diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp
index 02764a136e9..2546b061df5 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp
@@ -5902,6 +5902,11 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK::send_sys_status()
     const uint16_t errors1 = errors & 0xffff;
     const uint16_t errors2 = (errors>>16) & 0xffff;
     const uint16_t errors4 = AP::internalerror().count() & 0xffff;
+    uint16_t errors_comm = 0;
+    mavlink_status_t *ms = mavlink_get_channel_status(chan);
+    if (ms) {
+        errors_comm = ms->packet_rx_drop_count;
+    }
 
 #if HAL_LOGGING_ENABLED
     const uint16_t dropped_logmessage_count = AP::logger().num_dropped();
@@ -5929,7 +5934,7 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK::send_sys_status()
         -1,
 #endif
         0,  // comm drops %,
-        0,  // comm drops in pkts,
+        errors_comm,  // comm drops in pkts,
         errors1,
         errors2,
         dropped_logmessage_count,  // errors3