diff --git a/site_ansto/motor_dmc2280.c b/site_ansto/motor_dmc2280.c
index 4640a517..08db73c6 100644
--- a/site_ansto/motor_dmc2280.c
+++ b/site_ansto/motor_dmc2280.c
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ struct __MoDriv {
   int rotary_count; /**< count of rotations */
   char ao_id[256];
   bool legacy_fsm; /**< flag for legacy_fsm new code */
+  bool status_valid; /**< flag for status has been set from controller */
   bool doStats; /**< flag to request stats collection */
   double S_x;
   double S_y;
@@ -1800,7 +1801,7 @@ static int rspStatus(pDMC2280Driv self, const char* text) {
   self->currSteps = iSteps;
   if (self->bias_bits > 0)
     iCounts = (iCounts + self->bias_bias) & ((1 << self->bias_bits) - 1);
-  if (self->rotary_bits > 0) {
+  if (self->rotary_bits > 0 && self->status_valid) {
     int shift = 2;
     int mask = (1 << shift) - 1;
     int old_bits = (self->currCounts >> (self->rotary_bits - shift)) & mask;
@@ -1848,6 +1849,7 @@ static int rspStatus(pDMC2280Driv self, const char* text) {
     else
       self->stopCode = 1;
   }
+  self->status_valid = true;
   return 1;
 }