diff --git a/src/modules/position_estimator_inav/position_estimator_inav_main.c b/src/modules/position_estimator_inav/position_estimator_inav_main.c
index 5b312941ee..db1ce79ca0 100644
--- a/src/modules/position_estimator_inav/position_estimator_inav_main.c
+++ b/src/modules/position_estimator_inav/position_estimator_inav_main.c
@@ -651,25 +651,22 @@ int position_estimator_inav_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 						} else if (t > ref_init_start + ref_init_delay) {
 							ref_inited = true;
-							/* update baro offset */
-							baro_offset -= z_est[0];
 
 							/* set position estimate to (0, 0, 0), use GPS velocity for XY */
 							x_est[0] = 0.0f;
 							x_est[1] = gps.vel_n_m_s;
 							y_est[0] = 0.0f;
 							y_est[1] = gps.vel_e_m_s;
-							z_est[0] = 0.0f;
 
 							local_pos.ref_lat = lat;
 							local_pos.ref_lon = lon;
-							local_pos.ref_alt = alt;
+							local_pos.ref_alt = alt + z_est[0];
 							local_pos.ref_timestamp = t;
 
 							/* initialize projection */
 							map_projection_init(&ref, lat, lon);
 							warnx("init ref: lat=%.7f, lon=%.7f, alt=%.2f", (double)lat, (double)lon, (double)alt);
-							mavlink_log_info(mavlink_fd, "[inav] init ref: lat=%.7f, lon=%.7f, alt=%.2f", (double)lat, (double)lon, (double)alt);
+							mavlink_log_info(mavlink_fd, "[inav] init ref: %.7f, %.7f, %.2f", (double)lat, (double)lon, (double)alt);
 						}
 					}