diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.cpp b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.cpp
index 2cecade369..0ecc270f5a 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.cpp
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.cpp
@@ -10,3 +10,5 @@ BetterStream	*mavlink_comm_1_port;
 
 // this might need to move to the flight software
 mavlink_system_t mavlink_system = {7,1,0,0};
+
+#include "include/mavlink_helpers.h"
diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h
index d89f3ee34d..5de542bc4a 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 
 #include <BetterStream.h>
 
+#define MAVLINK_SEPARATE_HELPERS
+
 #include "include/ardupilotmega/version.h"
 
 // this allows us to make mavlink_message_t much smaller