diff --git a/ArduPlane/Attitude.cpp b/ArduPlane/Attitude.cpp
index 256edb3f8b..7b0f0a5189 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Attitude.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/Attitude.cpp
@@ -578,12 +578,12 @@ void Plane::flap_slew_limit(int8_t &last_value, int8_t &new_value)
 */
 bool Plane::suppress_throttle(void)
 {
-    if (auto_throttle_mode && parachute.released()) {
-        // throttle always suppressed in auto-throttle modes after parachute release
+    if (auto_throttle_mode && parachute.release_initiated()) {
+        // throttle always suppressed in auto-throttle modes after parachute release initiated
         throttle_suppressed = true;
         return true;
     }
-    
+
     if (!throttle_suppressed) {
         // we've previously met a condition for unsupressing the throttle
         return false;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Parachute/AP_Parachute.cpp b/libraries/AP_Parachute/AP_Parachute.cpp
index 598d5bf55b..98b925a926 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Parachute/AP_Parachute.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Parachute/AP_Parachute.cpp
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ void AP_Parachute::release()
         _release_time = AP_HAL::millis();
     }
 
+    _release_initiated = true;
+
     // update AP_Notify
     AP_Notify::flags.parachute_release = 1;
 }
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Parachute/AP_Parachute.h b/libraries/AP_Parachute/AP_Parachute.h
index 25a3c8dfaa..1832452bce 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Parachute/AP_Parachute.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Parachute/AP_Parachute.h
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ public:
     AP_Parachute(AP_Relay& relay) :
         _relay(relay),
         _release_time(0),
-        _released(false)
+        _released(false),
+        _release_initiated(false)
     {
         // setup parameter defaults
         AP_Param::setup_object_defaults(this, var_info);
@@ -50,6 +51,9 @@ public:
     /// released - true if the parachute has been released (or release is in progress)
     bool released() const { return _released; }
     
+    /// release_initiated - true if the parachute release sequence has been initiated (may wait before actual release)
+    bool release_initiated() const { return _release_initiated; }
+    
     /// update - shuts off the trigger should be called at about 10hz
     void update();
 
@@ -71,6 +75,7 @@ private:
     // internal variables
     AP_Relay   &_relay;         // pointer to relay object from the base class Relay.
     uint32_t    _release_time;  // system time that parachute is ordered to be released (actual release will happen 0.5 seconds later)
+    bool        _release_initiated:1;    // true if the parachute release initiated (may still be waiting for engine to be suppressed etc.)
     bool        _release_in_progress:1;  // true if the parachute release is in progress
-    bool        _released:1;    // true if the parachute has been released
+    bool        _released:1;             // true if the parachute has been released
 };