diff --git a/src/FirmwarePlugin/APM/ArduSubFirmwarePlugin.cc b/src/FirmwarePlugin/APM/ArduSubFirmwarePlugin.cc
index eadc6a49c872f80980debe8be34b03bb174eee83..548fea42a4f4f1f7e24027abb6b3323b1ed9f1d5 100644
--- a/src/FirmwarePlugin/APM/ArduSubFirmwarePlugin.cc
+++ b/src/FirmwarePlugin/APM/ArduSubFirmwarePlugin.cc
@@ -193,6 +193,10 @@ bool ArduSubFirmwarePlugin::adjustIncomingMavlinkMessage(Vehicle* vehicle, mavli
     return APMFirmwarePlugin::adjustIncomingMavlinkMessage(vehicle, message);
 }
 
+QMap<QString, FactGroup*>* ArduSubFirmwarePlugin::factGroups(void) {
+    return &_nameToFactGroupMap;
+}
+
 const char* APMSubmarineFactGroup::_camTiltFactName = "camera tilt";
 const char* APMSubmarineFactGroup::_tetherTurnsFactName = "tether turns";
 const char* APMSubmarineFactGroup::_lightsLevel1FactName = "lights 1";
diff --git a/src/FirmwarePlugin/APM/ArduSubFirmwarePlugin.h b/src/FirmwarePlugin/APM/ArduSubFirmwarePlugin.h
index a1c50156f1612649de55f2bfb7478b1c3c548c18..830e272f583197ad942ca53caedcd26b1165c651 100644
--- a/src/FirmwarePlugin/APM/ArduSubFirmwarePlugin.h
+++ b/src/FirmwarePlugin/APM/ArduSubFirmwarePlugin.h
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ public:
     int remapParamNameHigestMinorVersionNumber(int majorVersionNumber) const final;
     const QVariantList& toolBarIndicators(const Vehicle* vehicle) final;
     bool  adjustIncomingMavlinkMessage(Vehicle* vehicle, mavlink_message_t* message);
+    virtual QMap<QString, FactGroup*>* factGroups(void);
 
 
 private:
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ private:
     void _handleNamedValueFloat(mavlink_message_t* message);
     void _handleMavlinkMessage(mavlink_message_t* message);
 
+    QMap<QString, FactGroup*> _nameToFactGroupMap;
     APMSubmarineFactGroup _infoFactGroup;
 };
 #endif
diff --git a/src/FirmwarePlugin/FirmwarePlugin.cc b/src/FirmwarePlugin/FirmwarePlugin.cc
index a0f6e89de2aa953085d192b50fbca248e75255de..8ee36e927882e556246a6b5a40cc1c279d33b079 100644
--- a/src/FirmwarePlugin/FirmwarePlugin.cc
+++ b/src/FirmwarePlugin/FirmwarePlugin.cc
@@ -419,8 +419,9 @@ const QVariantList& FirmwarePlugin::cameraList(const Vehicle* vehicle)
     return _cameraList;
 }
 
-const QMap<QString, FactGroup*>& FirmwarePlugin::factGroups(void) {
-    return _nameToFactGroupMap;
+QMap<QString, FactGroup*>* FirmwarePlugin::factGroups(void) {
+    // Generic plugin has no FactGroups
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 bool FirmwarePlugin::vehicleYawsToNextWaypointInMission(const Vehicle* vehicle) const
diff --git a/src/FirmwarePlugin/FirmwarePlugin.h b/src/FirmwarePlugin/FirmwarePlugin.h
index cd6e5c94e3ad48106e0ef1523bc071fa3f66e669..a8c2e428f8c4f4ea04ba0ab73406c5a40a0ea5a1 100644
--- a/src/FirmwarePlugin/FirmwarePlugin.h
+++ b/src/FirmwarePlugin/FirmwarePlugin.h
@@ -273,7 +273,8 @@ public:
     /// Returns a list of CameraMetaData objects for available cameras on the vehicle.
     virtual const QVariantList& cameraList(const Vehicle* vehicle);
 
-    virtual const QMap<QString, FactGroup*>& factGroups(void);
+    /// Returns a pointer to a dictionary of firmware-specific FactGroups
+    virtual QMap<QString, FactGroup*>* factGroups(void);
 
     /// @true: When flying a mission the vehicle is always facing towards the next waypoint
     virtual bool vehicleYawsToNextWaypointInMission(const Vehicle* vehicle) const;
@@ -301,7 +302,6 @@ protected:
     // Arms the vehicle with validation and retries
     // @return: true - vehicle armed, false - vehicle failed to arm
     bool _armVehicleAndValidate(Vehicle* vehicle);
-    QMap<QString, FactGroup*> _nameToFactGroupMap;
 
     // Sets the vehicle to the specified flight mode with validation and retries
     // @return: true - vehicle in specified flight mode, false - flight mode change failed
diff --git a/src/Vehicle/Vehicle.cc b/src/Vehicle/Vehicle.cc
index 2dac5d88fbd0e385f2b34664c1b6ae3c878c1269..ae00734cc8c02680442f4e23aee0822cdba5aa0f 100644
--- a/src/Vehicle/Vehicle.cc
+++ b/src/Vehicle/Vehicle.cc
@@ -373,11 +373,13 @@ void Vehicle::_commonInit(void)
     _addFactGroup(&_temperatureFactGroup, _temperatureFactGroupName);
 
     // Add firmware-specific fact groups, if provided
-    QMap<QString, FactGroup*> fwFactGroups = _firmwarePlugin->factGroups();
-    QMapIterator<QString, FactGroup*> i(fwFactGroups);
-    while(i.hasNext()) {
-        i.next();
-        _addFactGroup(i.value(), i.key());
+    QMap<QString, FactGroup*>* fwFactGroups = _firmwarePlugin->factGroups();
+    if (fwFactGroups) {
+        QMapIterator<QString, FactGroup*> i(*fwFactGroups);
+        while(i.hasNext()) {
+            i.next();
+            _addFactGroup(i.value(), i.key());
+        }
     }
 
     _flightDistanceFact.setRawValue(0);