diff --git a/stairs_client/cfg/StairsClient.cfg b/stairs_client/cfg/StairsClient.cfg
index fcf8a7d874c2cf6b4a18ee52036501d7c90a448d..17dd0dd52dffd5a4a973ab7e8c81a86df7ae357e 100755
--- a/stairs_client/cfg/StairsClient.cfg
+++ b/stairs_client/cfg/StairsClient.cfg
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ gen.add("A_SHIFT",                 double_t,  0,                               "
 gen.add("Y_SPREAD",                double_t,  0,                               "Leg separation when advancing",  0.02,     0.01, 0.1)
 gen.add("X_SHIFT_BODY",            double_t,  0,                               "Whole body advance when shifting weight",0.035,0.01,0.1)
 gen.add("load_config",             bool_t,    0,                               "Load current parameters",        False)
-gen.add("start_climbing",          bool_t,    0,                               "Start climbing stairs",          False)
+gen.add("start_upstairs",          bool_t,    0,                               "Start up stairs",                False)
+gen.add("start_downstairs",        bool_t,    0,                               "Start down stairs",              False)
 gen.add("stop_climbing",           bool_t,    0,                               "Stop climbing stairs",           False)
 
 exit(gen.generate(PACKAGE, "StairsClient", "StairsClient"))
diff --git a/stairs_client/src/stairs_client_alg_node.cpp b/stairs_client/src/stairs_client_alg_node.cpp
index 3ed9cd6d281f862255e775d662335890f1b7b6fb..55fd270f9604eef32a3bc8b65298e049dcef99b1 100644
--- a/stairs_client/src/stairs_client_alg_node.cpp
+++ b/stairs_client/src/stairs_client_alg_node.cpp
@@ -80,10 +80,15 @@ void StairsClientAlgNode::node_config_update(Config &config, uint32_t level)
     this->stairs.set_x_shift_body(config.X_SHIFT_BODY);
     config.load_config=false;
   }
-  else if(config.start_climbing)
+  else if(config.start_upstairs)
   {
     this->stairs.start(true);
-    config.start_climbing=false;
+    config.start_upstairs=false;
+  }
+  else if(config.start_downstairs)
+  {
+    this->stairs.start(false);
+    config.start_downstairs=false;
   }
   else if(config.stop_climbing)
   {