diff --git a/src/js/tabs/motors.js b/src/js/tabs/motors.js
index ac93f2d9a1..bee9d3a890 100644
--- a/src/js/tabs/motors.js
+++ b/src/js/tabs/motors.js
@@ -390,8 +390,8 @@ motors.initialize = async function (callback) {
             MSP.promise(MSPCodes.MSP_MOTOR).then(() => {
                 const mixer = FC.MIXER_CONFIG.mixer;
                 const motorCount = mixerList[mixer - 1].motors;
-                // initialize for models with zero motors
-                self.numberOfValidOutputs = motorCount;
+                // initialize with firmware supplied motor_count
+                self.numberOfValidOutputs = FC.MOTOR_CONFIG.motor_count;
 
                 for (let i = 0; i < FC.MOTOR_DATA.length; i++) {
                     if (FC.MOTOR_DATA[i] === 0) {
@@ -407,8 +407,6 @@ motors.initialize = async function (callback) {
                         return;
                     }
                 }
-                // if every item in the motor array (current size limit: 8) is populated, we have that many motors
-                self.numberOfValidOutputs = FC.MOTOR_DATA.length;
             });
         }