diff --git a/libraries/AP_Param/AP_Param.cpp b/libraries/AP_Param/AP_Param.cpp
index e5e97d2f11..2856bfde21 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Param/AP_Param.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Param/AP_Param.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ extern const AP_HAL::HAL &hal;
  # define Debug(fmt, args ...)
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAL_NO_GCS
+#define GCS_SEND_PARAM(name, type, v)
+#else
+#define GCS_SEND_PARAM(name, type, v) gcs().send_parameter_value(name, type, v)
+#endif
+
 // Note about AP_Vector3f handling.
 // The code has special cases for AP_Vector3f to allow it to be viewed
 // as both a single 3 element vector and as a set of 3 AP_Float
@@ -75,6 +81,7 @@ bool AP_Param::registered_save_handler;
 // we need a dummy object for the parameter save callback
 static AP_Param save_dummy;
 
+#if AP_PARAM_MAX_EMBEDDED_PARAM > 0
 /*
   this holds default parameters in the normal NAME=value form for a
   parameter file. It can be manipulated by apj_tool.py to change the
@@ -86,6 +93,7 @@ const AP_Param::param_defaults_struct AP_Param::param_defaults_data = {
     AP_PARAM_MAX_EMBEDDED_PARAM,
     0
 };
+#endif
 
 // storage object
 StorageAccess AP_Param::_storage(StorageManager::StorageParam);
@@ -1054,7 +1062,7 @@ void AP_Param::save_sync(bool force_save)
             v2 = get_default_value(this, &info->def_value);
         }
         if (is_equal(v1,v2) && !force_save) {
-            gcs().send_parameter_value(name, (enum ap_var_type)info->type, v2);
+            GCS_SEND_PARAM(name, (enum ap_var_type)info->type, v2);
             return;
         }
         if (!force_save &&
@@ -1062,7 +1070,7 @@ void AP_Param::save_sync(bool force_save)
              (fabsf(v1-v2) < 0.0001f*fabsf(v1)))) {
             // for other than 32 bit integers, we accept values within
             // 0.01 percent of the current value as being the same
-            gcs().send_parameter_value(name, (enum ap_var_type)info->type, v2);
+            GCS_SEND_PARAM(name, (enum ap_var_type)info->type, v2);
             return;
         }
     }
@@ -1371,10 +1379,12 @@ bool AP_Param::load_all()
  */
 void AP_Param::reload_defaults_file(bool last_pass)
 {
+#if AP_PARAM_MAX_EMBEDDED_PARAM > 0
     if (param_defaults_data.length != 0) {
         load_embedded_param_defaults(last_pass);
         return;
     }
+#endif
 
 #if HAL_OS_POSIX_IO == 1
     /*
@@ -1982,6 +1992,7 @@ bool AP_Param::load_defaults_file(const char *filename, bool last_pass)
 
 #endif // HAL_OS_POSIX_IO
 
+#if AP_PARAM_MAX_EMBEDDED_PARAM > 0
 /*
   count the number of embedded parameter defaults
  */
@@ -2106,6 +2117,7 @@ void AP_Param::load_embedded_param_defaults(bool last_pass)
     }
     num_param_overrides = num_defaults;
 }
+#endif // AP_PARAM_MAX_EMBEDDED_PARAM > 0
 
 /* 
    find a default value given a pointer to a default value in flash
@@ -2132,7 +2144,7 @@ void AP_Param::send_parameter(const char *name, enum ap_var_type var_type, uint8
     }
     if (var_type != AP_PARAM_VECTOR3F) {
         // nice and simple for scalar types
-        gcs().send_parameter_value(name, var_type, cast_to_float(var_type));
+        GCS_SEND_PARAM(name, var_type, cast_to_float(var_type));
         return;
     }
 
@@ -2140,6 +2152,7 @@ void AP_Param::send_parameter(const char *name, enum ap_var_type var_type, uint8
     // of a set of the first element of a AP_Vector3f. This happens as the ap->save() call can't
     // distinguish between a vector and scalar save. It means that setting first element of a vector
     // via MAVLink results in sending all 3 elements to the GCS
+#ifndef HAL_NO_GCS
     const Vector3f &v = ((AP_Vector3f *)this)->get();
     char name2[AP_MAX_NAME_SIZE+1];
     strncpy(name2, name, AP_MAX_NAME_SIZE);
@@ -2147,11 +2160,12 @@ void AP_Param::send_parameter(const char *name, enum ap_var_type var_type, uint8
     char &name_axis = name2[strlen(name)-1];
     
     name_axis = 'X';
-    gcs().send_parameter_value(name2, AP_PARAM_FLOAT, v.x);
+    GCS_SEND_PARAM(name2, AP_PARAM_FLOAT, v.x);
     name_axis = 'Y';
-    gcs().send_parameter_value(name2, AP_PARAM_FLOAT, v.y);
+    GCS_SEND_PARAM(name2, AP_PARAM_FLOAT, v.y);
     name_axis = 'Z';
-    gcs().send_parameter_value(name2, AP_PARAM_FLOAT, v.z);
+    GCS_SEND_PARAM(name2, AP_PARAM_FLOAT, v.z);
+#endif // HAL_NO_GCS
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Param/AP_Param.h b/libraries/AP_Param/AP_Param.h
index 67ae8d5f76..d7f68756c5 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Param/AP_Param.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Param/AP_Param.h
@@ -503,6 +503,7 @@ private:
     /*
       structure for built-in defaults file that can be modified using apj_tool.py
      */
+#if AP_PARAM_MAX_EMBEDDED_PARAM > 0
     struct PACKED param_defaults_struct {
         char magic_str[8];
         uint8_t param_magic[8];
@@ -511,6 +512,7 @@ private:
         volatile char data[AP_PARAM_MAX_EMBEDDED_PARAM];
     };
     static const param_defaults_struct param_defaults_data;
+#endif
 
 
     static bool                 check_group_info(const struct GroupInfo *group_info, uint16_t *total_size,