diff --git a/issue.json b/issue.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7bc99f6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/issue.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"author":{"id":"U_kgDOC7hpFQ","is_bot":false,"login":"nicco99-prog","name":""},"body":"I would like to customize my Kinova robot by equipping it with a different end-effector instead of the Robotiq grippers. I already have the URDF and Xacro files for this end-effector, and I’d like to use MoveIt to control my robot outside of simulation. Do you have any suggestions?\nEven when I try to remove the gripper and use only the kinova robot without the gripper, I get this kind of error:\n[ros2_control_node-1] [ERROR] [1747672075.483567156] [KortexMultiInterfaceHardware]: Gripper joint name is empty!\n\nPS: Running on ROS2 Jazzy, Ubuntu 24.04\n","labels":[{"id":"LA_kwDOF0UnJs8AAAAB_nQZaA","name":"updated","description":"There is an update on the issue that was not addressed","color":"DA3250"}],"number":287,"title":"Use MoveIt with a different end-effector in place of the Robotiq grippers","url":"https://github.com/Kinovarobotics/ros2_kortex/issues/287"}
diff --git a/kortex_driver/src/hardware_interface.cpp b/kortex_driver/src/hardware_interface.cpp
index 4bbff4e5..c19a41d7 100644
--- a/kortex_driver/src/hardware_interface.cpp
+++ b/kortex_driver/src/hardware_interface.cpp
@@ -170,16 +170,15 @@ CallbackReturn KortexMultiInterfaceHardware::on_init(
   gripper_joint_name_ = info_.hardware_parameters["gripper_joint_name"];
   if (gripper_joint_name_.empty())
   {
-    RCLCPP_ERROR(LOGGER, "Gripper joint name is empty!");
+    RCLCPP_INFO(LOGGER, "No gripper joint name provided, gripper control will be disabled.");
   }
   else
   {
     RCLCPP_INFO(LOGGER, "Gripper joint name is '%s'", gripper_joint_name_.c_str());
+    gripper_command_max_velocity_ = std::stod(info_.hardware_parameters["gripper_max_velocity"]);
+    gripper_command_max_force_ = std::stod(info_.hardware_parameters["gripper_max_force"]);
   }
 
-  gripper_command_max_velocity_ = std::stod(info_.hardware_parameters["gripper_max_velocity"]);
-  gripper_command_max_force_ = std::stod(info_.hardware_parameters["gripper_max_force"]);
-
   RCLCPP_INFO_STREAM(LOGGER, "Connecting to robot at " << robot_ip);
 
   // connections
@@ -667,21 +666,24 @@ CallbackReturn KortexMultiInterfaceHardware::on_activate(
     base_command_.add_actuators()->set_position(base_feedback.actuators(i).position());
   }
 
-  // Initialize gripper
-  float gripper_initial_position =
-    base_feedback.interconnect().gripper_feedback().motor()[0].position();
-  RCLCPP_INFO(LOGGER, "Gripper initial position is '%f'.", gripper_initial_position);
-
-  // to radians
-  gripper_command_position_ = gripper_initial_position / 100.0 * 0.81;
-
-  // Initialize interconnect command to current gripper position.
-  base_command_.mutable_interconnect()->mutable_command_id()->set_identifier(0);
-  gripper_motor_command_ =
-    base_command_.mutable_interconnect()->mutable_gripper_command()->add_motor_cmd();
-  gripper_motor_command_->set_position(gripper_initial_position);  // % position
-  gripper_motor_command_->set_velocity(gripper_speed_command_);    // % speed
-  gripper_motor_command_->set_force(gripper_force_command_);       // % force
+  // Initialize gripper if internal bus communication is enabled
+  if (use_internal_bus_gripper_comm_)
+  {
+    float gripper_initial_position =
+      base_feedback.interconnect().gripper_feedback().motor()[0].position();
+    RCLCPP_INFO(LOGGER, "Gripper initial position is '%f'.", gripper_initial_position);
+
+    // to radians
+    gripper_command_position_ = gripper_initial_position / 100.0 * 0.81;
+
+    // Initialize interconnect command to current gripper position.
+    base_command_.mutable_interconnect()->mutable_command_id()->set_identifier(0);
+    gripper_motor_command_ =
+      base_command_.mutable_interconnect()->mutable_gripper_command()->add_motor_cmd();
+    gripper_motor_command_->set_position(gripper_initial_position);  // % position
+    gripper_motor_command_->set_velocity(gripper_speed_command_);    // % speed
+    gripper_motor_command_->set_force(gripper_force_command_);       // % force
+  }
 
   // Send a first frame
   base_feedback = base_cyclic_.Refresh(base_command_);