diff --git a/gz_ros2_control_demos/examples/example_gripper.cpp b/gz_ros2_control_demos/examples/example_gripper.cpp
index 449cf6ab..c534fcb5 100644
--- a/gz_ros2_control_demos/examples/example_gripper.cpp
+++ b/gz_ros2_control_demos/examples/example_gripper.cpp
@@ -23,13 +23,11 @@
 
 #include "std_msgs/msg/float64_multi_array.hpp"
 
-std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::Node> node;
-
 int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 {
   rclcpp::init(argc, argv);
 
-  node = std::make_shared<rclcpp::Node>("gripper_test_node");
+  std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::Node> node = std::make_shared<rclcpp::Node>("gripper_test_node");
 
   auto publisher = node->create_publisher<std_msgs::msg::Float64MultiArray>(
     "/gripper_controller/commands", 10);