diff --git a/src/drivers/osd/msp_osd/uorb_to_msp.cpp b/src/drivers/osd/msp_osd/uorb_to_msp.cpp
index bb2db04a167..9bcd2d3f5b7 100644
--- a/src/drivers/osd/msp_osd/uorb_to_msp.cpp
+++ b/src/drivers/osd/msp_osd/uorb_to_msp.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ msp_name_t construct_display_message(const vehicle_status_s &vehicle_status,
 		}
 
 		// display flight mode
-		display.set(MessageDisplayType::FLIGHT_MODE, mode_util::nav_state_names[vehicle_status.nav_state]);
+		display.set(MessageDisplayType::FLIGHT_MODE, mode_util::nav_state_name(vehicle_status.nav_state, vehicle_status.vehicle_type));
 	}
 
 	// display, if updated
diff --git a/src/lib/modes/ui.hpp b/src/lib/modes/ui.hpp
index 2ac70734df4..43f75e64a4c 100644
--- a/src/lib/modes/ui.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/modes/ui.hpp
@@ -103,6 +103,26 @@ const char *const nav_state_names[vehicle_status_s::NAVIGATION_STATE_MAX] = {
 	"External 8",
 };
 
+/**
+ * @return Human-readable name for a nav_state, taking the vehicle type into account.
+ *
+ * The position control mode is shown as "Cruise" for fixed-wing vehicles (including VTOLs in
+ * forward flight, which report VEHICLE_TYPE_FIXED_WING) and as "Position" for all other types.
+ */
+static inline const char *nav_state_name(uint8_t nav_state, uint8_t vehicle_type)
+{
+	if (nav_state >= vehicle_status_s::NAVIGATION_STATE_MAX) {
+		return "(unknown)";
+	}
+
+	if (nav_state == vehicle_status_s::NAVIGATION_STATE_POSCTL
+	    && vehicle_type == vehicle_status_s::VEHICLE_TYPE_FIXED_WING) {
+		return "Cruise";
+	}
+
+	return nav_state_names[nav_state];
+}
+
 /**
  * @return returns true for advanced modes
  */