diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.cpp b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.cpp
index 29252c1525..1499d2236f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.cpp
@@ -442,16 +442,6 @@ void AP_Notify::handle_rgb_id(uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b, uint8_t id)
     }
 }
 
-// handle a PLAY_TUNE message
-void AP_Notify::handle_play_tune(const mavlink_message_t &msg)
-{
-    for (uint8_t i = 0; i < _num_devices; i++) {
-        if (_devices[i] != nullptr) {
-            _devices[i]->handle_play_tune(msg);
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 void AP_Notify::play_tune(const char *tune)
 {
     for (uint8_t i = 0; i < _num_devices; i++) {
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.h
index 0a0e0f370d..0355a93bd2 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 #include <AP_Common/AP_Common.h>
 #include <AP_Param/AP_Param.h>
-#include <GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h>
+#include "AP_Notify_config.h"
 
 #include "NotifyDevice.h"
 
@@ -160,8 +160,10 @@ public:
     // handle RGB from Scripting
     static void handle_rgb_id(uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b, uint8_t id);
 
+#if AP_NOTIFY_MAVLINK_PLAY_TUNE_SUPPORT_ENABLED
     // handle a PLAY_TUNE message
     static void handle_play_tune(const mavlink_message_t &msg);
+#endif
 
     // play a tune string
     static void play_tune(const char *tune);
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5133cdc082
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/AP_Notify_config.h
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <GCS_MAVLink/GCS_config.h>
+#if HAL_GCS_ENABLED
+#include <GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h>
+#endif
+
+#ifndef AP_NOTIFY_MAVLINK_PLAY_TUNE_SUPPORT_ENABLED
+#define AP_NOTIFY_MAVLINK_PLAY_TUNE_SUPPORT_ENABLED HAL_GCS_ENABLED
+#endif
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/NotifyDevice.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/NotifyDevice.h
index 6a8a4b5695..06ab832f4f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/NotifyDevice.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/NotifyDevice.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <AP_Common/AP_Common.h>
-#include <GCS_MAVLink/GCS_MAVLink.h>
+#include "AP_Notify_config.h"
 
 class AP_Notify;
 
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ public:
     // handle a LED_CONTROL message, by default device ignore message
     virtual void handle_led_control(const mavlink_message_t &msg) {}
 
-    // handle a PLAY_TUNE message, by default device ignore message
-    virtual void handle_play_tune(const mavlink_message_t &msg) {}
-
     // play a MML tune
     virtual void play_tune(const char *tune) {}
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/ToneAlarm.cpp b/libraries/AP_Notify/ToneAlarm.cpp
index 6ffa1aa396..64721f7c54 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/ToneAlarm.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/ToneAlarm.cpp
@@ -449,26 +449,25 @@ void AP_ToneAlarm::update()
 }
 
 
+#if AP_NOTIFY_MAVLINK_PLAY_TUNE_SUPPORT_ENABLED
 /*
  *  handle a PLAY_TUNE message
  */
-void AP_ToneAlarm::handle_play_tune(const mavlink_message_t &msg)
+void AP_Notify::handle_play_tune(const mavlink_message_t &msg)
 {
     // decode mavlink message
     mavlink_play_tune_t packet;
 
     mavlink_msg_play_tune_decode(&msg, &packet);
 
-    WITH_SEMAPHORE(_sem);
-
-    _mml_player.stop();
-
+    char _tone_buf[AP_NOTIFY_TONEALARM_TONE_BUF_SIZE] {};  // ~100 bytes
     strncpy(_tone_buf, packet.tune, MIN(sizeof(packet.tune), sizeof(_tone_buf)-1));
-    _tone_buf[sizeof(_tone_buf)-1] = 0;
     uint8_t len = strlen(_tone_buf);
     uint8_t len2 = strnlen(packet.tune2, sizeof(packet.tune2));
     len2 = MIN((sizeof(_tone_buf)-1)-len, len2);
-    strncpy(_tone_buf+len, packet.tune2, len2);
+    memcpy(_tone_buf+len, packet.tune2, len2);  // not strncpy to avoid truncation warning
     _tone_buf[sizeof(_tone_buf)-1] = 0;
-    _mml_player.play(_tone_buf);
+
+    play_tune(_tone_buf);
 }
+#endif
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Notify/ToneAlarm.h b/libraries/AP_Notify/ToneAlarm.h
index 27fc86fb9a..4df68d8765 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Notify/ToneAlarm.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Notify/ToneAlarm.h
@@ -32,9 +32,6 @@ public:
     /// update - updates led according to timed_updated.  Should be called at 50Hz
     void update() override;
 
-    // handle a PLAY_TUNE message
-    void handle_play_tune(const mavlink_message_t &msg) override;
-
     // play_tune - play tone specified by the provided string of notes
     void play_tune(const char *tune) override;