You should check both your rpm and pitch at half stick.
There's not much tampering needed to get a little off. Once you have your rpm where you want it at half stick, adjust the pitch as needed for lift off. You would probably then also have to readjust your throttle curve to maintain desired rpm, as the load on the engine icreases when you increase the pitch.
If this is successful and your engine still acts normally during flight it should be okay.