diff --git a/controller_manager/src/controller_manager.cpp b/controller_manager/src/controller_manager.cpp
index 5e5c3fafb0..7356c9f34a 100644
--- a/controller_manager/src/controller_manager.cpp
+++ b/controller_manager/src/controller_manager.cpp
@@ -571,6 +571,15 @@ controller_interface::ControllerInterfaceBaseSharedPtr ControllerManager::load_c
   }
   if (get_parameter(fallback_ctrl_param, fallback_controllers) && !fallback_controllers.empty())
   {
+    if (
+      std::find(fallback_controllers.begin(), fallback_controllers.end(), controller_name) !=
+      fallback_controllers.end())
+    {
+      RCLCPP_ERROR(
+        get_logger(), "Controller '%s' cannot be a fallback controller for itself.",
+        controller_name.c_str());
+      return nullptr;
+    }
     controller_spec.info.fallback_controllers_names = fallback_controllers;
   }
 
diff --git a/controller_manager/test/test_controller_manager.cpp b/controller_manager/test/test_controller_manager.cpp
index 432082135a..a8cb9b3ddb 100644
--- a/controller_manager/test/test_controller_manager.cpp
+++ b/controller_manager/test/test_controller_manager.cpp
@@ -538,6 +538,27 @@ class TestControllerManagerFallbackControllers
 {
 };
 
+TEST_F(TestControllerManagerFallbackControllers, test_failure_on_same_controller_in_fallback_list)
+{
+  controller_interface::InterfaceConfiguration cmd_itfs_cfg;
+  cmd_itfs_cfg.type = controller_interface::interface_configuration_type::INDIVIDUAL;
+  cmd_itfs_cfg.names = {"joint1/position"};
+  auto test_controller_1 = std::make_shared<test_controller::TestController>();
+  test_controller_1->set_command_interface_configuration(cmd_itfs_cfg);
+  const std::string test_controller_1_name = "test_controller_1";
+
+  const std::vector<std::string> fallback_controllers = {test_controller_1_name, "random_ctrl2"};
+  rclcpp::Parameter fallback_ctrls_parameter(
+    test_controller_1_name + std::string(".fallback_controllers"), fallback_controllers);
+  cm_->set_parameter(fallback_ctrls_parameter);
+  {
+    ControllerManagerRunner cm_runner(this);
+    ASSERT_EQ(
+      nullptr,
+      cm_->load_controller(test_controller_1_name, test_controller::TEST_CONTROLLER_CLASS_NAME));
+  }
+}
+
 TEST_F(TestControllerManagerFallbackControllers, test_fallback_controllers_activation_simple_case)
 {
   const auto strictness = controller_manager_msgs::srv::SwitchController::Request::STRICT;