diff --git a/nav2_dwb_controller/dwb_plugins/include/dwb_plugins/kinematic_parameters.hpp b/nav2_dwb_controller/dwb_plugins/include/dwb_plugins/kinematic_parameters.hpp
index b8e976a02f7..763ff3ae9a8 100644
--- a/nav2_dwb_controller/dwb_plugins/include/dwb_plugins/kinematic_parameters.hpp
+++ b/nav2_dwb_controller/dwb_plugins/include/dwb_plugins/kinematic_parameters.hpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
-
+#include <stdexcept>
 #include "nav2_ros_common/lifecycle_node.hpp"
 #include "rclcpp/rclcpp.hpp"
 
@@ -145,7 +145,14 @@ class KinematicsHandler
   void activate();
   void deactivate();
 
-  inline KinematicParameters getKinematics() {return *kinematics_.load();}
+  inline KinematicParameters getKinematics()
+  {
+    KinematicParameters * ptr = kinematics_.load();
+    if (ptr == nullptr) {
+      throw std::runtime_error("Can't call KinematicsHandler::getKinematics().");
+    }
+    return *ptr;
+  }
 
   void setSpeedLimit(const double & speed_limit, const bool & percentage);
 
diff --git a/nav2_dwb_controller/dwb_plugins/src/kinematic_parameters.cpp b/nav2_dwb_controller/dwb_plugins/src/kinematic_parameters.cpp
index b6512272e86..e51778b7189 100644
--- a/nav2_dwb_controller/dwb_plugins/src/kinematic_parameters.cpp
+++ b/nav2_dwb_controller/dwb_plugins/src/kinematic_parameters.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "dwb_plugins/kinematic_parameters.hpp"
-
+#include <atomic>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ KinematicsHandler::KinematicsHandler()
 
 KinematicsHandler::~KinematicsHandler()
 {
-  delete kinematics_.load();
+  KinematicParameters * ptr = kinematics_.load();
+  if (ptr != nullptr) {
+    delete ptr;
+  }
 }
 
 void KinematicsHandler::initialize(
@@ -151,7 +154,11 @@ void KinematicsHandler::deactivate()
 void KinematicsHandler::setSpeedLimit(
   const double & speed_limit, const bool & percentage)
 {
-  KinematicParameters kinematics(*kinematics_.load());
+  KinematicParameters * ptr = kinematics_.load();
+  if (ptr == nullptr) {
+    return;   // Nothing to update
+  }
+  KinematicParameters kinematics(*ptr);
 
   if (speed_limit == nav2_costmap_2d::NO_SPEED_LIMIT) {
     // Restore default value
@@ -208,9 +215,9 @@ rcl_interfaces::msg::SetParametersResult KinematicsHandler::validateParameterUpd
         param_name == plugin_name_ + ".acc_lim_theta"))
       {
         RCLCPP_WARN(
-        logger_, "The value of parameter '%s' is incorrectly set to %f, "
-        "it should be >= 0. Ignoring parameter update.",
-        param_name.c_str(), parameter.as_double());
+          logger_, "The value of parameter '%s' is incorrectly set to %f, "
+          "it should be >= 0. Ignoring parameter update.",
+          param_name.c_str(), parameter.as_double());
         result.successful = false;
       } else if (parameter.as_double() > 0.0 && // NOLINT
         (param_name == plugin_name_ + ".decel_lim_x" ||
@@ -218,9 +225,9 @@ rcl_interfaces::msg::SetParametersResult KinematicsHandler::validateParameterUpd
         param_name == plugin_name_ + ".decel_lim_theta"))
       {
         RCLCPP_WARN(
-        logger_, "The value of parameter '%s' is incorrectly set to %f, "
-        "it should be <= 0. Ignoring parameter update.",
-        param_name.c_str(), parameter.as_double());
+          logger_, "The value of parameter '%s' is incorrectly set to %f, "
+          "it should be <= 0. Ignoring parameter update.",
+          param_name.c_str(), parameter.as_double());
         result.successful = false;
       }
     }
@@ -232,7 +239,11 @@ void
 KinematicsHandler::updateParametersCallback(std::vector<rclcpp::Parameter> parameters)
 {
   rcl_interfaces::msg::SetParametersResult result;
-  KinematicParameters kinematics(*kinematics_.load());
+  KinematicParameters * ptr = kinematics_.load();
+  if (ptr == nullptr) {
+    return;   // Nothing to update
+  }
+  KinematicParameters kinematics(*ptr);
 
   for (auto parameter : parameters) {
     const auto & param_type = parameter.get_type();
@@ -284,8 +295,11 @@ KinematicsHandler::updateParametersCallback(std::vector<rclcpp::Parameter> param
 
 void KinematicsHandler::update_kinematics(KinematicParameters kinematics)
 {
-  delete kinematics_.load();
-  kinematics_.store(new KinematicParameters(kinematics));
+  KinematicParameters * new_kinematics = new KinematicParameters(kinematics);
+  KinematicParameters * old_kinematics = kinematics_.exchange(new_kinematics);
+  if (old_kinematics != nullptr) {
+    delete old_kinematics;
+  }
 }
 
 }  // namespace dwb_plugins