diff --git a/aruco_pose/src/aruco_map.cpp b/aruco_pose/src/aruco_map.cpp
index 10b717cc0..4bc216c76 100644
--- a/aruco_pose/src/aruco_map.cpp
+++ b/aruco_pose/src/aruco_map.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ class ArucoMap : public nodelet::Nodelet {
 	visualization_msgs::MarkerArray vis_array_;
 	std::string known_vertical_, map_, markers_frame_, markers_parent_frame_;
 	int image_width_, image_height_, image_margin_;
-	bool flip_vertical_, auto_flip_, image_axis_;
+	bool flip_vertical_, auto_flip_, image_axis_, put_markers_count_to_covariance_;
 
 public:
 	virtual void onInit()
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ class ArucoMap : public nodelet::Nodelet {
 		image_height_ = nh_priv_.param("image_height", 2000);
 		image_margin_ = nh_priv_.param("image_margin", 200);
 		image_axis_ = nh_priv_.param("image_axis", true);
+		put_markers_count_to_covariance_ = nh_priv_.param("put_markers_count_to_covariance", false);
 		markers_parent_frame_ = nh_priv_.param<std::string>("markers/frame_id", transform_.child_frame_id);
 		markers_frame_ = nh_priv_.param<std::string>("markers/child_frame_id_prefix", "");
 
@@ -178,6 +179,11 @@ class ArucoMap : public nodelet::Nodelet {
 			corners.push_back(marker_corners);
 		}
 
+		if (put_markers_count_to_covariance_) {
+			// HACK: pass markers count using covariance field
+			pose_.pose.covariance[0] = markers->markers.size();
+		}
+
 		if (known_vertical_.empty()) {
 			// simple estimation
 			valid = cv::aruco::estimatePoseBoard(corners, ids, board_, camera_matrix_, dist_coeffs_,