diff --git a/include/sas_robot_driver_franka/interfaces/qros_effector_driver_franka_hand.hpp b/include/sas_robot_driver_franka/interfaces/qros_effector_driver_franka_hand.hpp
index e26bcc0..1dcd187 100644
--- a/include/sas_robot_driver_franka/interfaces/qros_effector_driver_franka_hand.hpp
+++ b/include/sas_robot_driver_franka/interfaces/qros_effector_driver_franka_hand.hpp
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ namespace qros {
 struct EffectorDriverFrankaHandConfiguration
 {
     std::string robot_ip;
+    bool initialize_with_homing = true;
     double thread_sampeling_time_s = 1e8;  // 10Hz
     double default_force = 3.0;
     double default_speed = 0.1;
diff --git a/src/hand/qros_effector_driver_franka_hand.cpp b/src/hand/qros_effector_driver_franka_hand.cpp
index 0c514bf..88af19a 100644
--- a/src/hand/qros_effector_driver_franka_hand.cpp
+++ b/src/hand/qros_effector_driver_franka_hand.cpp
@@ -149,7 +149,9 @@ namespace qros
     {
         if (!_is_connected()) throw std::runtime_error(
             "[" + std::string(node_->get_name())+ "]::[EffectorDriverFrankaHand]::initialize::Robot is not connected.");
-        gripper_homing();
+        if (configuration_.initialize_with_homing) {
+            gripper_homing();
+        }
         // start gripper status loop
         status_loop_thread_ = std::thread(&EffectorDriverFrankaHand::_gripper_status_loop, this);
         // check status loop with timeout
diff --git a/src/sas_robot_driver_franka_hand_node.cpp b/src/sas_robot_driver_franka_hand_node.cpp
index 12ede61..64415d3 100644
--- a/src/sas_robot_driver_franka_hand_node.cpp
+++ b/src/sas_robot_driver_franka_hand_node.cpp
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     RCLCPP_INFO_STREAM_ONCE(node->get_logger(),"["+node_name+"]::Loading parameters from parameter server.");
 
     qros::EffectorDriverFrankaHandConfiguration robot_driver_franka_hand_configuration;
+    get_optional_parameter(node, "initialize_with_homing", robot_driver_franka_hand_configuration.initialize_with_homing);
     sas::get_ros_parameter(node,"robot_ip_address",robot_driver_franka_hand_configuration.robot_ip);
     sas::get_ros_parameter(node,"thread_sampling_time_sec",robot_driver_franka_hand_configuration.thread_sampeling_time_s);
     sas::get_ros_parameter(node,"default_force",robot_driver_franka_hand_configuration.default_force);