diff --git a/msg/FailsafeFlags.msg b/msg/FailsafeFlags.msg
index dc173ddd96..7455313732 100644
--- a/msg/FailsafeFlags.msg
+++ b/msg/FailsafeFlags.msg
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ bool battery_unhealthy                # Battery unhealthy
 # Other
 bool primary_geofence_breached        # Primary Geofence breached
 bool mission_failure                  # Mission failure
-bool vtol_transition_failure          # VTOL transition failed (quadchute)
+bool vtol_fixed_wing_system_failure   # vehicle in fixed-wing system failure failsafe mode (after quad-chute)
 bool wind_limit_exceeded              # Wind limit exceeded
 bool flight_time_limit_exceeded       # Maximum flight time exceeded
 
diff --git a/msg/VtolVehicleStatus.msg b/msg/VtolVehicleStatus.msg
index 80c424e7a4..61a8246796 100644
--- a/msg/VtolVehicleStatus.msg
+++ b/msg/VtolVehicleStatus.msg
@@ -9,4 +9,4 @@ uint64 timestamp			# time since system start (microseconds)
 
 uint8 vehicle_vtol_state		# current state of the vtol, see VEHICLE_VTOL_STATE
 
-bool vtol_transition_failsafe		# vtol in transition failsafe mode
+bool fixed_wing_system_failure		# vehicle in fixed-wing system failure failsafe mode (after quad-chute)
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/HealthAndArmingChecks/checks/vtolCheck.cpp b/src/modules/commander/HealthAndArmingChecks/checks/vtolCheck.cpp
index c953c4281e..7e0224e26f 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/HealthAndArmingChecks/checks/vtolCheck.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/HealthAndArmingChecks/checks/vtolCheck.cpp
@@ -40,12 +40,13 @@ void VtolChecks::checkAndReport(const Context &context, Report &reporter)
 	vtol_vehicle_status_s vtol_vehicle_status;
 
 	if (_vtol_vehicle_status_sub.copy(&vtol_vehicle_status)) {
-		reporter.failsafeFlags().vtol_transition_failure = vtol_vehicle_status.vtol_transition_failsafe;
+		reporter.failsafeFlags().vtol_fixed_wing_system_failure = vtol_vehicle_status.fixed_wing_system_failure;
 
-		if (reporter.failsafeFlags().vtol_transition_failure) {
+		if (reporter.failsafeFlags().vtol_fixed_wing_system_failure) {
 			/* EVENT
 			 */
-			reporter.armingCheckFailure(NavModes::All, health_component_t::system, events::ID("check_vtol_transition_failure"),
+			reporter.armingCheckFailure(NavModes::All, health_component_t::system,
+						    events::ID("check_vtol_fixed_wing_system_failure"),
 						    events::Log::Error, "VTOL transition failure");
 
 			if (reporter.mavlink_log_pub()) {
diff --git a/src/modules/commander/failsafe/failsafe.cpp b/src/modules/commander/failsafe/failsafe.cpp
index 6d53cf0cfd..dfc571d039 100644
--- a/src/modules/commander/failsafe/failsafe.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/commander/failsafe/failsafe.cpp
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ void Failsafe::checkStateAndMode(const hrt_abstime &time_us, const State &state,
 	    state.user_intended_mode == vehicle_status_s::NAVIGATION_STATE_AUTO_LOITER ||
 	    state.user_intended_mode == vehicle_status_s::NAVIGATION_STATE_AUTO_TAKEOFF ||
 	    state.user_intended_mode == vehicle_status_s::NAVIGATION_STATE_AUTO_VTOL_TAKEOFF) {
-		CHECK_FAILSAFE(status_flags, vtol_transition_failure, fromQuadchuteActParam(_param_com_qc_act.get()));
+		CHECK_FAILSAFE(status_flags, vtol_fixed_wing_system_failure, fromQuadchuteActParam(_param_com_qc_act.get()));
 	}
 
 	// Mission
diff --git a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/standard.cpp b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/standard.cpp
index a210b8ef27..effb4c5f56 100644
--- a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/standard.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/standard.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ void Standard::update_vtol_state()
 
 	float mc_weight = _mc_roll_weight;
 
-	if (_vtol_vehicle_status->vtol_transition_failsafe) {
+	if (_vtol_vehicle_status->fixed_wing_system_failure) {
 		// Failsafe event, engage mc motors immediately
 		_vtol_mode = vtol_mode::MC_MODE;
 		_pusher_throttle = 0.0f;
diff --git a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/tailsitter.cpp b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/tailsitter.cpp
index 74e7810fbf..acfd4941e0 100644
--- a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/tailsitter.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/tailsitter.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void Tailsitter::update_vtol_state()
 
 	float pitch = Eulerf(Quatf(_v_att->q)).theta();
 
-	if (_vtol_vehicle_status->vtol_transition_failsafe) {
+	if (_vtol_vehicle_status->fixed_wing_system_failure) {
 		// Failsafe event, switch to MC mode immediately
 		_vtol_mode = vtol_mode::MC_MODE;
 
diff --git a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/tiltrotor.cpp b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/tiltrotor.cpp
index a00c52860a..e62fed0cb1 100644
--- a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/tiltrotor.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/tiltrotor.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ void Tiltrotor::update_vtol_state()
 	 * forward completely. For the backtransition the motors simply rotate back.
 	*/
 
-	if (_vtol_vehicle_status->vtol_transition_failsafe) {
+	if (_vtol_vehicle_status->fixed_wing_system_failure) {
 		// Failsafe event, switch to MC mode immediately
 		_vtol_mode = vtol_mode::MC_MODE;
 
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 dfcf60af43..ed567183ae 100644
--- a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_att_control_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_att_control_main.cpp
@@ -134,9 +134,9 @@ void VtolAttitudeControl::action_request_poll()
 				_transition_command = vtol_vehicle_status_s::VEHICLE_VTOL_STATE_FW;
 				_immediate_transition = false;
 
-				// reset vtol_transition_failsafe flag when a new transition to FW is triggered
+				// reset fixed_wing_system_failure flag when a new transition to FW is triggered
 				if (_transition_command == vtol_vehicle_status_s::VEHICLE_VTOL_STATE_FW) {
-					_vtol_vehicle_status.vtol_transition_failsafe = false;
+					_vtol_vehicle_status.fixed_wing_system_failure = false;
 				}
 
 				break;
@@ -169,9 +169,9 @@ void VtolAttitudeControl::vehicle_cmd_poll()
 				_transition_command = transition_command_param1;
 				_immediate_transition = (PX4_ISFINITE(vehicle_command.param2)) ? int(vehicle_command.param2 + 0.5f) : false;
 
-				// reset vtol_transition_failsafe flag when a new transition to FW is triggered
+				// reset fixed_wing_system_failure flag when a new transition to FW is triggered
 				if (_transition_command == vtol_vehicle_status_s::VEHICLE_VTOL_STATE_FW) {
-					_vtol_vehicle_status.vtol_transition_failsafe = false;
+					_vtol_vehicle_status.fixed_wing_system_failure = false;
 				}
 			}
 
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ void VtolAttitudeControl::vehicle_cmd_poll()
 void
 VtolAttitudeControl::quadchute(QuadchuteReason reason)
 {
-	if (!_vtol_vehicle_status.vtol_transition_failsafe) {
+	if (!_vtol_vehicle_status.fixed_wing_system_failure) {
 		switch (reason) {
 		case QuadchuteReason::TransitionTimeout:
 			mavlink_log_critical(&_mavlink_log_pub, "Quadchute: transition timeout\t");
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ VtolAttitudeControl::quadchute(QuadchuteReason reason)
 			return;
 		}
 
-		_vtol_vehicle_status.vtol_transition_failsafe = true;
+		_vtol_vehicle_status.fixed_wing_system_failure = true;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_type.cpp b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_type.cpp
index 508a01e1c8..6fb7e3482c 100644
--- a/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_type.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/vtol_att_control/vtol_type.cpp
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ float VtolType::pusher_assist()
 	}
 
 	// Do not engage pusher assist during a failsafe event (could be a problem with the fixed wing drive)
-	if (_attc->get_vtol_vehicle_status()->vtol_transition_failsafe) {
+	if (_attc->get_vtol_vehicle_status()->fixed_wing_system_failure) {
 		return 0.0f;
 	}