diff --git a/Rover/mode.h b/Rover/mode.h
index f166843ed0d23..487af61e0ed40 100644
--- a/Rover/mode.h
+++ b/Rover/mode.h
@@ -545,6 +545,8 @@ class ModeGuided : public Mode
     void limit_init_time_and_location();
     bool limit_breached() const;
 
+    static constexpr const char *timeout_msg = "target not received last 3secs, stopping";
+
 protected:
 
     enum class SubMode: uint8_t {
diff --git a/Rover/mode_guided.cpp b/Rover/mode_guided.cpp
index 96ab7e15651d4..1515be5effef5 100644
--- a/Rover/mode_guided.cpp
+++ b/Rover/mode_guided.cpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ void ModeGuided::update()
         {
             // stop vehicle if target not updated within 3 seconds
             if (have_attitude_target && (millis() - _des_att_time_ms) > 3000) {
-                gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_WARNING, "target not received last 3secs, stopping");
+                gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_WARNING, timeout_msg);
                 have_attitude_target = false;
             }
             if (have_attitude_target) {
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ void ModeGuided::update()
         {
             // stop vehicle if target not updated within 3 seconds
             if (have_attitude_target && (millis() - _des_att_time_ms) > 3000) {
-                gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_WARNING, "target not received last 3secs, stopping");
+                gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_WARNING, timeout_msg);
                 have_attitude_target = false;
             }
             if (have_attitude_target) {
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ void ModeGuided::update()
             // handle timeout
             if (_have_strthr && (AP_HAL::millis() - _strthr_time_ms) > 3000) {
                 _have_strthr = false;
-                gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_WARNING, "target not received last 3secs, stopping");
+                gcs().send_text(MAV_SEVERITY_WARNING, timeout_msg);
             }
             if (_have_strthr) {
                 // pass latest steering and throttle directly to motors library