diff --git a/include/slam_toolbox/slam_toolbox_common.hpp b/include/slam_toolbox/slam_toolbox_common.hpp
index 9274ba545..1f98e78f0 100644
--- a/include/slam_toolbox/slam_toolbox_common.hpp
+++ b/include/slam_toolbox/slam_toolbox_common.hpp
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ class SlamToolbox : public rclcpp::Node
   // Storage for ROS parameters
   std::string odom_frame_, map_frame_, base_frame_, map_name_, scan_topic_;
   rclcpp::Duration transform_timeout_, minimum_time_interval_;
-  rclcpp::Time scan_timestamped;
+  std_msgs::msg::Header scan_header;
   int throttle_scans_;
 
   double resolution_;
diff --git a/src/experimental/slam_toolbox_lifelong.cpp b/src/experimental/slam_toolbox_lifelong.cpp
index a56dc59ca..8d74a0f76 100644
--- a/src/experimental/slam_toolbox_lifelong.cpp
+++ b/src/experimental/slam_toolbox_lifelong.cpp
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ void LifelongSlamToolbox::laserCallback(
   sensor_msgs::msg::LaserScan::ConstSharedPtr scan)
 /*****************************************************************************/
 {
-  // store scan timestamped
-  scan_timestamped = scan->header.stamp;
+  // store scan header
+  scan_header = scan->header;
   // no odom info
   Pose2 pose;
   if (!pose_helper_->getOdomPose(pose, scan->header.stamp)) {
diff --git a/src/slam_toolbox_async.cpp b/src/slam_toolbox_async.cpp
index 3ef1fa84a..ea2a2e879 100644
--- a/src/slam_toolbox_async.cpp
+++ b/src/slam_toolbox_async.cpp
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ void AsynchronousSlamToolbox::laserCallback(
   sensor_msgs::msg::LaserScan::ConstSharedPtr scan)
 /*****************************************************************************/
 {
-  // store scan timestamped
-  scan_timestamped = scan->header.stamp;
+  // store scan header
+  scan_header = scan->header;
   // no odom info
   Pose2 pose;
   if (!pose_helper_->getOdomPose(pose, scan->header.stamp)) {
diff --git a/src/slam_toolbox_common.cpp b/src/slam_toolbox_common.cpp
index b50cbedd0..6d6095e07 100644
--- a/src/slam_toolbox_common.cpp
+++ b/src/slam_toolbox_common.cpp
@@ -227,12 +227,16 @@ void SlamToolbox::publishTransformLoop(
   while (rclcpp::ok()) {
     {
       boost::mutex::scoped_lock lock(map_to_odom_mutex_);
-      geometry_msgs::msg::TransformStamped msg;
-      msg.transform = tf2::toMsg(map_to_odom_);
-      msg.child_frame_id = odom_frame_;
-      msg.header.frame_id = map_frame_;
-      msg.header.stamp = scan_timestamped + transform_timeout_;
-      tfB_->sendTransform(msg);
+      rclcpp::Time scan_timestamp = scan_header.stamp;
+      // Avoid publishing tf with initial 0.0 scan timestamp
+      if (scan_timestamp.seconds() > 0.0 && !scan_header.frame_id.empty()) {
+        geometry_msgs::msg::TransformStamped msg;
+        msg.transform = tf2::toMsg(map_to_odom_);
+        msg.child_frame_id = odom_frame_;
+        msg.header.frame_id = map_frame_;
+        msg.header.stamp = scan_timestamp + transform_timeout_;
+        tfB_->sendTransform(msg);
+      }
     }
     r.sleep();
   }
@@ -372,7 +376,7 @@ bool SlamToolbox::updateMap()
   vis_utils::toNavMap(occ_grid, map_.map);
 
   // publish map as current
-  map_.map.header.stamp = scan_timestamped;
+  map_.map.header.stamp = scan_header.stamp;
   sst_->publish(
     std::move(std::make_unique<nav_msgs::msg::OccupancyGrid>(map_.map)));
   sstm_->publish(
diff --git a/src/slam_toolbox_localization.cpp b/src/slam_toolbox_localization.cpp
index e8dfbf6b9..f20baa3bf 100644
--- a/src/slam_toolbox_localization.cpp
+++ b/src/slam_toolbox_localization.cpp
@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ void LocalizationSlamToolbox::laserCallback(
   sensor_msgs::msg::LaserScan::ConstSharedPtr scan)
 /*****************************************************************************/
 {
-  // store scan timestamped
-  scan_timestamped = scan->header.stamp;
+  // store scan header
+  scan_header = scan->header;
   // no odom info
   Pose2 pose;
   if (!pose_helper_->getOdomPose(pose, scan->header.stamp)) {
diff --git a/src/slam_toolbox_sync.cpp b/src/slam_toolbox_sync.cpp
index b2fcd135e..47a39ff28 100644
--- a/src/slam_toolbox_sync.cpp
+++ b/src/slam_toolbox_sync.cpp
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ void SynchronousSlamToolbox::laserCallback(
   sensor_msgs::msg::LaserScan::ConstSharedPtr scan)
 /*****************************************************************************/
 {
-  // store scan timestamped
-  scan_timestamped = scan->header.stamp;
+  // store scan header
+  scan_header = scan->header;
   // no odom info
   Pose2 pose;
   if (!pose_helper_->getOdomPose(pose, scan->header.stamp)) {