diff --git a/ArduCopter/system.pde b/ArduCopter/system.pde
index f68eb6872b7..14dad5a4c00 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/system.pde
+++ b/ArduCopter/system.pde
@@ -83,7 +83,9 @@ static void init_ardupilot()
 	// GPS serial port.
 	//
 	#if GPS_PROTOCOL != GPS_PROTOCOL_IMU
-	Serial1.begin(38400, 128, 16);
+    // standard gps running. Note that we need a 256 byte buffer for some
+    // GPS types (eg. UBLOX)
+    Serial1.begin(38400, 256, 16);
 	#endif
 
 	Serial.printf_P(PSTR("\n\nInit " THISFIRMWARE
diff --git a/ArduPlane/system.pde b/ArduPlane/system.pde
index 3a856b827cc..ea6d30b5ad4 100644
--- a/ArduPlane/system.pde
+++ b/ArduPlane/system.pde
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ static void init_ardupilot()
 	// GPS serial port.
 	//
     // standard gps running
-    Serial1.begin(38400, 128, 16);
+    Serial1.begin(38400, 256, 16);
 
 	Serial.printf_P(PSTR("\n\nInit " THISFIRMWARE
 						 "\n\nFree RAM: %u\n"),