diff --git a/msg/vehicle_status.msg b/msg/vehicle_status.msg
index 9c7067b274..80ce0c45bb 100644
--- a/msg/vehicle_status.msg
+++ b/msg/vehicle_status.msg
@@ -95,12 +95,6 @@ bool gps_failure_cmd				# Set to true if a gps failure mode is commanded
 bool mission_failure				# Set to true if mission could not continue/finish
 bool barometer_failure				# Set to true if a barometer failure is detected
 
-bool offboard_control_signal_found_once
-bool offboard_control_signal_lost
-bool offboard_control_signal_weak
-uint64 offboard_control_signal_lost_interval	# interval in microseconds without an offboard control message
-bool offboard_control_set_by_command		# true if the offboard mode was set by a mavlink command and should not be overridden by RC
-
 # see SYS_STATUS mavlink message for the following
 uint32 onboard_control_sensors_present
 uint32 onboard_control_sensors_enabled
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp b/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
index 59e1bc5c62..e3a9cd6949 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/commander.cpp
@@ -984,18 +984,18 @@ bool handle_command(struct vehicle_status_s *status_local, const struct safety_s
 
 				if (res == TRANSITION_DENIED) {
 					print_reject_mode(status_local, "OFFBOARD");
-					status_local->offboard_control_set_by_command = false;
+					status_flags.offboard_control_set_by_command = false;
 
 				} else {
 					/* Set flag that offboard was set via command, main state is not overridden by rc */
-					status_local->offboard_control_set_by_command = true;
+					status_flags.offboard_control_set_by_command = true;
 				}
 
 			} else {
 				/* If the mavlink command is used to enable or disable offboard control:
 				 * switch back to previous mode when disabling */
 				res = main_state_transition(status_local, main_state_pre_offboard, main_state_prev, &status_flags);
-				status_local->offboard_control_set_by_command = false;
+				status_flags.offboard_control_set_by_command = false;
 			}
 		}
 		break;
@@ -1237,12 +1237,12 @@ int commander_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	status.failsafe = false;
 
 	/* neither manual nor offboard control commands have been received */
-	status.offboard_control_signal_found_once = false;
+	status_flags.offboard_control_signal_found_once = false;
 	status.rc_signal_found_once = false;
 
 	/* mark all signals lost as long as they haven't been found */
 	status.rc_signal_lost = true;
-	status.offboard_control_signal_lost = true;
+	status_flags.offboard_control_signal_lost = true;
 	status.data_link_lost = true;
 
 	status_flags.condition_system_prearm_error_reported = false;
@@ -1625,14 +1625,14 @@ int commander_thread_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 		if (offboard_control_mode.timestamp != 0 &&
 		    offboard_control_mode.timestamp + OFFBOARD_TIMEOUT > hrt_absolute_time()) {
-			if (status.offboard_control_signal_lost) {
-				status.offboard_control_signal_lost = false;
+			if (status_flags.offboard_control_signal_lost) {
+				status_flags.offboard_control_signal_lost = false;
 				status_changed = true;
 			}
 
 		} else {
-			if (!status.offboard_control_signal_lost) {
-				status.offboard_control_signal_lost = true;
+			if (!status_flags.offboard_control_signal_lost) {
+				status_flags.offboard_control_signal_lost = true;
 				status_changed = true;
 			}
 		}
@@ -2883,7 +2883,7 @@ set_main_state_rc(struct vehicle_status_s *status_local, struct manual_control_s
 	// XXX this should not be necessary any more, we should be able to
 	// just delete this and respond to mode switches
 	/* if offboard is set already by a mavlink command, abort */
-	if (status.offboard_control_set_by_command) {
+	if (status_flags.offboard_control_set_by_command) {
 		return main_state_transition(status_local,vehicle_status_s::MAIN_STATE_OFFBOARD, main_state_prev, &status_flags);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp b/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
index 5d8f5b49ca..03e7c37589 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.cpp
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ main_state_transition(struct vehicle_status_s *status, main_state_t new_main_sta
 	case vehicle_status_s::MAIN_STATE_OFFBOARD:
 
 		/* need offboard signal */
-		if (!status->offboard_control_signal_lost) {
+		if (!status_flags->offboard_control_signal_lost) {
 			ret = TRANSITION_CHANGED;
 		}
 
@@ -853,11 +853,11 @@ bool set_nav_state(struct vehicle_status_s *status, const bool data_link_loss_en
 
 	case vehicle_status_s::MAIN_STATE_OFFBOARD:
 		/* require offboard control, otherwise stay where you are */
-		if (status->offboard_control_signal_lost && !status->rc_signal_lost) {
+		if (status_flags->offboard_control_signal_lost && !status->rc_signal_lost) {
 			status->failsafe = true;
 
 			status->nav_state = vehicle_status_s::NAVIGATION_STATE_POSCTL;
-		} else if (status->offboard_control_signal_lost && status->rc_signal_lost) {
+		} else if (status_flags->offboard_control_signal_lost && status->rc_signal_lost) {
 			status->failsafe = true;
 
 			if (status_flags->condition_local_position_valid) {
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.h b/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.h
index 551e8bac77..546c761e64 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.h
+++ b/src/modules/commander/state_machine_helper.h
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ struct status_flags_s {
 	bool circuit_breaker_engaged_enginefailure_check;
 	bool circuit_breaker_engaged_gpsfailure_check;
 	bool cb_usb;
+	bool offboard_control_signal_found_once;
+	bool offboard_control_signal_lost;
+	bool offboard_control_signal_weak;
+	bool offboard_control_set_by_command;		// true if the offboard mode was set by a mavlink command and should not be overridden by RC
 };
 
 bool is_safe(const struct vehicle_status_s *current_state, const struct safety_s *safety, const struct actuator_armed_s *armed);