diff --git a/gz_ros2_control/src/gz_system.cpp b/gz_ros2_control/src/gz_system.cpp
index bd30ea70..d5aa0b8a 100644
--- a/gz_ros2_control/src/gz_system.cpp
+++ b/gz_ros2_control/src/gz_system.cpp
@@ -336,14 +336,25 @@ bool GazeboSimSystem::initSim(
 
     RCLCPP_INFO_STREAM(this->nh_->get_logger(), "\tState:");
 
-    auto get_initial_value = [this](const hardware_interface::InterfaceInfo & interface_info) {
+    auto get_initial_value =
+      [this, joint_name](const hardware_interface::InterfaceInfo & interface_info) {
+        double initial_value{0.0};
         if (!interface_info.initial_value.empty()) {
-          double value = hardware_interface::stod(interface_info.initial_value);
-          RCLCPP_INFO(this->nh_->get_logger(), "\t\t\t found initial value: %f", value);
-          return value;
-        } else {
-          return 0.0;
+          try {
+            initial_value = hardware_interface::stod(interface_info.initial_value);
+            RCLCPP_INFO(this->nh_->get_logger(), "\t\t\t found initial value: %f", initial_value);
+          } catch (std::invalid_argument &) {
+            RCLCPP_ERROR_STREAM(
+              this->nh_->get_logger(),
+              "Failed converting initial_value string to real number for the joint "
+                << joint_name
+                << " and state interface " << interface_info.name
+                << ". Actual value of parameter: " << interface_info.initial_value
+                << ". Initial value will be set to 0.0");
+            throw std::invalid_argument("Failed converting initial_value string");
+          }
         }
+        return initial_value;
       };
 
     double initial_position = std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN();