diff --git a/localization/ekf_localizer/src/ekf_localizer.cpp b/localization/ekf_localizer/src/ekf_localizer.cpp
index 3c3c38dcb1561..b39112b1d8d62 100644
--- a/localization/ekf_localizer/src/ekf_localizer.cpp
+++ b/localization/ekf_localizer/src/ekf_localizer.cpp
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ void EKFLocalizer::callbackTwistWithCovariance(
 {
   // Ignore twist if velocity is too small.
   // Note that this inequality must not include "equal".
-  if (msg->twist.twist.linear.x < params_.threshold_observable_velocity_mps) {
+  if (std::abs(msg->twist.twist.linear.x) < params_.threshold_observable_velocity_mps) {
     msg->twist.covariance[0 * 6 + 0] = 10000.0;
   }
   twist_queue_.push(msg);