diff --git a/mission/controller/ThermalController.cpp b/mission/controller/ThermalController.cpp
index 2729cec0..7d8d99a0 100644
--- a/mission/controller/ThermalController.cpp
+++ b/mission/controller/ThermalController.cpp
@@ -1792,7 +1792,8 @@ void ThermalController::heaterMaxDurationControl(
   for (unsigned i = 0; i < heater::Switch::NUMBER_OF_SWITCHES; i++) {
     // Right now, we only track the maximum duration for heater which were commanded by the TCS
     // controller.
-    if (currentHeaterStates[i] == heater::SwitchState::ON and
+    if (heaterHandler.getHealth(static_cast<heater::Switch>(i)) != HasHealthIF::EXTERNAL_CONTROL and
+        currentHeaterStates[i] == heater::SwitchState::ON and
         heaterStates[i].trackHeaterMaxBurnTime and
         heaterStates[i].heaterOnMaxBurnTime.hasTimedOut()) {
       heaterStates[i].switchTransition = false;