diff --git a/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp b/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
index e98a9c837d..52ad832514 100644
--- a/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/px4io/px4io.cpp
@@ -335,8 +335,7 @@ private:
 		(ParamInt<px4::params::RC_RSSI_PWM_CHAN>) _param_rc_rssi_pwm_chan,
 		(ParamInt<px4::params::RC_RSSI_PWM_MAX>) _param_rc_rssi_pwm_max,
 		(ParamInt<px4::params::RC_RSSI_PWM_MIN>) _param_rc_rssi_pwm_min,
-		(ParamInt<px4::params::SENS_EN_THERMAL>) _param_sens_en_themal,
-		(ParamInt<px4::params::SYS_HITL>) _param_sys_hitl
+		(ParamInt<px4::params::SENS_EN_THERMAL>) _param_sens_en_themal
 	)
 };
 
@@ -474,9 +473,7 @@ int PX4IO::init()
 	}
 
 	/* try to claim the generic PWM output device node as well - it's OK if we fail at this */
-	if (_param_sys_hitl.get() <= 0) {
-		_mixing_output.setMaxTopicUpdateRate(MIN_TOPIC_UPDATE_INTERVAL);
-	}
+	_mixing_output.setMaxTopicUpdateRate(MIN_TOPIC_UPDATE_INTERVAL);
 
 	_px4io_status_pub.advertise();
 
@@ -525,9 +522,7 @@ void PX4IO::Run()
 	perf_count(_interval_perf);
 
 	/* if we have new control data from the ORB, handle it */
-	if (_param_sys_hitl.get() <= 0) {
-		_mixing_output.update();
-	}
+	_mixing_output.update();
 
 	if (hrt_elapsed_time(&_poll_last) >= 20_ms) {
 		/* run at 50 */
@@ -540,13 +535,11 @@ void PX4IO::Run()
 		io_publish_raw_rc();
 	}
 
-	if (_param_sys_hitl.get() <= 0) {
-		/* check updates on uORB topics and handle it */
-		if (_t_actuator_armed.updated()) {
-			io_set_arming_state();
+	/* check updates on uORB topics and handle it */
+	if (_t_actuator_armed.updated()) {
+		io_set_arming_state();
 
-			// TODO: throttle
-		}
+		// TODO: throttle
 	}
 
 	if (!_mixing_output.armed().armed) {
@@ -814,14 +807,6 @@ PX4IO::io_set_arming_state()
 			clear |= PX4IO_P_SETUP_ARMING_FORCE_FAILSAFE;
 		}
 
-		// XXX this is for future support in the commander
-		// but can be removed if unneeded
-		// if (armed.termination_failsafe) {
-		// 	set |= PX4IO_P_SETUP_ARMING_TERMINATION_FAILSAFE;
-		// } else {
-		// 	clear |= PX4IO_P_SETUP_ARMING_TERMINATION_FAILSAFE;
-		// }
-
 		if (armed.ready_to_arm) {
 			set |= PX4IO_P_SETUP_ARMING_IO_ARM_OK;