diff --git a/launch/ur10_bringup.launch b/launch/ur10_bringup.launch
index 942a462d5..6b5960d30 100644
--- a/launch/ur10_bringup.launch
+++ b/launch/ur10_bringup.launch
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 <launch>
 
   <!-- robot_ip: IP-address of the robot's socket-messaging server -->
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="limited" default="false"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@
   <!-- ur common -->
   <include file="$(find ur_modern_driver)/launch/ur_common.launch">
     <arg name="robot_ip" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <arg name="reverse_ip" value="$(arg reverse_ip)"/>
     <arg name="reverse_port" value="$(arg reverse_port)"/>
     <arg name="min_payload"  value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
     <arg name="max_payload"  value="$(arg max_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur10_bringup_compatible.launch b/launch/ur10_bringup_compatible.launch
index 749c693e6..6a4f3b842 100644
--- a/launch/ur10_bringup_compatible.launch
+++ b/launch/ur10_bringup_compatible.launch
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 <launch>
 
   <!-- robot_ip: IP-address of the robot's socket-messaging server -->
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="limited" default="false"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@
   <!-- ur common -->
   <include file="$(find ur_modern_driver)/launch/ur_common.launch">
     <arg name="robot_ip" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <arg name="reverse_ip" value="$(arg reverse_ip)"/>
     <arg name="reverse_port" value="$(arg reverse_port)"/>
     <arg name="min_payload"  value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
     <arg name="max_payload"  value="$(arg max_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur10_bringup_joint_limited.launch b/launch/ur10_bringup_joint_limited.launch
index 85ff2166b..a99f0fc18 100644
--- a/launch/ur10_bringup_joint_limited.launch
+++ b/launch/ur10_bringup_joint_limited.launch
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 <launch>
 
   <!-- robot_ip: IP-address of the robot's socket-messaging server -->
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
   <arg name="max_payload"  default="10.0"/>
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
 
   <include file="$(find ur_modern_driver)/launch/ur10_bringup.launch">
     <arg name="robot_ip" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <arg name="reverse_ip" value="$(arg reverse_ip)"/>
     <arg name="reverse_port" value="$(arg reverse_port)"/>
     <arg name="limited"  value="true"/>
     <arg name="min_payload"  value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur10_ros_control.launch b/launch/ur10_ros_control.launch
index 471bfd676..20bdef883 100644
--- a/launch/ur10_ros_control.launch
+++ b/launch/ur10_ros_control.launch
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
   <arg unless="$(arg debug)" name="launch_prefix" value="" />
   <arg     if="$(arg debug)" name="launch_prefix" value="gdb --ex run --args" />
 
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="limited" default="false"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
   <!-- Load hardware interface -->
   <node name="ur_hardware_interface" pkg="ur_modern_driver" type="ur_driver" output="log" launch-prefix="$(arg launch_prefix)">
     <param name="robot_ip_address" type="str" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <param name="reverse_ip_address" type="str" value="$(arg reverse_ip)" />
     <param name="reverse_port" type="int" value="$(arg reverse_port)" />
     <param name="min_payload" type="double" value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
     <param name="max_payload" type="double" value="$(arg max_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur3_bringup.launch b/launch/ur3_bringup.launch
index 0c37dc9c6..106a1bd0d 100644
--- a/launch/ur3_bringup.launch
+++ b/launch/ur3_bringup.launch
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 <launch>
 
   <!-- robot_ip: IP-address of the robot's socket-messaging server -->
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="limited" default="false"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@
   <!-- ur common -->
   <include file="$(find ur_modern_driver)/launch/ur_common.launch">
     <arg name="robot_ip" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <arg name="reverse_ip" value="$(arg reverse_ip)"/>
     <arg name="reverse_port" value="$(arg reverse_port)"/>
     <arg name="min_payload"  value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
     <arg name="max_payload"  value="$(arg max_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur3_bringup_joint_limited.launch b/launch/ur3_bringup_joint_limited.launch
index df0955597..e0c734ef4 100644
--- a/launch/ur3_bringup_joint_limited.launch
+++ b/launch/ur3_bringup_joint_limited.launch
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 <launch>
 
   <!-- robot_ip: IP-address of the robot's socket-messaging server -->
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
   <arg name="max_payload"  default="3.0"/>
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
 
   <include file="$(find ur_modern_driver)/launch/ur3_bringup.launch">
     <arg name="robot_ip" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <arg name="reverse_ip" value="$(arg reverse_ip)"/>
     <arg name="reverse_port" value="$(arg reverse_port)"/>
     <arg name="limited"  value="true"/>
     <arg name="min_payload"  value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur3_ros_control.launch b/launch/ur3_ros_control.launch
index d778b808f..25b2d5beb 100644
--- a/launch/ur3_ros_control.launch
+++ b/launch/ur3_ros_control.launch
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
   <arg unless="$(arg debug)" name="launch_prefix" value="" />
   <arg     if="$(arg debug)" name="launch_prefix" value="gdb --ex run --args" />
 
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="limited" default="false"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
   <!-- Load hardware interface -->
   <node name="ur_hardware_interface" pkg="ur_modern_driver" type="ur_driver" output="log" launch-prefix="$(arg launch_prefix)">
     <param name="robot_ip_address" type="str" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <param name="reverse_ip_address" type="str" value="$(arg reverse_ip)" />
     <param name="reverse_port" type="int" value="$(arg reverse_port)" />
     <param name="min_payload" type="double" value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
     <param name="max_payload" type="double" value="$(arg max_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur5_bringup.launch b/launch/ur5_bringup.launch
index 780d9bc0c..e568fce2f 100644
--- a/launch/ur5_bringup.launch
+++ b/launch/ur5_bringup.launch
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 <launch>
 
   <!-- robot_ip: IP-address of the robot's socket-messaging server -->
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="limited" default="false"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@
   <!-- ur common -->
   <include file="$(find ur_modern_driver)/launch/ur_common.launch">
     <arg name="robot_ip" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <arg name="reverse_ip" value="$(arg reverse_ip)"/>
     <arg name="reverse_port" value="$(arg reverse_port)"/>
     <arg name="min_payload"  value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
     <arg name="max_payload"  value="$(arg max_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur5_bringup_compatible.launch b/launch/ur5_bringup_compatible.launch
index 069c2a6f5..197e95797 100644
--- a/launch/ur5_bringup_compatible.launch
+++ b/launch/ur5_bringup_compatible.launch
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 <launch>
 
   <!-- robot_ip: IP-address of the robot's socket-messaging server -->
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="limited" default="false"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@
   <!-- ur common -->
   <include file="$(find ur_modern_driver)/launch/ur_common.launch">
     <arg name="robot_ip" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <arg name="reverse_ip" value="$(arg reverse_ip)"/>
     <arg name="reverse_port" value="$(arg reverse_port)"/>
     <arg name="min_payload"  value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
     <arg name="max_payload"  value="$(arg max_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur5_bringup_joint_limited.launch b/launch/ur5_bringup_joint_limited.launch
index 1975d3b63..5c32b6c3f 100644
--- a/launch/ur5_bringup_joint_limited.launch
+++ b/launch/ur5_bringup_joint_limited.launch
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 <launch>
 
   <!-- robot_ip: IP-address of the robot's socket-messaging server -->
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
   <arg name="max_payload"  default="5.0"/>
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
 
   <include file="$(find ur_modern_driver)/launch/ur5_bringup.launch">
     <arg name="robot_ip" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <arg name="reverse_ip" value="$(arg reverse_ip)"/>
     <arg name="reverse_port" value="$(arg reverse_port)"/>
     <arg name="limited"  value="true"/>
     <arg name="min_payload"  value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur5_ros_control.launch b/launch/ur5_ros_control.launch
index d1118e6ae..f154441f2 100644
--- a/launch/ur5_ros_control.launch
+++ b/launch/ur5_ros_control.launch
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
   <arg unless="$(arg debug)" name="launch_prefix" value="" />
   <arg     if="$(arg debug)" name="launch_prefix" value="gdb --ex run --args" />
 
-  <arg name="robot_ip"/>
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="limited" default="false"/>
   <arg name="min_payload"  default="0.0"/>
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
   <!-- Load hardware interface -->
   <node name="ur_hardware_interface" pkg="ur_modern_driver" type="ur_driver" output="log" launch-prefix="$(arg launch_prefix)">
     <param name="robot_ip_address" type="str" value="$(arg robot_ip)"/>
+    <param name="reverse_ip_address" type="str" value="$(arg reverse_ip)" />
     <param name="reverse_port" type="int" value="$(arg reverse_port)" />
     <param name="min_payload" type="double" value="$(arg min_payload)"/>
     <param name="max_payload" type="double" value="$(arg max_payload)"/>
diff --git a/launch/ur_common.launch b/launch/ur_common.launch
index 726f7a1c6..2e639c080 100644
--- a/launch/ur_common.launch
+++ b/launch/ur_common.launch
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 -->
 <launch>
   <!-- robot_ip: IP-address of the robot's socket-messaging server -->
-  <arg name="robot_ip" />
+  <arg name="robot_ip" doc="IP of the controller" />
+  <arg name="reverse_ip" default="" doc="IP of the computer running the driver" />
   <arg name="reverse_port" default="50001"/>
   <arg name="min_payload" />
   <arg name="max_payload" />
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@
   <!-- copy the specified IP address to be consistant with ROS-Industrial spec. -->
     <param name="prefix" type="str" value="$(arg prefix)" />
     <param name="robot_ip_address" type="str" value="$(arg robot_ip)" />
+    <param name="reverse_ip_address" type="str" value="$(arg reverse_ip)" />
     <param name="reverse_port" type="int" value="$(arg reverse_port)" />
     <param name="use_ros_control" type="bool" value="$(arg use_ros_control)"/>
     <param name="use_lowbandwidth_trajectory_follower" type="bool" value="$(arg use_lowbandwidth_trajectory_follower)"/>
diff --git a/src/ros_main.cpp b/src/ros_main.cpp
index 7ea7fcf7e..cc49acfe5 100644
--- a/src/ros_main.cpp
+++ b/src/ros_main.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #include "ur_modern_driver/ur/state.h"
 
 static const std::string IP_ADDR_ARG("~robot_ip_address");
+static const std::string REVERSE_IP_ADDR_ARG("~reverse_ip_address");
 static const std::string REVERSE_PORT_ARG("~reverse_port");
 static const std::string ROS_CONTROL_ARG("~use_ros_control");
 static const std::string LOW_BANDWIDTH_TRAJECTORY_FOLLOWER("~use_lowbandwidth_trajectory_follower");
@@ -69,11 +70,12 @@ struct ProgArgs
   std::string base_frame;
   std::string tool_frame;
   std::string tcp_link;
+  std::string reverse_ip_address;
+  int32_t reverse_port;
   std::vector<std::string> joint_names;
   double max_acceleration;
   double max_velocity;
   double max_vel_change;
-  int32_t reverse_port;
   bool use_ros_control;
   bool use_lowbandwidth_trajectory_follower;
   bool shutdown_on_disconnect;
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@ bool parse_args(ProgArgs &args)
     LOG_ERROR("robot_ip_address parameter must be set!");
     return false;
   }
+  ros::param::param(REVERSE_IP_ADDR_ARG, args.reverse_ip_address, std::string());
   ros::param::param(REVERSE_PORT_ARG, args.reverse_port, int32_t(50001));
   ros::param::param(MAX_VEL_CHANGE_ARG, args.max_vel_change, 15.0);  // rad/s
   ros::param::param(MAX_VEL_CHANGE_ARG, args.max_velocity, 10.0);
@@ -148,7 +151,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
   std::transform(args.joint_names.begin(), args.joint_names.end(), args.joint_names.begin(),
                  [&args](std::string name) { return args.prefix + name; });
 
-  std::string local_ip(getLocalIPAccessibleFromHost(args.host));
+  std::string local_ip(args.reverse_ip_address);
+
+  // if no reverse IP address has been configured, try to detect one
+  if (local_ip.empty())
+  {
+    local_ip = getLocalIPAccessibleFromHost(args.host);
+  }
 
   URFactory factory(args.host);
   vector<Service *> services;