diff --git a/src/modules/simulator/simulator_mavlink.cpp b/src/modules/simulator/simulator_mavlink.cpp
index 6911cb4285..6ec0a04023 100644
--- a/src/modules/simulator/simulator_mavlink.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/simulator/simulator_mavlink.cpp
@@ -329,10 +329,9 @@ void Simulator::handle_message(mavlink_message_t *msg, bool publish)
 			hil_attitude.pitch = euler(0);
 			hil_attitude.yaw = euler(2);
 
-			if (true) {
-				int hilstate_multi;
-				orb_publish_auto(ORB_ID(vehicle_attitude_groundtruth), &_attitude_pub, &hil_attitude, &hilstate_multi, ORB_PRIO_HIGH);
-			}
+			// always publish ground truth attitude message
+			int hilstate_multi;
+			orb_publish_auto(ORB_ID(vehicle_attitude_groundtruth), &_attitude_pub, &hil_attitude, &hilstate_multi, ORB_PRIO_HIGH);
 		}
 		break;
 	}