diff --git a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.c b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.c
index 349aaac571..14ee9cb405 100644
--- a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.c
+++ b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.c
@@ -134,6 +134,12 @@ ring_blink(void)
 {
 #ifdef GPIO_LED4
 
+	if (/* IO armed */ (r_status_flags & PX4IO_P_STATUS_FLAGS_SAFETY_OFF)
+	/* and FMU is armed */ && (r_setup_arming & PX4IO_P_SETUP_ARMING_FMU_ARMED)) {
+		LED_RING(1);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	// XXX this led code does have
 	// intentionally a few magic numbers.
 	const unsigned max_brightness = 118;
@@ -147,7 +153,11 @@ ring_blink(void)
 
 		bool on = ((on_counter * 100) / brightness_counter+1) <= ((brightness * 100) / max_brightness+1);
 
-		LED_RING(on);
+		// XXX once led is PWM driven,
+		// remove the ! in the line below
+		// to return to the proper breathe
+		// animation / pattern (currently inverted)
+		LED_RING(!on);
 		brightness_counter++;
 
 		if (on) {
@@ -349,7 +359,7 @@ user_start(int argc, char *argv[])
                     heartbeat_blink();
                 }
 
-                ring_blink();
+		ring_blink();
 
                 check_reboot();
 
diff --git a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.h b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.h
index 8186e4c78b..93a33490fa 100644
--- a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.h
+++ b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.h
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ extern pwm_limit_t pwm_limit;
 #define LED_BLUE(_s)			stm32_gpiowrite(GPIO_LED1, !(_s))
 #define LED_AMBER(_s)			stm32_gpiowrite(GPIO_LED2, !(_s))
 #define LED_SAFETY(_s)			stm32_gpiowrite(GPIO_LED3, !(_s))
-#define LED_RING(_s)			stm32_gpiowrite(GPIO_LED4, !(_s))
+#define LED_RING(_s)			stm32_gpiowrite(GPIO_LED4, (_s))
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARCH_BOARD_PX4IO_V1