diff --git a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_Outputs.cpp b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_Outputs.cpp
index 9316b36efe..8fc369c392 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_Outputs.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_Outputs.cpp
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ bool NavEKF3_core::getVelInnovationsAndVariancesForSource(AP_NavEKF_Source::Sour
     switch (source) {
     case AP_NavEKF_Source::SourceXY::GPS:
         // check for timeouts
-        if (dal.millis() - gpsVelInnovTime_ms > 500) {
+        if (dal.millis() - gpsRetrieveTime_ms > 500) {
             return false;
         }
         innovations = gpsVelInnov.tofloat();
diff --git a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_PosVelFusion.cpp b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_PosVelFusion.cpp
index cd45746cdf..8f73f8ae02 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_PosVelFusion.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_PosVelFusion.cpp
@@ -500,8 +500,8 @@ void NavEKF3_core::SelectVelPosFusion()
         CorrectGPSForAntennaOffset(gpsDataDelayed);
         // calculate innovations and variances for reporting purposes only
         CalculateVelInnovationsAndVariances(gpsDataDelayed.vel, frontend->_gpsHorizVelNoise, frontend->gpsNEVelVarAccScale, gpsVelInnov, gpsVelVarInnov);
-        // record time innovations were calculated (for timeout checks)
-        gpsVelInnovTime_ms = dal.millis();
+        // record time GPS data was retrieved from the buffer (for timeout checks)
+        gpsRetrieveTime_ms = dal.millis();
     }
 
     // detect position source changes.  Trigger position reset if position source is valid
diff --git a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.h b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.h
index e1b8912c73..c7bef11e76 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.h
@@ -1259,7 +1259,7 @@ private:
     bool gpsAccuracyGoodForAltitude; // true when the GPS accuracy is considered to be good enough to use it as an altitude source.
     Vector3F gpsVelInnov;           // gps velocity innovations
     Vector3F gpsVelVarInnov;        // gps velocity innovation variances
-    uint32_t gpsVelInnovTime_ms;    // system time that gps velocity innovations were recorded (to detect timeouts)
+    uint32_t gpsRetrieveTime_ms;    // system time that GPS data was retrieved from the buffer (to detect timeouts)
 
     // variables added for optical flow fusion
     EKF_obs_buffer_t<of_elements> storedOF;    // OF data buffer