diff --git a/ArduCopter/mode.h b/ArduCopter/mode.h
index 1bd3307bd3..eba43de26d 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/mode.h
+++ b/ArduCopter/mode.h
@@ -1665,6 +1665,7 @@ private:
 
     float motors_output;
     Vector2f motors_input;
+    uint32_t last_throttle_warning_output_ms;
 };
 #endif
 
diff --git a/ArduCopter/mode_turtle.cpp b/ArduCopter/mode_turtle.cpp
index 2e0aef1c67..99c5d2b08d 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/mode_turtle.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/mode_turtle.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ void ModeTurtle::run()
 
     // at this point we have a power value in the range 0..1
 
-    // notmalise the roll and pitch input to match the motors
+    // normalise the roll and pitch input to match the motors
     Vector2f input{sign_roll, sign_pitch};
     motors_input = input.normalized() * 0.5;
     // we bypass spin min and friends in the deadzone because we only want spin up when the sticks are moved
@@ -171,6 +171,12 @@ void ModeTurtle::output_to_motors()
 {
     // throttle needs to be raised
     if (is_zero(channel_throttle->norm_input_dz())) {
+        const uint32_t now = AP_HAL::millis();
+        if (now - last_throttle_warning_output_ms > 5000) {
+            gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_WARNING, "Turtle: raise throttle to arm");
+            last_throttle_warning_output_ms = now;
+        }
+
         disarm_motors();
         return;
     }