diff --git a/franka_gazebo/launch/panda_ns.launch.xml b/franka_gazebo/launch/panda_ns.launch.xml
index 225a91582..81d436928 100644
--- a/franka_gazebo/launch/panda_ns.launch.xml
+++ b/franka_gazebo/launch/panda_ns.launch.xml
@@ -21,8 +21,11 @@
 
     <param name="m_ee" value="0.76" if="$(arg use_gripper)" />
 
+    <!-- Avoid node names of the form arm_id/arm_id_xxx. Use arm_id/xxx instead. -->
+    <arg name="node_prefix" value="$(eval '' if arg('ns') == arg('arm_id') else arg('arm_id') + '_')" />
+
     <arg name="unpause" value="$(eval '' if arg('paused') else '-unpause')" />
-    <node name="$(arg arm_id)_model_spawner"
+    <node name="$(arg node_prefix)model_spawner"
           pkg="gazebo_ros"
           type="spawn_model"
           args="-param robot_description -urdf -model $(arg arm_id) $(arg unpause)
@@ -32,7 +35,7 @@
     <!-- Spawn required ROS controllers -->
     <node pkg="controller_manager"
           type="spawner"
-          name="$(arg arm_id)_gripper_spawner"
+          name="$(arg node_prefix)gripper_spawner"
           if="$(arg use_gripper)"
           args="franka_gripper"
           respawn="false"
@@ -40,24 +43,24 @@
 
     <node pkg="controller_manager"
           type="spawner"
-          name="$(arg arm_id)_controller_spawner"
+          name="$(arg node_prefix)controller_spawner"
           respawn="false" output="screen"
           args="franka_state_controller $(arg controller)"
     />
 
-    <node name="$(arg arm_id)_robot_state_publisher" pkg="robot_state_publisher" type="robot_state_publisher" />
-    <node name="$(arg arm_id)_joint_state_publisher" type="joint_state_publisher" pkg="joint_state_publisher">
+    <node name="$(arg node_prefix)robot_state_publisher" pkg="robot_state_publisher" type="robot_state_publisher" />
+    <node name="$(arg node_prefix)joint_state_publisher" type="joint_state_publisher" pkg="joint_state_publisher">
       <rosparam param="source_list">[franka_state_controller/joint_states, franka_gripper/joint_states] </rosparam>
       <param name="rate" value="30"/>
     </node>
-    <node name="$(arg arm_id)_joint_state_desired_publisher" type="joint_state_publisher" pkg="joint_state_publisher">
+    <node name="$(arg node_prefix)joint_state_desired_publisher" type="joint_state_publisher" pkg="joint_state_publisher">
       <rosparam param="source_list">[franka_state_controller/joint_states_desired, franka_gripper/joint_states] </rosparam>
       <param name="rate" value="30"/>
       <remap from="joint_states" to="joint_states_desired" />
     </node>
 
     <!-- Start only if cartesian_impedance_example_controller -->
-    <node name="$(arg arm_id)_cartesian_goal_marker"
+    <node name="$(arg node_prefix)cartesian_goal_marker"
           pkg="franka_example_controllers"
           type="interactive_marker.py"
           if="$(eval arg('controller') == 'cartesian_impedance_example_controller')">