diff --git a/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANDriver.cpp b/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANDriver.cpp
index 150c66f3c7..9f36f16f5b 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANDriver.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANDriver.cpp
@@ -42,12 +42,8 @@ const AP_Param::GroupInfo AP_CANManager::CANDriver_Params::var_info[] = {
     AP_SUBGROUPPTR(_uavcan, "UC_", 2, AP_CANManager::CANDriver_Params, AP_DroneCAN),
 #endif
 
-#if (APM_BUILD_COPTER_OR_HELI || APM_BUILD_TYPE(APM_BUILD_ArduPlane) || APM_BUILD_TYPE(APM_BUILD_ArduSub))
-    // @Group: KDE_
-    // @Path: ../AP_KDECAN/AP_KDECAN.cpp
-    AP_SUBGROUPPTR(_kdecan, "KDE_", 3, AP_CANManager::CANDriver_Params, AP_KDECAN),
-#endif
-
+    // index 3 was KDECAN
+    
 #if HAL_NUM_CAN_IFACES > 1 && !HAL_MINIMIZE_FEATURES && HAL_ENABLE_CANTESTER
     // @Group: TST_
     // @Path: ../AP_CANManager/AP_CANTester.cpp
diff --git a/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANManager.cpp b/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANManager.cpp
index 00aeaa4da8..b896de0e2f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANManager.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANManager.cpp
@@ -216,16 +216,10 @@ void AP_CANManager::init()
         } else
 #endif
         if (drv_type[drv_num] == Driver_Type_KDECAN) {
-#if (APM_BUILD_COPTER_OR_HELI || APM_BUILD_TYPE(APM_BUILD_ArduPlane) || APM_BUILD_TYPE(APM_BUILD_ArduSub))
-            // To be replaced with macro saying if KDECAN library is included
-            _drivers[drv_num] = _drv_param[drv_num]._kdecan = new AP_KDECAN;
-
-            if (_drivers[drv_num] == nullptr) {
-                AP_BoardConfig::allocation_error("KDECAN %d", drv_num + 1);
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            AP_Param::load_object_from_eeprom((AP_KDECAN*)_drivers[drv_num], AP_KDECAN::var_info);
+#if AP_KDECAN_ENABLED
+            // cache the driver type so we can detect that it is in the params via get_driver_type().
+            // Normally it is cached after init but this driver's init is handled by CANSensor later on
+            _driver_type_cache[drv_num] = drv_type[drv_num];
 #endif
         } else if (drv_type[drv_num] == Driver_Type_PiccoloCAN) {
 #if HAL_PICCOLO_CAN_ENABLE
diff --git a/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANManager.h b/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANManager.h
index 8c35026141..38e5056878 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANManager.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_CANManager/AP_CANManager.h
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@ private:
         AP_Int8 _driver_type;
         AP_CANDriver* _testcan;
         AP_CANDriver* _uavcan;
-        AP_CANDriver* _kdecan;
         AP_CANDriver* _piccolocan;
     };