diff --git a/ign_ros2_control/src/ign_ros2_control_plugin.cpp b/ign_ros2_control/src/ign_ros2_control_plugin.cpp
index e5c3f61a..a08e671a 100644
--- a/ign_ros2_control/src/ign_ros2_control_plugin.cpp
+++ b/ign_ros2_control/src/ign_ros2_control_plugin.cpp
@@ -378,6 +378,12 @@ void IgnitionROS2ControlPlugin::Configure(
   std::unique_ptr<hardware_interface::ResourceManager> resource_manager_ =
     std::make_unique<hardware_interface::ResourceManager>();
 
+  try {
+    resource_manager_->load_urdf(urdf_string, false, false);
+  } catch (...) {
+    RCLCPP_ERROR(
+      this->dataPtr->node_->get_logger(), "Error initializing URDF to resource manager!");
+  }
   try {
     this->dataPtr->robot_hw_sim_loader_.reset(
       new pluginlib::ClassLoader<ign_ros2_control::IgnitionSystemInterface>(