diff --git a/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/component_parser.hpp b/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/component_parser.hpp
index 1d0f07d94b..9f81a2a863 100644
--- a/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/component_parser.hpp
+++ b/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/component_parser.hpp
@@ -33,5 +33,8 @@ namespace hardware_interface
 HARDWARE_INTERFACE_PUBLIC
 std::vector<HardwareInfo> parse_control_resources_from_urdf(const std::string & urdf);
 
+HARDWARE_INTERFACE_PUBLIC
+bool parse_bool(const std::string & bool_string);
+
 }  // namespace hardware_interface
 #endif  // HARDWARE_INTERFACE__COMPONENT_PARSER_HPP_
diff --git a/hardware_interface/src/component_parser.cpp b/hardware_interface/src/component_parser.cpp
index b8d20e763d..0e3ed226e5 100644
--- a/hardware_interface/src/component_parser.cpp
+++ b/hardware_interface/src/component_parser.cpp
@@ -590,4 +590,9 @@ std::vector<HardwareInfo> parse_control_resources_from_urdf(const std::string &
   return hardware_info;
 }
 
+bool parse_bool(const std::string & bool_string)
+{
+  return bool_string == "true" || bool_string == "True";
+}
+
 }  // namespace hardware_interface
diff --git a/hardware_interface/src/mock_components/generic_system.cpp b/hardware_interface/src/mock_components/generic_system.cpp
index 4d5cf82fd2..17a9522b47 100644
--- a/hardware_interface/src/mock_components/generic_system.cpp
+++ b/hardware_interface/src/mock_components/generic_system.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "hardware_interface/component_parser.hpp"
 #include "hardware_interface/types/hardware_interface_type_values.hpp"
 #include "rcutils/logging_macros.h"
 
@@ -61,8 +62,7 @@ CallbackReturn GenericSystem::on_init(const hardware_interface::HardwareInfo & i
   auto it = info_.hardware_parameters.find("mock_sensor_commands");
   if (it != info_.hardware_parameters.end())
   {
-    // TODO(anyone): change this to parse_bool() (see ros2_control#339)
-    use_mock_sensor_command_interfaces_ = it->second == "true" || it->second == "True";
+    use_fake_sensor_command_interfaces_ = hardware_interface::parse_bool(it->second);
   }
   else
   {
@@ -86,8 +86,7 @@ CallbackReturn GenericSystem::on_init(const hardware_interface::HardwareInfo & i
   it = info_.hardware_parameters.find("fake_gpio_commands");
   if (it != info_.hardware_parameters.end())
   {
-    // TODO(anyone): change this to parse_bool() (see ros2_control#339)
-    use_fake_gpio_command_interfaces_ = it->second == "true" || it->second == "True";
+    use_fake_gpio_command_interfaces_ = hardware_interface::parse_bool(it->second);
   }
   else
   {