diff --git a/diff_drive_controller/src/diff_drive_controller.cpp b/diff_drive_controller/src/diff_drive_controller.cpp
index 92fa27a7be..fa56e31c31 100644
--- a/diff_drive_controller/src/diff_drive_controller.cpp
+++ b/diff_drive_controller/src/diff_drive_controller.cpp
@@ -219,24 +219,10 @@ controller_interface::return_type DiffDriveController::update_and_write_commands
     tf2::Quaternion orientation;
     orientation.setRPY(0.0, 0.0, odometry_.getHeading());
 
-    bool should_publish = false;
-    try
+    if (previous_publish_timestamp_ + publish_period_ <= time)
     {
-      if (previous_publish_timestamp_ + publish_period_ <= time)
-      {
-        previous_publish_timestamp_ += publish_period_;
-        should_publish = true;
-      }
-    }
-    catch (const std::runtime_error &)
-    {
-      // Handle exceptions when the time source changes and initialize publish timestamp
-      previous_publish_timestamp_ = time;
-      should_publish = true;
-    }
+      previous_publish_timestamp_ += publish_period_;
 
-    if (should_publish)
-    {
       if (realtime_odometry_publisher_)
       {
         odometry_message_.header.stamp = time;
@@ -492,6 +478,7 @@ controller_interface::CallbackReturn DiffDriveController::on_configure(
   odometry_transform_message_.transforms.front().header.frame_id = odom_frame_id;
   odometry_transform_message_.transforms.front().child_frame_id = base_frame_id;
 
+  previous_publish_timestamp_ = get_node()->get_clock()->now();
   previous_update_timestamp_ = get_node()->get_clock()->now();
   return controller_interface::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
 }