diff --git a/ArduCopter/Attitude.cpp b/ArduCopter/Attitude.cpp
index c64563d494440e..412bcfbdc7fc34 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Attitude.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/Attitude.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ void Copter::rate_controller_thread()
                 attitude_control->set_notch_sample_rate(loop_rate_hz);
                 motors->set_dt(1.0/loop_rate_hz);
                 ins.set_rate_decimation(0);
+                hal.rcout->force_trigger_groups(false);
                 was_using_rate_thread = false;
             }
             hal.scheduler->delay_microseconds(500);
@@ -76,8 +77,9 @@ void Copter::rate_controller_thread()
             continue;
         }
 
+        // set up rate thread requirements
         using_rate_thread = true;
-
+        hal.rcout->force_trigger_groups(true);
         ins.set_rate_decimation(rate_decimation);
 
         // wait for an IMU sample
diff --git a/ArduCopter/Copter.cpp b/ArduCopter/Copter.cpp
index 2615322ef5461a..86e85267cf4593 100644
--- a/ArduCopter/Copter.cpp
+++ b/ArduCopter/Copter.cpp
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ void Copter::one_hz_loop()
 
         if (hal.scheduler->thread_create(FUNCTOR_BIND_MEMBER(&Copter::rate_controller_thread, void),
                                          "attitude",
-                                         2048, AP_HAL::Scheduler::PRIORITY_BOOST, 1)) {
+                                         1024, AP_HAL::Scheduler::PRIORITY_RCOUT, 1)) {
             started_rate_thread = true;
         }
     }