diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h
index a350171554ae63..a6231ed988b5c2 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS.h
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ class GCS_MAVLINK
         return last_radio_status.remrssi_ms;
     }
     static float telemetry_radio_rssi(); // 0==no signal, 1==full signal
-    static uint8_t get_last_txbuf();
+    static bool last_txbuf_is_greater(uint8_t txbuf_limit);
 
     // mission item index to be sent on queued msg, delayed or not
     uint16_t mission_item_reached_index = AP_MISSION_CMD_INDEX_NONE;
@@ -814,7 +814,6 @@ class GCS_MAVLINK
 
     // number of extra ms to add to slow things down for the radio
     uint16_t         stream_slowdown_ms;
-    // last reported radio buffer percent available
 
     // outbound ("deferred message") queue.
 
diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp
index a320eb4eb8a492..3b81e551adbe47 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Common.cpp
@@ -833,13 +833,13 @@ float GCS_MAVLINK::telemetry_radio_rssi()
     return last_radio_status.rssi/254.0f;
 }
 
-uint8_t GCS_MAVLINK::get_last_txbuf()
+bool GCS_MAVLINK::last_txbuf_is_greater(uint8_t txbuf_limit)
 {
     if (AP_HAL::millis() - last_radio_status.received_ms > 5000) {
         // stale report
-        return 100;
+        return true;
     }
-    return last_radio_status.txbuf;
+    return last_radio_status.txbuf > txbuf_limit;
 }
 
 void GCS_MAVLINK::handle_radio_status(const mavlink_message_t &msg)
@@ -1173,7 +1173,7 @@ uint16_t GCS_MAVLINK::get_reschedule_interval_ms(const deferred_message_bucket_t
         interval_ms *= 4;
     }
 #if AP_MAVLINK_FTP_ENABLED
-    if (AP_HAL::millis() - ftp.last_send_ms < 500) {
+    if (AP_HAL::millis() - ftp.last_send_ms < 1000) {
         // we are sending ftp replies
         interval_ms *= 4;
     }
diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_FTP.cpp b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_FTP.cpp
index 78ee2446f73da1..720142a839ef5c 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_FTP.cpp
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_FTP.cpp
@@ -97,15 +97,11 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK::handle_file_transfer_protocol(const mavlink_message_t &msg) {
 
 bool GCS_MAVLINK::send_ftp_reply(const pending_ftp &reply)
 {
-    /*
-      provide same banner we would give with old param download
-    */
-    if (ftp.need_banner_send_mask & (1U<<reply.chan)) {
-        ftp.need_banner_send_mask &= ~(1U<<reply.chan);
-        send_banner();
+    if (!last_txbuf_is_greater(33)) { // It helps avoid GCS timeout if this is less than the threshold where we slow down normal streams (<=49)
+        return false;
     }
     WITH_SEMAPHORE(comm_chan_lock(reply.chan));
-    if (!HAVE_PAYLOAD_SPACE(chan, FILE_TRANSFER_PROTOCOL) || get_last_txbuf() < 33) {
+    if (!HAVE_PAYLOAD_SPACE(chan, FILE_TRANSFER_PROTOCOL)) {
         return false;
     }
     uint8_t payload[251] = {};
@@ -121,11 +117,6 @@ bool GCS_MAVLINK::send_ftp_reply(const pending_ftp &reply)
         reply.chan,
         0, reply.sysid, reply.compid,
         payload);
-    if (reply.req_opcode == FTP_OP::TerminateSession) {
-        ftp.last_send_ms = 0;
-    } else {
-        ftp.last_send_ms = AP_HAL::millis();
-    }
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -155,9 +146,25 @@ void GCS_MAVLINK::ftp_error(struct pending_ftp &response, FTP_ERROR error) {
 // send our response back out to the system
 void GCS_MAVLINK::ftp_push_replies(pending_ftp &reply)
 {
+    ftp.last_send_ms = AP_HAL::millis(); // Used to detect active FTP session
+
     while (!send_ftp_reply(reply)) {
         hal.scheduler->delay(2);
     }
+
+    if (reply.req_opcode == FTP_OP::TerminateSession) {
+        ftp.last_send_ms = 0;
+    }
+    /*
+      provide same banner we would give with old param download
+      Do this after send_ftp_reply() to get the first FTP response out sooner
+      on slow links to avoid GCS timeout.  The slowdown of normal streams in
+      get_reschedule_interval_ms() should help for subsequent responses.
+    */
+    if (ftp.need_banner_send_mask & (1U<<reply.chan)) {
+        ftp.need_banner_send_mask &= ~(1U<<reply.chan);
+        send_banner();
+    }
 }
 
 void GCS_MAVLINK::ftp_worker(void) {
diff --git a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Param.cpp b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Param.cpp
index a4c8c1df5182cb..68166e0208473d 100644
--- a/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Param.cpp
+++ b/libraries/GCS_MAVLink/GCS_Param.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ GCS_MAVLINK::queued_param_send()
     }
     count -= async_replies_sent_count;
 
-    while (count && _queued_parameter != nullptr && get_last_txbuf() > 50) {
+    while (count && _queued_parameter != nullptr && last_txbuf_is_greater(33)) {
         char param_name[AP_MAX_NAME_SIZE];
         _queued_parameter->copy_name_token(_queued_parameter_token, param_name, sizeof(param_name), true);