diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/GeofenceBreachAvoidance/geofence_avoidance_planner.cpp b/src/modules/navigator/GeofenceBreachAvoidance/geofence_avoidance_planner.cpp
index 46b8b8f253..325b1c31e0 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/GeofenceBreachAvoidance/geofence_avoidance_planner.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/GeofenceBreachAvoidance/geofence_avoidance_planner.cpp
@@ -46,14 +46,16 @@ static matrix::Vector2f get_vertex_local_position(int poly_index, int vertex_idx
 	return local;
 }
 
-PlannedPath GeofenceAvoidancePlanner::planPath()
+const PlannedPath &GeofenceAvoidancePlanner::planPath()
 {
-	PlannedPath path;
+	// The navigator task stack is only ~2 KB, so we keep the result as a member
+	// and return it by reference to avoid overflowing the stack on RTL entry.
+	_planned_path.num_points = 0;
+	_planned_path.current_index = 0;
 
 	if (!_polygons_healthy || !_start_healthy || !_destination_healthy) {
 		// we are not in a state where we can reliably plan a path, return an empty one
-		path.num_points = 0;
-		return path;
+		return _planned_path;
 	}
 
 	reset_graph_state();
@@ -109,8 +111,7 @@ PlannedPath GeofenceAvoidancePlanner::planPath()
 
 		if (last_graph_index == graph_index) {
 			// we are stuck, destination does not seem to be reachable
-			path.num_points = 0;
-			return path;
+			return _planned_path;
 		}
 
 		if (_graph_nodes[graph_index].type == Node::DESTINATION) {
@@ -127,34 +128,33 @@ PlannedPath GeofenceAvoidancePlanner::planPath()
 	while (idx != 0) {
 		if (idx < 0) {
 			// can happen if the destination is not reachable
-			path.num_points = 0;
-			return path;
+			return _planned_path;
 		}
 
 		count++;
 		idx = _graph_nodes[idx].previous_index;
 	}
 
-	path.num_points = count;
+	_planned_path.num_points = count;
 
 	// Walk backwards and fill points in reverse, converting local to lat/lon.
 	// The last iteration lands on the start node, which becomes points[0].
 	MapProjection ref{_reference(0), _reference(1)};
 	idx = _graph_nodes[graph_index].previous_index; // skip destination
 
-	for (int i = path.num_points - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+	for (int i = _planned_path.num_points - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
 		if (idx < 0) {
 			// this should never happen, but just in case, we return an empty path
-			path.num_points = 0;
+			_planned_path.num_points = 0;
 			break;
 		}
 
 		ref.reproject(_graph_nodes[idx].position(0), _graph_nodes[idx].position(1),
-			      path.points[i](0), path.points[i](1));
+			      _planned_path.points[i](0), _planned_path.points[i](1));
 		idx = _graph_nodes[idx].previous_index;
 	}
 
-	return path;
+	return _planned_path;
 }
 
 bool GeofenceAvoidancePlanner::update_vertices(GeofenceInterface &geofence, float margin)
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/GeofenceBreachAvoidance/geofence_avoidance_planner.h b/src/modules/navigator/GeofenceBreachAvoidance/geofence_avoidance_planner.h
index 1a3b156fe8..11bc862d04 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/GeofenceBreachAvoidance/geofence_avoidance_planner.h
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/GeofenceBreachAvoidance/geofence_avoidance_planner.h
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ public:
 	GeofenceAvoidancePlanner() = default;
 	~GeofenceAvoidancePlanner() = default;
 
-	PlannedPath planPath();
+	const PlannedPath &planPath();
 
 	bool update_vertices(GeofenceInterface &geofence, float margin = 10.0f);
 	void update_start(const matrix::Vector2d &start, GeofenceInterface &geofence);
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ private:
 
 	Node _graph_nodes[kMaxNodes];
 	float _distances[num_distances_in_graph];
+	PlannedPath _planned_path{};
 	int _num_nodes{0};
 	int _num_vertices{0};
 	matrix::Vector2<double> _reference; // lat/lon anchor of the local frame
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/geofence.h b/src/modules/navigator/geofence.h
index 3a0af15fb9..87e8600b14 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/geofence.h
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/geofence.h
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ public:
 		_avoidance_planner.update_destination(destination, *this);
 	}
 
-	PlannedPath planPath() { return _avoidance_planner.planPath(); }
+	const PlannedPath &planPath() { return _avoidance_planner.planPath(); }
 
 	/**
 	 * print Geofence status to the console
diff --git a/src/modules/navigator/navigator.h b/src/modules/navigator/navigator.h
index eedbd14932..f45f6b4df5 100644
--- a/src/modules/navigator/navigator.h
+++ b/src/modules/navigator/navigator.h
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ public:
 		_geofence.updateDestinationForRTLPathPlanner(destination);
 	}
 
-	PlannedPath planPath() { return _geofence.planPath(); }
+	const PlannedPath &planPath() { return _geofence.planPath(); }
 
 	/**
 	 * Returns the last position that was confirmed to be inside all geofences.