diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp
index a914d4a4a1..ac51a2db25 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_main.cpp
@@ -2247,45 +2247,48 @@ Mavlink::task_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 
 		// vehicle_command
-		while (_vehicle_command_sub.updated()) {
-			const unsigned last_generation = _vehicle_command_sub.get_last_generation();
-			vehicle_command_s vehicle_cmd;
+		if (_mode == MAVLINK_MODE_IRIDIUM) {
+			while (_vehicle_command_sub.updated()) {
+				const unsigned last_generation = _vehicle_command_sub.get_last_generation();
+				vehicle_command_s vehicle_cmd;
 
-			if (_vehicle_command_sub.update(&vehicle_cmd)) {
-				if (_vehicle_command_sub.get_last_generation() != last_generation + 1) {
-					PX4_ERR("vehicle_command lost, generation %d -> %d", last_generation, _vehicle_command_sub.get_last_generation());
-				}
-
-				if ((vehicle_cmd.command == vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_CONTROL_HIGH_LATENCY) &&
-				    (_mode == MAVLINK_MODE_IRIDIUM)) {
-					if (vehicle_cmd.param1 > 0.5f) {
-						if (!_transmitting_enabled) {
-							mavlink_log_info(&_mavlink_log_pub, "Enable transmitting with IRIDIUM mavlink on device %s by command",
-									 _device_name);
-						}
-
-						_transmitting_enabled = true;
-						_transmitting_enabled_commanded = true;
-
-					} else {
-						if (_transmitting_enabled) {
-							mavlink_log_info(&_mavlink_log_pub, "Disable transmitting with IRIDIUM mavlink on device %s by command",
-									 _device_name);
-						}
-
-						_transmitting_enabled = false;
-						_transmitting_enabled_commanded = false;
+				if (_vehicle_command_sub.update(&vehicle_cmd)) {
+					if (_vehicle_command_sub.get_last_generation() != last_generation + 1) {
+						PX4_ERR("vehicle_command lost, generation %d -> %d", last_generation, _vehicle_command_sub.get_last_generation());
 					}
 
-					// send positive command ack
-					vehicle_command_ack_s command_ack{};
-					command_ack.command = vehicle_cmd.command;
-					command_ack.result = vehicle_command_ack_s::VEHICLE_RESULT_ACCEPTED;
-					command_ack.from_external = !vehicle_cmd.from_external;
-					command_ack.target_system = vehicle_cmd.source_system;
-					command_ack.target_component = vehicle_cmd.source_component;
-					command_ack.timestamp = vehicle_cmd.timestamp;
-					_vehicle_command_ack_pub.publish(command_ack);
+					if ((vehicle_cmd.command == vehicle_command_s::VEHICLE_CMD_CONTROL_HIGH_LATENCY) &&
+					    _mode == MAVLINK_MODE_IRIDIUM) {
+
+						if (vehicle_cmd.param1 > 0.5f) {
+							if (!_transmitting_enabled) {
+								mavlink_log_info(&_mavlink_log_pub, "Enable transmitting with IRIDIUM mavlink on device %s by command",
+										 _device_name);
+							}
+
+							_transmitting_enabled = true;
+							_transmitting_enabled_commanded = true;
+
+						} else {
+							if (_transmitting_enabled) {
+								mavlink_log_info(&_mavlink_log_pub, "Disable transmitting with IRIDIUM mavlink on device %s by command",
+										 _device_name);
+							}
+
+							_transmitting_enabled = false;
+							_transmitting_enabled_commanded = false;
+						}
+
+						// send positive command ack
+						vehicle_command_ack_s command_ack{};
+						command_ack.command = vehicle_cmd.command;
+						command_ack.result = vehicle_command_ack_s::VEHICLE_RESULT_ACCEPTED;
+						command_ack.from_external = !vehicle_cmd.from_external;
+						command_ack.target_system = vehicle_cmd.source_system;
+						command_ack.target_component = vehicle_cmd.source_component;
+						command_ack.timestamp = vehicle_cmd.timestamp;
+						_vehicle_command_ack_pub.publish(command_ack);
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}