diff --git a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
index 1ec1b15f74..68fdaed0d9 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/GCS_Mavlink.cpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ void Plane::send_heartbeat(mavlink_channel_t chan)
     uint8_t system_status;
     uint32_t custom_mode = control_mode;
     
-    if (failsafe.state != FAILSAFE_NONE || failsafe.low_battery) {
+    if (failsafe.state != FAILSAFE_NONE || failsafe.low_battery || failsafe.adsb) {
         system_status = MAV_STATE_CRITICAL;
     } else if (plane.crash_state.is_crashed) {
         system_status = MAV_STATE_EMERGENCY;
diff --git a/ArduPlane/Plane.h b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
index 00f3c65ff6..fe1da8436b 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/Plane.h
+++ b/ArduPlane/Plane.h
@@ -350,6 +350,9 @@ private:
         // flag to hold whether battery low voltage threshold has been breached
         uint8_t low_battery:1;
 
+        // true if an adsb related failsafe has occurred
+        uint8_t adsb:1;
+
         // saved flight mode
         enum FlightMode saved_mode;