diff --git a/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp b/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
index f4ef252de3..6c0dc8c00a 100644
--- a/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/px4fmu/fmu.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,6 @@ private:
 	uint16_t	_min_pwm[MAX_ACTUATORS] {};
 	uint16_t	_max_pwm[MAX_ACTUATORS] {};
 	uint16_t	_reverse_pwm_mask{0};
-	unsigned	_num_failsafe_set{0};
 	unsigned	_num_disarmed_set{0};
 
 	float _mot_t_max{0.0f};					///< maximum rise time for motor (slew rate limiting)
@@ -1197,18 +1196,6 @@ PX4FMU::pwm_ioctl(file *filp, int cmd, unsigned long arg)
 				}
 			}
 
-			/*
-			 * update the counter
-			 * this is needed to decide if disarmed PWM output should be turned on or not
-			 */
-			_num_failsafe_set = 0;
-
-			for (unsigned i = 0; i < MAX_ACTUATORS; i++) {
-				if (_failsafe_pwm[i] > 0) {
-					_num_failsafe_set++;
-				}
-			}
-
 			break;
 		}