diff --git a/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem.cpp b/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem.cpp
index 29745e57f1f8b8..221f6224504e6c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem.cpp
@@ -240,8 +240,7 @@ bool AP_ESC_Telem::get_temperature(uint8_t esc_index, int16_t& temp) const
 {
     const volatile AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData& telemdata = _telem_data[esc_index];
     if (esc_index >= ESC_TELEM_MAX_ESCS
-        || telemdata.stale()
-        || !(telemdata.types & (AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::TEMPERATURE | AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::TEMPERATURE_EXTERNAL))) {
+        || !telemdata.valid(AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::TEMPERATURE | AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::TEMPERATURE_EXTERNAL)) {
         return false;
     }
     temp = telemdata.temperature_cdeg;
@@ -253,8 +252,7 @@ bool AP_ESC_Telem::get_motor_temperature(uint8_t esc_index, int16_t& temp) const
 {
     const volatile AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData& telemdata = _telem_data[esc_index];
     if (esc_index >= ESC_TELEM_MAX_ESCS
-        || telemdata.stale()
-        || !(telemdata.types & (AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::MOTOR_TEMPERATURE | AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::MOTOR_TEMPERATURE_EXTERNAL))) {
+         || !telemdata.valid(AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::MOTOR_TEMPERATURE | AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::MOTOR_TEMPERATURE_EXTERNAL)) {
         return false;
     }
     temp = telemdata.motor_temp_cdeg;
@@ -282,8 +280,7 @@ bool AP_ESC_Telem::get_current(uint8_t esc_index, float& amps) const
 {
     const volatile AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData& telemdata = _telem_data[esc_index];
     if (esc_index >= ESC_TELEM_MAX_ESCS
-        || telemdata.stale()
-        || !(telemdata.types & AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::CURRENT)) {
+        || !telemdata.valid(AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::CURRENT)) {
         return false;
     }
     amps = telemdata.current;
@@ -295,8 +292,7 @@ bool AP_ESC_Telem::get_voltage(uint8_t esc_index, float& volts) const
 {
     const volatile AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData& telemdata = _telem_data[esc_index];
     if (esc_index >= ESC_TELEM_MAX_ESCS
-        || telemdata.stale()
-        || !(telemdata.types & AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::VOLTAGE)) {
+        || !telemdata.valid(AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::VOLTAGE)) {
         return false;
     }
     volts = telemdata.voltage;
@@ -308,8 +304,7 @@ bool AP_ESC_Telem::get_consumption_mah(uint8_t esc_index, float& consumption_mah
 {
     const volatile AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData& telemdata = _telem_data[esc_index];
     if (esc_index >= ESC_TELEM_MAX_ESCS
-        || telemdata.stale()
-        || !(telemdata.types & AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::CONSUMPTION)) {
+        || !telemdata.valid(AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::CONSUMPTION)) {
         return false;
     }
     consumption_mah = telemdata.consumption_mah;
@@ -321,8 +316,7 @@ bool AP_ESC_Telem::get_usage_seconds(uint8_t esc_index, uint32_t& usage_s) const
 {
     const volatile AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData& telemdata = _telem_data[esc_index];
     if (esc_index >= ESC_TELEM_MAX_ESCS
-        || telemdata.stale()
-        || !(telemdata.types & AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::USAGE)) {
+        || !telemdata.valid(AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::USAGE)) {
         return false;
     }
     usage_s = telemdata.usage_s;
@@ -335,8 +329,7 @@ bool AP_ESC_Telem::get_input_duty(uint8_t esc_index, uint8_t& input_duty) const
 {
     const volatile AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData& telemdata = _telem_data[esc_index];
     if (esc_index >= ESC_TELEM_MAX_ESCS
-        || telemdata.stale()
-        || !(telemdata.types & AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::INPUT_DUTY)) {
+        || !telemdata.valid(AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::INPUT_DUTY)) {
         return false;
     }
     input_duty = telemdata.input_duty;
@@ -348,8 +341,7 @@ bool AP_ESC_Telem::get_output_duty(uint8_t esc_index, uint8_t& output_duty) cons
 {
     const volatile AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData& telemdata = _telem_data[esc_index];
     if (esc_index >= ESC_TELEM_MAX_ESCS
-        || telemdata.stale()
-        || !(telemdata.types & AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::OUTPUT_DUTY)) {
+        || !telemdata.valid(AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::OUTPUT_DUTY)) {
         return false;
     }
     output_duty = telemdata.output_duty;
@@ -361,8 +353,7 @@ bool AP_ESC_Telem::get_flags(uint8_t esc_index, uint32_t& flags) const
 {
     const volatile AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData& telemdata = _telem_data[esc_index];
     if (esc_index >= ESC_TELEM_MAX_ESCS
-        || telemdata.stale()
-        || !(telemdata.types & AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::FLAGS)) {
+        || !telemdata.valid(AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::FLAGS)) {
         return false;
     }
     flags = telemdata.flags;
@@ -374,8 +365,7 @@ bool AP_ESC_Telem::get_power_percentage(uint8_t esc_index, uint8_t& power_percen
 {
     const volatile AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData& telemdata = _telem_data[esc_index];
     if (esc_index >= ESC_TELEM_MAX_ESCS
-        || telemdata.stale()
-        || !(telemdata.types & AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::POWER_PERCENTAGE)) {
+        || !telemdata.valid(AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryType::POWER_PERCENTAGE)) {
         return false;
     }
     power_percentage = telemdata.power_percentage;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem_Backend.cpp b/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem_Backend.cpp
index 46f5aa61459964..a63c0191c5c853 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem_Backend.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem_Backend.cpp
@@ -50,10 +50,19 @@ void AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::update_telem_data(const uint8_t esc_index, const Tele
  */
 bool AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData::stale(uint32_t now_ms) const volatile
 {
-    if (now_ms == 0) {
-        now_ms = AP_HAL::millis();
-    }
     return last_update_ms == 0 || now_ms - last_update_ms > ESC_TELEM_DATA_TIMEOUT_MS;
 }
 
+/*
+  return true if the requested types of data are available and not stale
+ */
+bool AP_ESC_Telem_Backend::TelemetryData::valid(const uint16_t type_mask) const volatile
+{
+    if ((types & type_mask) == 0) {
+        // Requested type not available
+        return false;
+    }
+    return !stale(AP_HAL::millis());
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem_Backend.h b/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem_Backend.h
index 0764cb79f0c9b2..f127c0d71ab92c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem_Backend.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_ESC_Telem/AP_ESC_Telem_Backend.h
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ class AP_ESC_Telem_Backend {
 #endif // AP_EXTENDED_ESC_TELEM_ENABLED
 
         // return true if the data is stale
-        bool stale(uint32_t now_ms=0) const volatile;
+        bool stale(uint32_t now_ms) const volatile;
+
+        //  return true if the requested type of data is available and not stale
+        bool valid(const uint16_t type_mask) const volatile;
     };
 
     struct RpmData {