diff --git a/controller_manager/src/ros2_control_node.cpp b/controller_manager/src/ros2_control_node.cpp
index e0094b7e01..953e26e5bb 100644
--- a/controller_manager/src/ros2_control_node.cpp
+++ b/controller_manager/src/ros2_control_node.cpp
@@ -57,10 +57,12 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
   auto cm = std::make_shared<controller_manager::ControllerManager>(
     executor, manager_node_name, "", cm_node_options);
 
+  const bool use_sim_time = cm->get_parameter_or("use_sim_time", false);
+  rclcpp::Rate rate(cm->get_update_rate(), cm->get_clock());
   RCLCPP_INFO(cm->get_logger(), "update rate is %d Hz", cm->get_update_rate());
 
   std::thread cm_thread(
-    [cm]()
+    [cm, use_sim_time, &rate]()
     {
       if (!realtime_tools::configure_sched_fifo(kSchedPriority))
       {
@@ -101,7 +103,14 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 
         // wait until we hit the end of the period
         next_iteration_time += period;
-        std::this_thread::sleep_until(next_iteration_time);
+        if (use_sim_time)
+        {
+          rate.sleep();
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          std::this_thread::sleep_until(next_iteration_time);
+        }
       }
 
       cm->shutdown_async_controllers_and_components();