diff --git a/gazebo_plugins/src/gazebo_ros_imu_sensor.cpp b/gazebo_plugins/src/gazebo_ros_imu_sensor.cpp
index 23bdc8baa..518dbebfe 100644
--- a/gazebo_plugins/src/gazebo_ros_imu_sensor.cpp
+++ b/gazebo_plugins/src/gazebo_ros_imu_sensor.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,28 @@ void gazebo::GazeboRosImuSensor::Load(gazebo::sensors::SensorPtr sensor_, sdf::E
     return;
   }
 
+  bool initial_orientation_as_reference = false;
+  if (!sdf->HasElement("initialOrientationAsReference"))
+  {
+    ROS_INFO("<initialOrientationAsReference> is unset, using default value of false "
+             "to comply with REP 145 (world as orientation reference)");
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    initial_orientation_as_reference = sdf->Get<bool>("initialOrientationAsReference");
+  }
+
+  if (initial_orientation_as_reference)
+  {
+    ROS_WARN("<initialOrientationAsReference> set to true, this behavior is deprecated "
+             "as it does not comply with REP 145.");
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    // This complies with REP 145
+    sensor->SetWorldToReferenceOrientation(ignition::math::Quaterniond::Identity);
+  }
+
   sensor->SetActive(true);
 
   if(!LoadParameters())