diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.cpp b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.cpp
index abe9a583f1..356f72c84c 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.cpp
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,14 @@ void GCS::send_textv(MAV_SEVERITY severity, const char *fmt, va_list arg_list)
 {
     char text[MAVLINK_MSG_STATUSTEXT_FIELD_TEXT_LEN+1];
     hal.util->vsnprintf(text, sizeof(text), fmt, arg_list);
-    send_statustext(severity, GCS_MAVLINK::active_channel_mask() | GCS_MAVLINK::streaming_channel_mask(), text);
+    uint8_t mask = GCS_MAVLINK::active_channel_mask() | GCS_MAVLINK::streaming_channel_mask();
+    if (!update_send_has_been_called) {
+        // we have not yet initialised the streaming-channel-mask,
+        // which is done as part of the update() call.  So just send
+        // it to all channels:
+        mask = (1<<_num_gcs)-1;
+    }
+    send_statustext(severity, mask, text);
 }
 
 void GCS::send_text(MAV_SEVERITY severity, const char *fmt, ...)
diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h
index 2a8f4a4d10..96f3872819 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h
@@ -949,6 +949,9 @@ private:
     // true if we have already allocated protocol objects:
     bool initialised_missionitemprotocol_objects;
 
+    // true if update_send has ever been called:
+    bool update_send_has_been_called;
+
     // handle passthru between two UARTs
     struct {
         bool enabled;
diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp
index ade1c3c1df..7c27b41818 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp
@@ -1783,7 +1783,15 @@ void GCS::send_statustext(MAV_SEVERITY severity, uint8_t dest_bitmask, const cha
 
     // filter destination ports to only allow active ports.
     statustext_t statustext{};
-    statustext.bitmask = (GCS_MAVLINK::active_channel_mask()  | GCS_MAVLINK::streaming_channel_mask() ) & dest_bitmask;
+    if (update_send_has_been_called) {
+        statustext.bitmask = (GCS_MAVLINK::active_channel_mask()  | GCS_MAVLINK::streaming_channel_mask() );
+    } else {
+        // we have not yet initialised the streaming-channel-mask,
+        // which is done as part of the update() call.  So just send
+        // it to all channels:
+        statustext.bitmask = (1<<_num_gcs)-1;
+    }
+    statustext.bitmask &= dest_bitmask;
     if (!statustext.bitmask) {
         // nowhere to send
         return;
@@ -1860,6 +1868,7 @@ void GCS::send_message(enum ap_message id)
 
 void GCS::update_send()
 {
+    update_send_has_been_called = true;
     if (!initialised_missionitemprotocol_objects) {
         initialised_missionitemprotocol_objects = true;
         // once-only initialisation of MissionItemProtocol objects: