diff --git a/nimbro_topic_transport/launch/topics.yaml b/nimbro_topic_transport/launch/topics.yaml
index 1cdefce..090176e 100644
--- a/nimbro_topic_transport/launch/topics.yaml
+++ b/nimbro_topic_transport/launch/topics.yaml
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ topics:
    compress: true # enable bz2 compression
    rate: 1.0 # rate limit at 1Hz
  - name: "/my_second_topic"
+   latch: True
diff --git a/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_packet.h b/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_packet.h
index b77be62..851fae5 100644
--- a/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_packet.h
+++ b/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_packet.h
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ namespace nimbro_topic_transport
 
 enum TCPFlag
 {
-	TCP_FLAG_COMPRESSED = (1 << 0)
+	TCP_FLAG_COMPRESSED = (1 << 0),
+	TCP_FLAG_LATCHED = (1 << 1)
 };
 
 struct TCPHeader
diff --git a/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_receiver.cpp b/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_receiver.cpp
index 135eabb..e9605ec 100644
--- a/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_receiver.cpp
+++ b/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_receiver.cpp
@@ -345,6 +345,10 @@ void TCPReceiver::ClientHandler::run()
 					topic_info::getMsgDef(type)
 				);
 
+				if (header.flags() & TCP_FLAG_LATCHED) {
+					options.latch = true;
+				}
+
 				// It will take subscribers some time to connect to our publisher.
 				// Therefore, latch messages so they will not be lost.
 				// No, this is often unexpected. Instead, wait before publishing.
diff --git a/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_sender.cpp b/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_sender.cpp
index 13f8cc0..2097ab5 100644
--- a/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_sender.cpp
+++ b/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_sender.cpp
@@ -77,8 +77,11 @@ TCPSender::TCPSender()
 		if(entry.hasMember("compress") && ((bool)entry["compress"]) == true)
 			flags |= TCP_FLAG_COMPRESSED;
 
+		if(entry.hasMember("latch") && ((bool)entry["latch"]) == true)
+			flags |= TCP_FLAG_LATCHED;
+
 		boost::function<void(const topic_tools::ShapeShifter::ConstPtr&)> func;
-		func = boost::bind(&TCPSender::send, this, topic, flags, _1);
+		func = boost::bind(&TCPSender::send, this, topic, flags, _1, true);
 
 		ros::SubscribeOptions options;
 		options.initByFullCallbackType<topic_tools::ShapeShifter::ConstPtr>(topic, 20, func);
@@ -138,7 +141,7 @@ TCPSender::TCPSender()
 		boost::bind(&TCPSender::updateStats, this)
 	);
 	m_statsTimer.start();
-}	
+}
 
 TCPSender::~TCPSender()
 {
@@ -218,6 +221,8 @@ bool TCPSender::connect()
 	ROS_WARN("Not setting TCP_USER_TIMEOUT");
 #endif
 
+	this->sendLatched();
+
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -234,7 +239,8 @@ class PtrStream
 	uint8_t* m_ptr;
 };
 
-void TCPSender::send(const std::string& topic, int flags, const topic_tools::ShapeShifter::ConstPtr& shifter)
+void TCPSender::send(const std::string& topic, int flags, const topic_tools::ShapeShifter::ConstPtr& shifter,
+					 const bool reconnect)
 {
 #if WITH_CONFIG_SERVER
 	if (! (*m_enableTopic[topic])() )
@@ -250,6 +256,9 @@ void TCPSender::send(const std::string& topic, int flags, const topic_tools::Sha
 	if(flags & TCP_FLAG_COMPRESSED)
 		maxDataSize = size + size / 100 + 1200; // taken from bzip2 docs
 
+	if (flags & TCP_FLAG_LATCHED)
+		this->m_latchedMessages[topic] = std::make_pair(shifter, flags);
+
 	m_packet.resize(
 		sizeof(TCPHeader) + topic.length() + type.length() + maxDataSize
 	);
@@ -312,10 +321,12 @@ void TCPSender::send(const std::string& topic, int flags, const topic_tools::Sha
 	{
 		if(m_fd == -1)
 		{
-			if(!connect())
+			if(reconnect && !connect())
 			{
 				ROS_WARN("Connection failed, trying again");
 				continue;
+			} else if (!reconnect) {
+				break;
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -363,6 +374,18 @@ void TCPSender::updateStats()
 	m_sentBytesInStatsInterval = 0;
 }
 
+void TCPSender::sendLatched() {
+
+	std::map<std::string, std::pair<topic_tools::ShapeShifter::ConstPtr, int>>::iterator it =
+			this->m_latchedMessages.begin();
+
+	// send all latched messages
+	while (it != this->m_latchedMessages.end()) {
+		this->send(it->first, it->second.second, it->second.first, false);
+		it++;
+	}
+}
+
 }
 
 
diff --git a/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_sender.h b/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_sender.h
index ebedf5b..09a6e1b 100644
--- a/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_sender.h
+++ b/nimbro_topic_transport/src/tcp/tcp_sender.h
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 #include <config_server/parameter.h>
 #endif
 
+#include <map>
+
 #include <nimbro_topic_transport/SenderStats.h>
 
 namespace nimbro_topic_transport
@@ -27,7 +29,9 @@ class TCPSender
 
 	bool connect();
 
-	void send(const std::string& topic, int flags, const topic_tools::ShapeShifter::ConstPtr& shifter);
+	void send(const std::string& topic, int flags, const topic_tools::ShapeShifter::ConstPtr& shifter,
+			  const bool reconnect = true);
+    void sendLatched();
 private:
 	void updateStats();
 
@@ -43,6 +47,8 @@ class TCPSender
 	std::vector<uint8_t> m_packet;
 	std::vector<uint8_t> m_compressionBuf;
 
+	std::map<std::string, std::pair<topic_tools::ShapeShifter::ConstPtr, int> > m_latchedMessages;
+
 #if WITH_CONFIG_SERVER
 	std::map<std::string, boost::shared_ptr<config_server::Parameter<bool>>> m_enableTopic;
 #endif
diff --git a/nimbro_topic_transport/src/udp/udp_sender.cpp b/nimbro_topic_transport/src/udp/udp_sender.cpp
index e32fcf0..ae9db86 100644
--- a/nimbro_topic_transport/src/udp/udp_sender.cpp
+++ b/nimbro_topic_transport/src/udp/udp_sender.cpp
@@ -140,6 +140,10 @@ UDPSender::UDPSender()
 		if(list[i].hasMember("type"))
 			type = (std::string)(list[i]["type"]);
 
+		if(list[i].hasMember("latch"))
+			ROS_WARN_STREAM("Ignoring 'latch' flag at UDP topic " << ((std::string)list[i]["name"]).c_str() <<
+							" (UDP topics can't be latched).");
+
 		TopicSender* sender = new TopicSender(this, &nh, list[i]["name"], rate, resend, flags, enabled, type);
 
 		if(m_relayMode)