diff --git a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_Measurements.cpp b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_Measurements.cpp
index 89e810cae6d96..f635c185af7cb 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_Measurements.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_Measurements.cpp
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ void NavEKF3_core::readMagData()
  *  Downsampling is done using a method that does not introduce coning or sculling
  *  errors.
  */
-void NavEKF3_core::readIMUData()
+void NavEKF3_core::readIMUData(bool startPredictEnabled)
 {
     const auto &ins = dal.ins();
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.cpp b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.cpp
index 67298272ffe85..1928c73c169b6 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.cpp
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ bool NavEKF3_core::InitialiseFilterBootstrap(void)
     }
 
     // read all the sensors required to start the EKF the states
-    readIMUData();
+    readIMUData(false);  // don't allow prediction
     readMagData();
     readGpsData();
     readGpsYawData();
@@ -617,9 +617,6 @@ void NavEKF3_core::CovarianceInit()
 // Update Filter States - this should be called whenever new IMU data is available
 void NavEKF3_core::UpdateFilter(bool predict)
 {
-    // Set the flag to indicate to the filter that the front-end has given permission for a new state prediction cycle to be started
-    startPredictEnabled = predict;
-
     // don't run filter updates if states have not been initialised
     if (!statesInitialised) {
         return;
@@ -636,7 +633,7 @@ void NavEKF3_core::UpdateFilter(bool predict)
     controlFilterModes();
 
     // read IMU data as delta angles and velocities
-    readIMUData();
+    readIMUData(predict);
 
     // Run the EKF equations to estimate at the fusion time horizon if new IMU data is available in the buffer
     if (runUpdates) {
diff --git a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.h b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.h
index 322ebc6907ab2..94749ded525c3 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_NavEKF3/AP_NavEKF3_core.h
@@ -766,7 +766,7 @@ class NavEKF3_core : public NavEKF_core_common
     void correctDeltaVelocity(Vector3F &delVel, ftype delVelDT, uint8_t accel_index);
 
     // update IMU delta angle and delta velocity measurements
-    void readIMUData();
+    void readIMUData(bool startPredictEnabled);
 
     // update estimate of inactive bias states
     void learnInactiveBiases();
@@ -1191,7 +1191,6 @@ class NavEKF3_core : public NavEKF_core_common
     uint8_t magSelectIndex;         // Index of the magnetometer that is being used by the EKF
     bool runUpdates;                // boolean true when the EKF updates can be run
     uint32_t framesSincePredict;    // number of frames lapsed since EKF instance did a state prediction
-    bool startPredictEnabled;       // boolean true when the frontend has given permission to start a new state prediciton cycle
     uint8_t localFilterTimeStep_ms; // average number of msec between filter updates
     ftype posDownObsNoise;          // observation noise variance on the vertical position used by the state and covariance update step (m^2)
     Vector3F delAngCorrected;       // corrected IMU delta angle vector at the EKF time horizon (rad)