diff --git a/EKF/common.h b/EKF/common.h
index fc871116ea..c297fa6f36 100644
--- a/EKF/common.h
+++ b/EKF/common.h
@@ -412,6 +412,7 @@ union fault_status_u {
 		bool bad_pos_N: 1;	// 12 - true if fusion of the North position has encountered a numerical error
 		bool bad_pos_E: 1;	// 13 - true if fusion of the East position has encountered a numerical error
 		bool bad_pos_D: 1;	// 14 - true if fusion of the Down position has encountered a numerical error
+		bool bad_acc_bias: 1;	// 15 - true if bad delta velocity bias estimates have been detected
 	} flags;
 	uint16_t value;
 
diff --git a/EKF/covariance.cpp b/EKF/covariance.cpp
index 3191fb63df..e07341fe50 100644
--- a/EKF/covariance.cpp
+++ b/EKF/covariance.cpp
@@ -715,10 +715,12 @@ void Ekf::fixCovarianceErrors()
 				     && down_dvel_bias * _vel_pos_innov[2] < 0.0f
 				     && down_dvel_bias * _vel_pos_innov[5] < 0.0f);
 
-		// record the pass and force symmetry on the covariance matrix
+		// record the pass/fail
 		if (!bad_acc_bias) {
+			_fault_status.flags.bad_acc_bias = true;
 			_time_acc_bias_check = _time_last_imu;
-			makeSymmetrical(P,13,15);
+		} else {
+			_fault_status.flags.bad_acc_bias = true;
 		}
 
 		// if we have failed for 7 seconds continuously, reset the accel bias covariance
@@ -732,7 +734,11 @@ void Ekf::fixCovarianceErrors()
 			P[14][14] = varY;
 			P[15][15] = varZ;
 			_time_acc_bias_check = _time_last_imu;
+			_fault_status.flags.bad_acc_bias = false;
 			ECL_WARN("EKF invalid accel bias - resetting covariance");
+		} else {
+			// ensure the covariance values are symmetrical
+			makeSymmetrical(P,13,15);
 		}
 
 	}