diff --git a/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp b/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
index e09fca8abb..0715079efe 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
+++ b/ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp
@@ -982,12 +982,16 @@ float QuadPlane::get_pilot_throttle()
     // normalize to [0,1]
     throttle_in /= plane.channel_throttle->get_range();
 
-    // get hover throttle level [0,1]
-    float thr_mid = motors->get_throttle_hover();
-    float thrust_curve_expo = constrain_float(throttle_expo, 0.0f, 1.0f);
+    if (is_positive(throttle_expo)) {
+        // get hover throttle level [0,1]
+        float thr_mid = motors->get_throttle_hover();
+        float thrust_curve_expo = constrain_float(throttle_expo, 0.0f, 1.0f);
 
-    // this puts mid stick at hover throttle
-    return throttle_curve(thr_mid, thrust_curve_expo, throttle_in);;
+        // this puts mid stick at hover throttle
+        return throttle_curve(thr_mid, thrust_curve_expo, throttle_in);;
+    } else {
+        return throttle_in;
+    }
 }
 
 /*