diff --git a/joy_teleop/config/joy_teleop_example.yaml b/joy_teleop/config/joy_teleop_example.yaml
index f8c2adc..8b40805 100644
--- a/joy_teleop/config/joy_teleop_example.yaml
+++ b/joy_teleop/config/joy_teleop_example.yaml
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ joy_teleop:
       interface_type: geometry_msgs/msg/TwistStamped
       topic_name: cmd_vel
       deadman_buttons: [4]
+      #deadman_axes: [0]
+      #deadman_axes_negative: [1]
       axis_mappings:
         linear-x:
           axis: 1
@@ -30,6 +32,8 @@ joy_teleop:
       interface_type: geometry_msgs/msg/Wrench
       topic_name: base_link_wrench
       deadman_buttons: [5, 7]
+      #deadman_axes: [0]
+      #deadman_axes_negative: [1]
       axis_mappings:
         force-x:
           axis: 3
@@ -45,6 +49,8 @@ joy_teleop:
       interface_type: geometry_msgs/msg/Twist
       topic_name: cmd_vel
       deadman_buttons: [0, 2]
+      #deadman_axes: [0]
+      #deadman_axes_negative: [1]
       message_value:
         linear-x:
           value: 0.0
@@ -58,6 +64,8 @@ joy_teleop:
       interface_type: std_msgs/msg/String
       topic_name: chatter
       deadman_buttons: [2]
+      #deadman_axes: [0]
+      #deadman_axes_negative: [1]
       message_value:
         data:
           value: 'Hello'
@@ -67,6 +75,8 @@ joy_teleop:
       interface_type: std_msgs/msg/UInt8MultiArray
       topic_name: bytes
       deadman_buttons: [5]
+      #deadman_axes: [0]
+      #deadman_axes_negative: [1]
       message_value:
         data:
           value: [1,3,3,7]
@@ -76,6 +86,8 @@ joy_teleop:
       interface_type: std_msgs/msg/UInt8MultiArray
       topic_name: bytes
       deadman_buttons: [3]
+      #deadman_axes: [0]
+      #deadman_axes_negative: [1]
       message_value:
         data:
           value:
@@ -87,6 +99,8 @@ joy_teleop:
       interface_type: std_msgs/msg/UInt8MultiArray
       topic_name: array3
       deadman_buttons: [0]
+      #deadman_axes: [0]
+      #deadman_axes_negative: [1]
       axis_mappings:
         data:
           index: 0
@@ -113,6 +127,26 @@ joy_teleop:
       action_goal:
         increment_by: [0.05]
       buttons: [4]
+      # axes: [4]
+      # axes_negative: [5]
+
+    torso_up_axes:
+      type: action
+      interface_type: teleop_tools_msgs/action/Increment
+      action_name: torso_controller/increment
+      action_goal:
+        increment_by: [0.05]
+      buttons: [4]
+      axes: [5]
+
+    torso_down_axes_negative:
+      type: action
+      interface_type: teleop_tools_msgs/action/Increment
+      action_name: torso_controller/increment
+      action_goal:
+        increment_by: [-0.05]
+      buttons: [4]
+      axes_negative: [5]
 
     torso_down:
       type: action
@@ -121,6 +155,8 @@ joy_teleop:
       action_goal:
         increment_by: [-0.05]
       buttons: [6]
+      # axes: [4]
+      # axes_negative: [5]
 
     fibonacci:
       type: action
@@ -129,6 +165,8 @@ joy_teleop:
       action_goal:
         order: 5
       buttons: [4, 5, 6, 7]
+      # axes: [4]
+      # axes_negative: [5]
 
     add_two_ints:
       type: service
@@ -138,3 +176,5 @@ joy_teleop:
         a: 11
         b: 31
       buttons: [10]
+      # axes: [4]
+      # axes_negative: [5]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/joy_teleop/joy_teleop/joy_teleop.py b/joy_teleop/joy_teleop/joy_teleop.py
index 6c15330..1fa13c8 100644
--- a/joy_teleop/joy_teleop/joy_teleop.py
+++ b/joy_teleop/joy_teleop/joy_teleop.py
@@ -77,16 +77,23 @@ def get_parent_member(msg: typing.Any, member: str) -> typing.Tuple[typing.Any,
 class JoyTeleopCommand:
 
     def __init__(self, name: str, config: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any],
-                 button_name: str, axes_name: str) -> None:
+                 button_name: str, axes_name: str, axes_name_negative: str) -> None:
+
         self.buttons: typing.List[str] = []
         if button_name in config:
             self.buttons = config[button_name]
         self.axes: typing.List[str] = []
         if axes_name in config:
             self.axes = config[axes_name]
+        self.axes_negative: typing.List[str] = []
+        if axes_name_negative in config:
+            self.axes_negative = config[axes_name_negative]
 
-        if len(self.buttons) == 0 and len(self.axes) == 0:
-            raise JoyTeleopException("No buttons or axes configured for command '{}'".format(name))
+        if len(self.buttons) == 0 and len(self.axes) == 0 and len(self.axes_negative) == 0:
+            raise JoyTeleopException(
+                "No buttons, axes or negative_axes configured for command '{}'"
+                .format(name)
+            )
 
         # Used to short-circuit the run command if there aren't enough buttons in the message.
         self.min_button = 0
@@ -95,6 +102,9 @@ def __init__(self, name: str, config: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any],
         self.min_axis = 0
         if len(self.axes) > 0:
             self.min_axis = int(min(self.axes))
+        self.min_negative_axis = 0
+        if len(self.axes_negative) > 0:
+            self.min_negative_axis = int(min(self.axes_negative))
 
         # This can be used to "debounce" the message; if there are multiple presses of the buttons
         # or axes, the command may only activate on the first one until it toggles again.  But this
@@ -105,7 +115,8 @@ def update_active_from_buttons_and_axes(self, joy_state: sensor_msgs.msg.Joy) ->
         self.active = True
 
         if (self.min_button is not None and len(joy_state.buttons) <= self.min_button) and \
-           (self.min_axis is not None and len(joy_state.axes) <= self.min_axis):
+           (self.min_axis is not None and len(joy_state.axes) <= self.min_axis) and \
+           (self.min_negative_axis is not None and len(joy_state.axes) <= self.min_negative_axis):
             # Not enough buttons or axes, so it can't possibly be a message for this command.
             return
 
@@ -125,11 +136,19 @@ def update_active_from_buttons_and_axes(self, joy_state: sensor_msgs.msg.Joy) ->
                 # like (0, 10), but the length of the joystick buttons is only 1.  Ignore these.
                 pass
 
+        for negative_axis in self.axes_negative:
+            try:
+                self.active &= joy_state.axes[negative_axis] == -1.0
+            except IndexError:
+                # An index error can occur if this command is configured for multiple buttons
+                # like (0, 10), but the length of the joystick buttons is only 1.  Ignore these.
+                pass
+
 
 class JoyTeleopTopicCommand(JoyTeleopCommand):
 
     def __init__(self, name: str, config: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any], node: Node) -> None:
-        super().__init__(name, config, 'deadman_buttons', 'deadman_axes')
+        super().__init__(name, config, 'deadman_buttons', 'deadman_axes', 'deadman_axes_negative')
 
         self.name = name
 
@@ -265,7 +284,7 @@ def run(self, node: Node, joy_state: sensor_msgs.msg.Joy) -> None:
 class JoyTeleopServiceCommand(JoyTeleopCommand):
 
     def __init__(self, name: str, config: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any], node: Node) -> None:
-        super().__init__(name, config, 'buttons', 'axes')
+        super().__init__(name, config, 'buttons', 'axes', 'axes_negative')
 
         self.name = name
 
@@ -314,7 +333,7 @@ def run(self, node: Node, joy_state: sensor_msgs.msg.Joy) -> None:
 class JoyTeleopActionCommand(JoyTeleopCommand):
 
     def __init__(self, name: str, config: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any], node: Node) -> None:
-        super().__init__(name, config, 'buttons', 'axes')
+        super().__init__(name, config, 'buttons', 'axes', 'axes_negative')
 
         self.name = name
 
diff --git a/joy_teleop/test/test_parameter_failures.py b/joy_teleop/test/test_parameter_failures.py
index d8fc38e..914c1fe 100644
--- a/joy_teleop/test/test_parameter_failures.py
+++ b/joy_teleop/test/test_parameter_failures.py
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ def test_no_buttons_or_axes(self):
             self.assertTrue(joy_teleop_process.wait_for_shutdown(timeout=10))
 
         self.assertEqual(joy_teleop_process.exit_code, 1)
-        self.assertTrue('JoyTeleopException: No buttons or axes configured for command'
-                        in joy_teleop_process.output)
+        self.assertTrue('JoyTeleopException: No buttons, axes or negative_axes '
+                        'configured for command ' in joy_teleop_process.output)
 
     def test_teleop_no_message_value_or_axis_mappings(self):
         parameters = {}