diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index d4552ceec7..f0ad6c6646 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -1544,7 +1544,8 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK::handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
             // param2 : throttle type (0=throttle percentage, 1=PWM, 2=pilot throttle channel pass-through. See MOTOR_TEST_THROTTLE_TYPE enum)
             // param3 : throttle (range depends upon param2)
             // param4 : timeout (in seconds)
-            result = plane.quadplane.mavlink_motor_test_start(chan, (uint8_t)packet.param1, (uint8_t)packet.param2, (uint16_t)packet.param3, packet.param4);
+            // param5 : motor count (number of motors to test in sequence)
+            result = plane.quadplane.mavlink_motor_test_start(chan, (uint8_t)packet.param1, (uint8_t)packet.param2, (uint16_t)packet.param3, packet.param4, (uint8_t)packet.param5);
             break;
             
         case MAV_CMD_DO_VTOL_TRANSITION:
diff --git a/ArduPlane/motor_test.cpp b/ArduPlane/motor_test.cpp
index 8fcce692f2..62f9b4c7e1 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/motor_test.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/motor_test.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,20 @@ void QuadPlane::motor_test_output()
     }
 
     // check for test timeout
-    if ((AP_HAL::millis() - motor_test.start_ms) >= motor_test.timeout_ms) {
+    uint32_t now = AP_HAL::millis();
+    if ((now - motor_test.start_ms) >= motor_test.timeout_ms) {
+        if (motor_test.motor_count > 1) {
+            if (now - motor_test.start_ms < motor_test.timeout_ms*1.5) {
+                // output zero for 0.5s
+                motors->output_min();
+            } else {
+                // move onto next motor
+                motor_test.seq++;
+                motor_test.motor_count--;
+                motor_test.start_ms = now;
+            }
+            return;
+        }
         // stop motor test
         motor_test_stop();
         return;
@@ -64,7 +77,7 @@ void QuadPlane::motor_test_output()
 // mavlink_motor_test_start - start motor test - spin a single motor at a specified pwm
 //  returns MAV_RESULT_ACCEPTED on success, MAV_RESULT_FAILED on failure
 uint8_t QuadPlane::mavlink_motor_test_start(mavlink_channel_t chan, uint8_t motor_seq, uint8_t throttle_type,
-                                            uint16_t throttle_value, float timeout_sec)
+                                            uint16_t throttle_value, float timeout_sec, uint8_t motor_count)
 {
     if (motors->armed()) {
         plane.gcs_send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_INFO, "Must be disarmed for motor test");
@@ -90,6 +103,7 @@ uint8_t QuadPlane::mavlink_motor_test_start(mavlink_channel_t chan, uint8_t moto
     motor_test.seq = motor_seq;
     motor_test.throttle_type = throttle_type;
     motor_test.throttle_value = throttle_value;
+    motor_test.motor_count = MIN(motor_count, 8);
 
     // return success
     return MAV_RESULT_ACCEPTED;
diff --git a/ArduPlane/quadplane.h b/ArduPlane/quadplane.h
index 6377bb73be..f50f56a8a3 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/quadplane.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/quadplane.h
@@ -224,12 +224,14 @@ private:
         uint8_t seq = 0;              // motor sequence number of motor being tested
         uint8_t throttle_type = 0;    // motor throttle type (0=throttle percentage, 1=PWM, 2=pilot throttle channel pass-through)
         uint16_t throttle_value = 0;  // throttle to be sent to motor, value depends upon it's type
+        uint8_t motor_count;          // number of motors to cycle
     } motor_test;
 
 public:
     void motor_test_output();
     uint8_t mavlink_motor_test_start(mavlink_channel_t chan, uint8_t motor_seq, uint8_t throttle_type,
-                                     uint16_t throttle_value, float timeout_sec);
+                                     uint16_t throttle_value, float timeout_sec,
+                                     uint8_t motor_count);
 private:
     void motor_test_stop();
 };