diff --git a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_att_control_main.cpp b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_att_control_main.cpp
index fa0e9d384c..a23516807b 100644
--- a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_att_control_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_att_control_main.cpp
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ VtolAttitudeControl::VtolAttitudeControl() :
 	_params_handles.diff_thrust_scale = param_find("VT_FW_DIFTHR_SC");
 	_params_handles.dec_to_pitch_ff = param_find("VT_B_DEC_FF");
 	_params_handles.dec_to_pitch_i = param_find("VT_B_DEC_I");
-	_params_handles.back_trans_dec_sp = param_find("VT_B_DEC_SP");
+	_params_handles.back_trans_dec_sp = param_find("VT_B_DEC_MSS");
 
 
 	_params_handles.down_pitch_max = param_find("VT_DWN_PITCH_MAX");
@@ -289,7 +289,11 @@ VtolAttitudeControl::parameters_update()
 	// make sure parameters are feasible, require at least 1 m/s difference between transition and blend airspeed
 	_params.airspeed_blend = math::min(_params.airspeed_blend, _params.transition_airspeed - 1.0f);
 
-	param_get(_params_handles.back_trans_dec_sp, &_params.back_trans_dec_sp);
+	param_get(_params_handles.back_trans_dec_sp, &v);
+	// increase the target deceleration setpoint provided to the controller by 20%
+	// to make overshooting the transition waypoint less likely in the presence of tracking errors
+	_params.back_trans_dec_sp = 1.2f * v;
+
 	param_get(_params_handles.dec_to_pitch_ff, &_params.dec_to_pitch_ff);
 	param_get(_params_handles.dec_to_pitch_i, &_params.dec_to_pitch_i);
 
diff --git a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_att_control_params.c b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_att_control_params.c
index f3776d863b..6c28c29b38 100644
--- a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_att_control_params.c
+++ b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_att_control_params.c
@@ -149,11 +149,12 @@ PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(VT_B_TRANS_THR, 0.0f);
  *
  * The approximate deceleration during a back transition in m/s/s
  * Used to calculate back transition distance in mission mode. A lower value will make the VTOL transition further from the destination waypoint.
+ * For standard vtol and tiltrotors a controller is used to track this value during the transition.
  *
  * @unit m/s/s
- * @min 0.00
- * @max 20.00
- * @increment 1
+ * @min 0.5
+ * @max 10
+ * @increment 0.1
  * @decimal 2
  * @group VTOL Attitude Control
  */
@@ -316,21 +317,6 @@ PARAM_DEFINE_INT32(VT_FW_DIFTHR_EN, 0);
  */
 PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(VT_FW_DIFTHR_SC, 0.1f);
 
-/**
- * Target deceleration during backtransition.
- *
- * The vehicle will use its pitch angle to try and maintain a target deceleration during the backtransition.
- * This parameter only applies for standard vtol and tiltrotors.
- *
- * @unit m/s2
- * @min 0.5
- * @max 5
- * @decimal 1
- * @increment 0.5
- * @group VTOL Attitude Control
- */
-PARAM_DEFINE_FLOAT(VT_B_DEC_SP, 2.0f);
-
 /**
  * Backtransition deceleration setpoint to pitch feedforward gain.
  *