diff --git a/src/opendrive_planner.cpp b/src/opendrive_planner.cpp
index 46a7164bdbd62ae18376c43ab12c123c5bf8d756..2c51eb045cf6d5e9f2dc475d73fd68d389a8cf8e 100644
--- a/src/opendrive_planner.cpp
+++ b/src/opendrive_planner.cpp
@@ -87,23 +87,42 @@ void OpendriveGlobalPlanner::initialize(std::string name, costmap_2d::Costmap2D*
       double resolution,scale_factor,min_road_length;
       int cost_type;
 
-      private_nh.param("resolution", resolution,0.0);
-      this->roadmap.set_resolution(resolution);
-      private_nh.param("scale_factor", scale_factor,0.0);
-      this->roadmap.set_scale_factor(scale_factor);
-      private_nh.param("min_road_length", min_road_length,0.0);
-      this->roadmap.set_min_road_length(min_road_length);
-      private_nh.param("opendrive_file", opendrive_file,std::string(""));
-      if(opendrive_file!="")
+      if(private_nh.getParam("resolution", resolution))
+        this->roadmap.set_resolution(resolution);
+      else
+        ROS_ERROR("Map resolution not defined");
+      if(private_nh.getParam("scale_factor", scale_factor))
+        this->roadmap.set_scale_factor(scale_factor);
+      else
+        ROS_ERROR("Map scale factor not defined");
+      if(private_nh.getParam("min_road_length", min_road_length))
+        this->roadmap.set_min_road_length(min_road_length);
+      else
+        ROS_ERROR("Map minimum road length not defined");
+      if(private_nh.getParam("opendrive_file", opendrive_file))
       {
-        this->roadmap.load(opendrive_file);
-        this->create_opendrive_map(opendrive_file,resolution,scale_factor,min_road_length);
+        if(opendrive_file!="")
+        {
+          try{
+            this->roadmap.load(opendrive_file);
+            this->create_opendrive_map(opendrive_file,resolution,scale_factor,min_road_length);
+          }catch(CException &e){
+            ROS_ERROR_STREAM(e.what());
+          }
+        }
       }
-      private_nh.param("opendrive_frame", this->opendrive_frame_id_,std::string(""));
-      private_nh.param("angle_tol", this->angle_tol,DEFAULT_ANGLE_THRESHOLD);
-      private_nh.param("dist_tol", this->dist_tol,DEFAULT_DIST_THRESHOLD);
-      private_nh.param("multi_hyp", this->multi_hyp,false);
-      private_nh.param("cost_type",cost_type,(int)COST_DIST);
+      else
+        ROS_ERROR("Opendrive map file not defined");
+      if(!private_nh.getParam("opendrive_frame", this->opendrive_frame_id_))
+        ROS_ERROR("Opendrive frame ID not defined");
+      if(!private_nh.getParam("angle_tol", this->angle_tol))
+        ROS_ERROR("Angle tolerance for the goals not defined");
+      if(!private_nh.getParam("dist_tol", this->dist_tol))
+        ROS_ERROR("Distance tolerance for the goals not defined");
+      if(!private_nh.getParam("multi_hyp", this->multi_hyp))
+        ROS_ERROR("Multihypotheis feature not defined");
+      if(!private_nh.getParam("cost_type",cost_type))
+        ROS_ERROR("Desired cost type not defined");
       this->roadmap.set_cost_type((cost_t)cost_type);
     }catch(CException &e){
       ROS_ERROR_STREAM(e.what());