diff --git a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.h b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.h
index f752309804..29ec8eae60 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.h
+++ b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.h
@@ -566,9 +566,6 @@ protected:
     void control_monitor_filter_pid(float value, float &rms_P);
     void control_monitor_update(void);
 
-    // true in inverted flight mode
-    bool _inverted_flight;
-
 public:
     // log a CTRL message
     void control_monitor_log(void) const;
diff --git a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl_Heli.cpp b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl_Heli.cpp
index 982ff2048a..21cf2ffae7 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl_Heli.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl_Heli.cpp
@@ -538,6 +538,11 @@ void AC_AttitudeControl_Heli::set_throttle_out(float throttle_in, bool apply_ang
 {
     _throttle_in = throttle_in;
     update_althold_lean_angle_max(throttle_in);
+
+    if (_inverted_flight) {
+        throttle_in = 1.0 - throttle_in;
+    }
+
     _motors.set_throttle_filter_cutoff(filter_cutoff);
     _motors.set_throttle(throttle_in);
     // Clear angle_boost for logging purposes
diff --git a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl_Heli.h b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl_Heli.h
index 0d519bf87d..d978d62f34 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl_Heli.h
+++ b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl_Heli.h
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ private:
         uint8_t tail_passthrough    :   1;  // 1 if we should pass through pilots yaw input to tail
     } _flags_heli;
 
+    // true in inverted flight mode
+    bool _inverted_flight;
+
     // Integrate vehicle rate into _att_error_rot_vec_rad
     void integrate_bf_rate_error_to_angle_errors();