diff --git a/darwin_controller/include/darwin_controller_impl.h b/darwin_controller/include/darwin_controller_impl.h
index 62d72b03508f2f138650c6989bf32b72e0426bb4..7a6ee9f7ec10decc8966dd13c36e5819f98e4baa 100644
--- a/darwin_controller/include/darwin_controller_impl.h
+++ b/darwin_controller/include/darwin_controller_impl.h
@@ -716,7 +716,10 @@ namespace darwin_controller
     void DarwinController<HardwareInterface>::stairs_startCallback(const humanoid_common_msgs::humanoid_stairsGoalConstPtr& goal)
     {
       ROS_INFO("CDarwinSim : start climbing stairs ");
-      stairs_start();
+      if(goal->up)
+        stairs_start(0x01);
+      else
+        stairs_start(0x00);
     }
 
   template <class HardwareInterface>