diff --git a/src/modules/land_detector/LandDetector.cpp b/src/modules/land_detector/LandDetector.cpp
index 2007218016..9433ae3944 100644
--- a/src/modules/land_detector/LandDetector.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/land_detector/LandDetector.cpp
@@ -133,21 +133,22 @@ void LandDetector::_cycle()
 	    (_landDetected.landed != landDetected) ||
 	    (_landDetected.ground_contact != ground_contactDetected)) {
 
-		_landDetected.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
-		_landDetected.freefall = (_state == LandDetectionState::FREEFALL);
-		_landDetected.landed = (_state == LandDetectionState::LANDED);
-		_landDetected.ground_contact = (_state == LandDetectionState::GROUND_CONTACT);
-
-		// We did take off
-		if (landDetected && !_landDetected.landed) {
+		if (!landDetected && _landDetected.landed) {
+			// We did take off
 			_takeoff_time = now;
 
-		} else if (_takeoff_time != 0 && !landDetected && _landDetected.landed) {
+		} else if (_takeoff_time != 0 && landDetected && !_landDetected.landed) {
+			// We landed
 			_total_flight_time += now - _takeoff_time;
 			_takeoff_time = 0;
 			param_set(_p_total_flight_time, &_total_flight_time);
 		}
 
+		_landDetected.timestamp = hrt_absolute_time();
+		_landDetected.freefall = (_state == LandDetectionState::FREEFALL);
+		_landDetected.landed = (_state == LandDetectionState::LANDED);
+		_landDetected.ground_contact = (_state == LandDetectionState::GROUND_CONTACT);
+
 		int instance;
 		orb_publish_auto(ORB_ID(vehicle_land_detected), &_landDetectedPub, &_landDetected,
 				 &instance, ORB_PRIO_DEFAULT);