_navigation = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (no_navigation) {
+        plane.nav_roll_cd = 0;
+        plane.nav_pitch_cd = 0;
+        pos_control->relax_velocity_controller_xy();
+    } else {
+        pos_control->set_accel_desired_xy_cmss(zero);
+        pos_control->set_vel_desired_xy_cms(vel);
+        pos_control->input_vel_accel_xy(vel, zero);
+
+        // nav roll and pitch are controller by position controller
+        plane.nav_roll_cd = pos_control->get_roll_cd();
+        plane.nav_pitch_cd = pos_control->get_pitch_cd();
+    }
 
     run_xy_controller();
 
-    // nav roll and pitch are controller by position controller
-    plane.nav_roll_cd = pos_control->get_roll_cd();
-    plane.nav_pitch_cd = pos_control->get_pitch_cd();
-
     attitude_control->input_euler_angle_roll_pitch_euler_rate_yaw(plane.nav_roll_cd,
                                                                   plane.nav_pitch_cd,
                                                                   get_pilot_input_yaw_rate_cds() + get_weathervane_yaw_rate_cds());
diff --git a/ArduPlane/quadplane.h b/ArduPlane/quadplane.h
index ef47aa1ca3..7444e773a0 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/quadplane.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/quadplane.h
@@ -558,6 +558,10 @@ private:
 
     float last_land_final_agl;
 
+    // min alt for navigation in takeoff
+    AP_Float takeoff_navalt_min;
+    uint32_t takeoff_last_run_ms;
+    float takeoff_start_alt;
 
     // oneshot with duration ARMING_DELAY_MS used by quadplane to delay spoolup after arming:
     // ignored unless OPTION_DELAY_ARMING or OPTION_TILT_DISARMED is set