diff --git a/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.cpp b/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.cpp
index 008049c1983..dd5c6dd190f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.cpp
@@ -346,7 +346,8 @@ void AP_Camera_Backend::send_camera_fov_status(mavlink_channel_t chan) const
 void AP_Camera_Backend::send_camera_capture_status(mavlink_channel_t chan) const
 {
     // Current status of image capturing (0: idle, 1: capture in progress, 2: interval set but idle, 3: interval set and capture in progress)
-    const uint8_t image_status = (time_interval_settings.num_remaining > 0) ? 2 : 0;
+    // num_remaining is -1 when capturing until stopped, so test the same way update() does
+    const uint8_t image_status = (time_interval_settings.num_remaining != 0) ? 2 : 0;
 
     // send CAMERA_CAPTURE_STATUS message
     mavlink_msg_camera_capture_status_send(