A shift controlled bypass orifice for a hydrostatic transmission includes a pump valve body with high pressure ports through which hydraulic fluid flows between a pump and a motor, a bypass orifice extending between the high pressure ports and the outside of the pump valve body, a bleed poppet movable between a closed position blocking the bypass orifice and an open position opening the bypass orifice, and a poppet push pin moving the bleed poppet toward the open position if the hydrostatic transmission is in neutral, and toward the closed position if the hydrostatic transmission is in forward or reverse.