diff --git a/diff_drive_controller/include/diff_drive_controller/diff_drive_controller.hpp b/diff_drive_controller/include/diff_drive_controller/diff_drive_controller.hpp
index 74526b199c..84712fe748 100644
--- a/diff_drive_controller/include/diff_drive_controller/diff_drive_controller.hpp
+++ b/diff_drive_controller/include/diff_drive_controller/diff_drive_controller.hpp
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ class DiffDriveController : public controller_interface::ControllerInterface
   rclcpp::Subscription<TwistStamped>::SharedPtr velocity_command_subscriber_ = nullptr;
 
   realtime_tools::RealtimeBox<std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped>> received_velocity_msg_ptr_{nullptr};
+  std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> last_command_msg_;
 
   std::queue<TwistStamped> previous_commands_;  // last two commands
 
diff --git a/diff_drive_controller/src/diff_drive_controller.cpp b/diff_drive_controller/src/diff_drive_controller.cpp
index d21cac602d..d710c81257 100644
--- a/diff_drive_controller/src/diff_drive_controller.cpp
+++ b/diff_drive_controller/src/diff_drive_controller.cpp
@@ -111,26 +111,27 @@ controller_interface::return_type DiffDriveController::update(
     return controller_interface::return_type::OK;
   }
 
-  std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> last_command_msg;
-  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.get(last_command_msg);
+  // if the mutex is unable to lock, last_command_msg_ won't be updated
+  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.try_get([this](const std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> & msg)
+                                     { last_command_msg_ = msg; });
 
-  if (last_command_msg == nullptr)
+  if (last_command_msg_ == nullptr)
   {
     RCLCPP_WARN(logger, "Velocity message received was a nullptr.");
     return controller_interface::return_type::ERROR;
   }
 
-  const auto age_of_last_command = time - last_command_msg->header.stamp;
+  const auto age_of_last_command = time - last_command_msg_->header.stamp;
   // Brake if cmd_vel has timeout, override the stored command
   if (age_of_last_command > cmd_vel_timeout_)
   {
-    last_command_msg->twist.linear.x = 0.0;
-    last_command_msg->twist.angular.z = 0.0;
+    last_command_msg_->twist.linear.x = 0.0;
+    last_command_msg_->twist.angular.z = 0.0;
   }
 
   // command may be limited further by SpeedLimit,
   // without affecting the stored twist command
-  TwistStamped command = *last_command_msg;
+  TwistStamped command = *last_command_msg_;
   double & linear_command = command.twist.linear.x;
   double & angular_command = command.twist.angular.z;
 
@@ -325,12 +326,12 @@ controller_interface::CallbackReturn DiffDriveController::on_configure(
         limited_velocity_publisher_);
   }
 
-  const TwistStamped empty_twist;
-  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set(std::make_shared<TwistStamped>(empty_twist));
-
+  last_command_msg_ = std::make_shared<TwistStamped>();
+  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set([this](std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> & stored_value)
+                                 { stored_value = last_command_msg_; });
   // Fill last two commands with default constructed commands
-  previous_commands_.emplace(empty_twist);
-  previous_commands_.emplace(empty_twist);
+  previous_commands_.emplace(*last_command_msg_);
+  previous_commands_.emplace(*last_command_msg_);
 
   // initialize command subscriber
   velocity_command_subscriber_ = get_node()->create_subscription<TwistStamped>(
@@ -350,7 +351,8 @@ controller_interface::CallbackReturn DiffDriveController::on_configure(
           "time, this message will only be shown once");
         msg->header.stamp = get_node()->get_clock()->now();
       }
-      received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set(std::move(msg));
+      received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set([msg](std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> & stored_value)
+                                     { stored_value = std::move(msg); });
     });
 
   // initialize odometry publisher and message
@@ -476,7 +478,6 @@ controller_interface::CallbackReturn DiffDriveController::on_cleanup(
     return controller_interface::CallbackReturn::ERROR;
   }
 
-  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set(std::make_shared<TwistStamped>());
   return controller_interface::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/diff_drive_controller/test/test_diff_drive_controller.cpp b/diff_drive_controller/test/test_diff_drive_controller.cpp
index 72ae4dbfd7..e29c6bbfee 100644
--- a/diff_drive_controller/test/test_diff_drive_controller.cpp
+++ b/diff_drive_controller/test/test_diff_drive_controller.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ class TestableDiffDriveController : public diff_drive_controller::DiffDriveContr
   std::shared_ptr<geometry_msgs::msg::TwistStamped> getLastReceivedTwist()
   {
     std::shared_ptr<geometry_msgs::msg::TwistStamped> ret;
-    received_velocity_msg_ptr_.get(ret);
+    received_velocity_msg_ptr_.get(
+      [&ret](const std::shared_ptr<geometry_msgs::msg::TwistStamped> & msg) { ret = msg; });
     return ret;
   }
 
diff --git a/tricycle_controller/include/tricycle_controller/tricycle_controller.hpp b/tricycle_controller/include/tricycle_controller/tricycle_controller.hpp
index 010a890f52..1f9361dadd 100644
--- a/tricycle_controller/include/tricycle_controller/tricycle_controller.hpp
+++ b/tricycle_controller/include/tricycle_controller/tricycle_controller.hpp
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ class TricycleController : public controller_interface::ControllerInterface
   rclcpp::Subscription<TwistStamped>::SharedPtr velocity_command_subscriber_ = nullptr;
 
   realtime_tools::RealtimeBox<std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped>> received_velocity_msg_ptr_{nullptr};
+  std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> last_command_msg_;
 
   rclcpp::Service<std_srvs::srv::Empty>::SharedPtr reset_odom_service_;
 
diff --git a/tricycle_controller/src/tricycle_controller.cpp b/tricycle_controller/src/tricycle_controller.cpp
index ec7ca7bd5e..1d6daba958 100644
--- a/tricycle_controller/src/tricycle_controller.cpp
+++ b/tricycle_controller/src/tricycle_controller.cpp
@@ -95,25 +95,27 @@ controller_interface::return_type TricycleController::update(
     }
     return controller_interface::return_type::OK;
   }
-  std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> last_command_msg;
-  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.get(last_command_msg);
-  if (last_command_msg == nullptr)
+
+  // if the mutex is unable to lock, last_command_msg_ won't be updated
+  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.try_get([this](const std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> & msg)
+                                     { last_command_msg_ = msg; });
+  if (last_command_msg_ == nullptr)
   {
     RCLCPP_WARN(get_node()->get_logger(), "Velocity message received was a nullptr.");
     return controller_interface::return_type::ERROR;
   }
 
-  const auto age_of_last_command = time - last_command_msg->header.stamp;
+  const auto age_of_last_command = time - last_command_msg_->header.stamp;
   // Brake if cmd_vel has timeout, override the stored command
   if (age_of_last_command > cmd_vel_timeout_)
   {
-    last_command_msg->twist.linear.x = 0.0;
-    last_command_msg->twist.angular.z = 0.0;
+    last_command_msg_->twist.linear.x = 0.0;
+    last_command_msg_->twist.angular.z = 0.0;
   }
 
   // command may be limited further by Limiters,
   // without affecting the stored twist command
-  TwistStamped command = *last_command_msg;
+  TwistStamped command = *last_command_msg_;
   double & linear_command = command.twist.linear.x;
   double & angular_command = command.twist.angular.z;
   double Ws_read = traction_joint_[0].velocity_state.get().get_value();     // in radians/s
@@ -271,9 +273,9 @@ CallbackReturn TricycleController::on_configure(const rclcpp_lifecycle::State &
     return CallbackReturn::ERROR;
   }
 
-  const TwistStamped empty_twist;
-  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set(std::make_shared<TwistStamped>(empty_twist));
-
+  last_command_msg_ = std::make_shared<TwistStamped>();
+  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set([this](std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> & stored_value)
+                                 { stored_value = last_command_msg_; });
   // Fill last two commands with default constructed commands
   const AckermannDrive empty_ackermann_drive;
   previous_commands_.emplace(empty_ackermann_drive);
@@ -307,7 +309,8 @@ CallbackReturn TricycleController::on_configure(const rclcpp_lifecycle::State &
           "time, this message will only be shown once");
         msg->header.stamp = get_node()->get_clock()->now();
       }
-      received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set(std::move(msg));
+      received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set([msg](std::shared_ptr<TwistStamped> & stored_value)
+                                     { stored_value = std::move(msg); });
     });
 
   // initialize odometry publisher and message
@@ -397,7 +400,6 @@ CallbackReturn TricycleController::on_cleanup(const rclcpp_lifecycle::State &)
     return CallbackReturn::ERROR;
   }
 
-  received_velocity_msg_ptr_.set(std::make_shared<TwistStamped>());
   return CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/tricycle_controller/test/test_tricycle_controller.cpp b/tricycle_controller/test/test_tricycle_controller.cpp
index 9d43c2590d..5e868ebeea 100644
--- a/tricycle_controller/test/test_tricycle_controller.cpp
+++ b/tricycle_controller/test/test_tricycle_controller.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ class TestableTricycleController : public tricycle_controller::TricycleControlle
   std::shared_ptr<geometry_msgs::msg::TwistStamped> getLastReceivedTwist()
   {
     std::shared_ptr<geometry_msgs::msg::TwistStamped> ret;
-    received_velocity_msg_ptr_.get(ret);
+    received_velocity_msg_ptr_.get(
+      [&ret](const std::shared_ptr<geometry_msgs::msg::TwistStamped> & msg) { ret = msg; });
     return ret;
   }