diff --git a/diagnostic_updater/diagnostic_updater/_diagnostic_updater.py b/diagnostic_updater/diagnostic_updater/_diagnostic_updater.py
index 80b5222ce..e05ba6de1 100644
--- a/diagnostic_updater/diagnostic_updater/_diagnostic_updater.py
+++ b/diagnostic_updater/diagnostic_updater/_diagnostic_updater.py
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ class Updater(DiagnosticTaskVector):
     interval.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, node, period=1.0):
+    def __init__(self, node, period=1.0, starting_up_status=DiagnosticStatus.OK):
         """Construct an updater class."""
         DiagnosticTaskVector.__init__(self)
         self.node = node
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ def __init__(self, node, period=1.0):
         self.__period = self.node.declare_parameter(
             self.period_parameter, period).value
         self.timer = self.node.create_timer(self.__period, self.update)
+        self.__starting_up_status = starting_up_status
 
         self.verbose = False
         self.hwid = ''
@@ -377,7 +378,10 @@ def publish(self, msg):
 
     def addedTaskCallback(self, task):
         """Publish a task (called when added to the updater)."""
+        if self.__starting_up_status is None:
+            return
+
         stat = DiagnosticStatusWrapper()
         stat.name = task.name
-        stat.summary(DiagnosticStatus.OK, 'Node starting up')
+        stat.summary(self.__starting_up_status, 'Node starting up')
         self.publish(stat)
diff --git a/diagnostic_updater/include/diagnostic_updater/diagnostic_updater.hpp b/diagnostic_updater/include/diagnostic_updater/diagnostic_updater.hpp
index 635ead06a..05d3bc71b 100644
--- a/diagnostic_updater/include/diagnostic_updater/diagnostic_updater.hpp
+++ b/diagnostic_updater/include/diagnostic_updater/diagnostic_updater.hpp
@@ -363,11 +363,14 @@ class Updater : public DiagnosticTaskVector
    *
    * \param node Node pointer to set up diagnostics
    * \param period Value in seconds to set the update period
+   * \param starting_up_status Diagnostic status to send as first message
    * \note The given period value not being used if the `diagnostic_updater.period`
    * ros2 parameter was set previously.
    */
   template<class NodeT>
-  explicit Updater(NodeT node, double period = 1.0)
+  explicit Updater(
+    NodeT node, double period = 1.0,
+    unsigned char starting_up_status = diagnostic_msgs::msg::DiagnosticStatus::OK)
   : Updater(
       node->get_node_base_interface(),
       node->get_node_clock_interface(),
@@ -375,7 +378,8 @@ class Updater : public DiagnosticTaskVector
       node->get_node_parameters_interface(),
       node->get_node_timers_interface(),
       node->get_node_topics_interface(),
-      period)
+      period,
+      starting_up_status)
   {}
 
   Updater(
@@ -385,7 +389,8 @@ class Updater : public DiagnosticTaskVector
     std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::node_interfaces::NodeParametersInterface> parameters_interface,
     std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::node_interfaces::NodeTimersInterface> timers_interface,
     std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::node_interfaces::NodeTopicsInterface> topics_interface,
-    double period = 1.0);
+    double period = 1.0,
+    unsigned char starting_up_status = diagnostic_msgs::msg::DiagnosticStatus::OK);
 
   /**
    * \brief Returns the interval between updates.
@@ -478,6 +483,7 @@ class Updater : public DiagnosticTaskVector
   rclcpp::Publisher<diagnostic_msgs::msg::DiagnosticArray>::SharedPtr publisher_;
   rclcpp::Logger logger_;
 
+  unsigned char starting_up_status_;
   std::string hwid_;
   std::string node_name_;
   bool warn_nohwid_done_;
diff --git a/diagnostic_updater/src/diagnostic_updater.cpp b/diagnostic_updater/src/diagnostic_updater.cpp
index bfd5ce6d9..188aa3113 100644
--- a/diagnostic_updater/src/diagnostic_updater.cpp
+++ b/diagnostic_updater/src/diagnostic_updater.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ Updater::Updater(
   std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::node_interfaces::NodeLoggingInterface> logging_interface,
   std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::node_interfaces::NodeParametersInterface> parameters_interface,
   std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::node_interfaces::NodeTimersInterface> timers_interface,
-  std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::node_interfaces::NodeTopicsInterface> topics_interface, double period)
+  std::shared_ptr<rclcpp::node_interfaces::NodeTopicsInterface> topics_interface,
+  double period,
+  unsigned char starting_up_status)
 : verbose_(false),
   base_interface_(base_interface),
   timers_interface_(timers_interface),
@@ -54,7 +56,8 @@ Updater::Updater(
       topics_interface, "/diagnostics", 1)),
   logger_(logging_interface->get_logger()),
   node_name_(base_interface->get_name()),
-  warn_nohwid_done_(false)
+  warn_nohwid_done_(false),
+  starting_up_status_(starting_up_status)
 {
   constexpr const char * period_param_name = "diagnostic_updater.period";
   rclcpp::ParameterValue period_param;
@@ -192,7 +195,7 @@ void Updater::addedTaskCallback(DiagnosticTaskInternal & task)
 {
   DiagnosticStatusWrapper stat;
   stat.name = task.getName();
-  stat.summary(0, "Node starting up");
+  stat.summary(starting_up_status_, "Node starting up");
   publish(stat);
 }
 }  // namespace diagnostic_updater