diff --git a/nav2_behavior_tree/include/nav2_behavior_tree/plugins/action/drive_on_heading_action.hpp b/nav2_behavior_tree/include/nav2_behavior_tree/plugins/action/drive_on_heading_action.hpp
index 3fb5a56fb8c..7bb0e49f6e1 100644
--- a/nav2_behavior_tree/include/nav2_behavior_tree/plugins/action/drive_on_heading_action.hpp
+++ b/nav2_behavior_tree/include/nav2_behavior_tree/plugins/action/drive_on_heading_action.hpp
@@ -86,9 +86,6 @@ class DriveOnHeadingAction : public BtActionNode<nav2_msgs::action::DriveOnHeadi
    * @brief Function to perform some user-defined operation upon cancellation of the action
    */
   BT::NodeStatus on_cancelled() override;
-
-private:
-  bool initialized_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace nav2_behavior_tree
diff --git a/nav2_behavior_tree/plugins/action/drive_on_heading_action.cpp b/nav2_behavior_tree/plugins/action/drive_on_heading_action.cpp
index 39a68e4c378..e3a0fc02765 100644
--- a/nav2_behavior_tree/plugins/action/drive_on_heading_action.cpp
+++ b/nav2_behavior_tree/plugins/action/drive_on_heading_action.cpp
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ DriveOnHeadingAction::DriveOnHeadingAction(
   const std::string & xml_tag_name,
   const std::string & action_name,
   const BT::NodeConfiguration & conf)
-: BtActionNode<nav2_msgs::action::DriveOnHeading>(xml_tag_name, action_name, conf),
-  initialized_(false)
+: BtActionNode<nav2_msgs::action::DriveOnHeading>(xml_tag_name, action_name, conf)
 {
 }
 
@@ -47,12 +46,11 @@ void DriveOnHeadingAction::initialize()
   goal_.speed = speed;
   goal_.time_allowance = rclcpp::Duration::from_seconds(time_allowance);
   goal_.disable_collision_checks = disable_collision_checks;
-  initialized_ = true;
 }
 
 void DriveOnHeadingAction::on_tick()
 {
-  if (!initialized_) {
+  if (!BT::isStatusActive(status())) {
     initialize();
   }
 }