diff --git a/include/interactive_markers/interactive_marker_server.h b/include/interactive_markers/interactive_marker_server.h
index eac2c85d..23a21c4a 100644
--- a/include/interactive_markers/interactive_marker_server.h
+++ b/include/interactive_markers/interactive_marker_server.h
@@ -212,9 +212,6 @@ class InteractiveMarkerServer : boost::noncopyable
 
   // updates that have to be sent on the next publish
   M_UpdateContext pending_updates_;
-
-  // topic namespace to use
-  std::string topic_ns_;
   
   mutable boost::recursive_mutex mutex_;
 
diff --git a/src/interactive_marker_server.cpp b/src/interactive_marker_server.cpp
index d960c881..78052953 100644
--- a/src/interactive_marker_server.cpp
+++ b/src/interactive_marker_server.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ namespace interactive_markers
 {
 
 InteractiveMarkerServer::InteractiveMarkerServer( const std::string &topic_ns, const std::string &server_id, bool spin_thread ) :
-    topic_ns_(topic_ns),
+    node_handle_(topic_ns),
     seq_num_(0)
 {
   if ( spin_thread )
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ InteractiveMarkerServer::InteractiveMarkerServer( const std::string &topic_ns, c
     server_id_ = ros::this_node::getName();
   }
 
-  std::string update_topic = topic_ns + "/update";
+  std::string update_topic = "update";
   std::string init_topic = update_topic + "_full";
-  std::string feedback_topic = topic_ns + "/feedback";
+  std::string feedback_topic = "feedback";
 
   init_pub_ = node_handle_.advertise<visualization_msgs::InteractiveMarkerInit>( init_topic, 100, true );
   update_pub_ = node_handle_.advertise<visualization_msgs::InteractiveMarkerUpdate>( update_topic, 100 );