A vehicle system and method of controlling a vehicle engine are provided. The method includes determining a speed of an engine in the vehicle system including a hydraulic system and a vehicle propulsion system operatively coupled to the engine. The method includes determining that the engine speed is decreasing and an actual engine speed is less than a target engine speed, and determining a current gear setting and one or more operating parameters of the hydraulic system in response to determining that the engine speed is decreasing and the actual engine speed is less than the target engine speed. The method, in response to the current gear setting being engaged and the one or more operating parameters being greater than a predetermined threshold value, includes controlling the engine speed to be higher than the target engine speed.