diff --git a/ur_robot_driver/include/ur_robot_driver/hardware_interface.h b/ur_robot_driver/include/ur_robot_driver/hardware_interface.h
index 5d435aaf3..50c84cc29 100644
--- a/ur_robot_driver/include/ur_robot_driver/hardware_interface.h
+++ b/ur_robot_driver/include/ur_robot_driver/hardware_interface.h
@@ -215,6 +215,8 @@ class HardwareInterface : public hardware_interface::RobotHW
   void commandCallback(const std_msgs::StringConstPtr& msg);
   bool setPayload(ur_msgs::SetPayloadRequest& req, ur_msgs::SetPayloadResponse& res);
   bool activateSplineInterpolation(std_srvs::SetBoolRequest& req, std_srvs::SetBoolResponse& res);
+  bool startToolContact(std_srvs::TriggerRequest& req, std_srvs::TriggerResponse& res);
+  bool endToolContact(std_srvs::TriggerRequest& req, std_srvs::TriggerResponse& res);
 
   std::unique_ptr<urcl::UrDriver> ur_driver_;
   std::unique_ptr<DashboardClientROS> dashboard_client_;
@@ -239,6 +241,8 @@ class HardwareInterface : public hardware_interface::RobotHW
   ros::ServiceServer tare_sensor_srv_;
   ros::ServiceServer set_payload_srv_;
   ros::ServiceServer activate_spline_interpolation_srv_;
+  ros::ServiceServer start_tool_contact_srv_;
+  ros::ServiceServer end_tool_contact_srv_;
 
   hardware_interface::JointStateInterface js_interface_;
   scaled_controllers::ScaledPositionJointInterface spj_interface_;
diff --git a/ur_robot_driver/src/hardware_interface.cpp b/ur_robot_driver/src/hardware_interface.cpp
index 63ecdbe2b..0458c4a5d 100644
--- a/ur_robot_driver/src/hardware_interface.cpp
+++ b/ur_robot_driver/src/hardware_interface.cpp
@@ -460,6 +460,13 @@ bool HardwareInterface::init(ros::NodeHandle& root_nh, ros::NodeHandle& robot_hw
   activate_spline_interpolation_srv_ = robot_hw_nh.advertiseService(
       "activate_spline_interpolation", &HardwareInterface::activateSplineInterpolation, this);
 
+  // Calling this service will enable the tool contact functionality on the robot.
+  start_tool_contact_srv_ =
+      robot_hw_nh.advertiseService("start_tool_contact", &HardwareInterface::startToolContact, this);
+
+  // Calling this service will disable the tool contact functionality on the robot.
+  end_tool_contact_srv_ = robot_hw_nh.advertiseService("end_tool_contact", &HardwareInterface::endToolContact, this);
+
   ur_driver_->startRTDECommunication();
   ROS_INFO_STREAM_NAMED("hardware_interface", "Loaded ur_robot_driver hardware_interface");
 
@@ -1175,6 +1182,18 @@ bool HardwareInterface::setPayload(ur_msgs::SetPayloadRequest& req, ur_msgs::Set
   return true;
 }
 
+bool HardwareInterface::startToolContact(std_srvs::TriggerRequest& req, std_srvs::TriggerResponse& res)
+{
+  res.success = this->ur_driver_->startToolContact();
+  return true;
+}
+
+bool HardwareInterface::endToolContact(std_srvs::TriggerRequest& req, std_srvs::TriggerResponse& res)
+{
+  res.success = this->ur_driver_->endToolContact();
+  return true;
+}
+
 void HardwareInterface::commandCallback(const std_msgs::StringConstPtr& msg)
 {
   std::string str = msg->data;
diff --git a/ur_robot_driver/test/integration_test.py b/ur_robot_driver/test/integration_test.py
index 1de325dbf..9fd9a934e 100755
--- a/ur_robot_driver/test/integration_test.py
+++ b/ur_robot_driver/test/integration_test.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     FollowJointTrajectoryResult,
     JointTolerance)
 from ur_dashboard_msgs.msg import SetModeAction, SetModeGoal, RobotMode
-from std_srvs.srv import Trigger, TriggerRequest
+from std_srvs.srv import Trigger
 import tf
 from trajectory_msgs.msg import JointTrajectoryPoint
 from ur_msgs.srv import SetIO, SetIORequest
@@ -120,6 +120,22 @@ def init_robot(self):
                 "actually running in headless mode."
                 " Msg: {}".format(err))
 
+        self.start_tool_contact = rospy.ServiceProxy('ur_hardware_interface/start_tool_contact', Trigger)
+        try:
+            self.start_tool_contact.wait_for_service(timeout)
+        except rospy.exceptions.ROSException as err:
+            self.fail(
+                "Could not reach 'start tool contact' service. Make sure that the driver is actually running."
+                " Msg: {}".format(err))
+
+        self.end_tool_contact = rospy.ServiceProxy('ur_hardware_interface/end_tool_contact', Trigger)
+        try:
+            self.end_tool_contact.wait_for_service(timeout)
+        except rospy.exceptions.ROSException as err:
+            self.fail(
+                "Could not reach 'end tool contact' service. Make sure that the driver is actually running."
+                " Msg: {}".format(err))
+
         self.script_publisher = rospy.Publisher("/ur_hardware_interface/script_command", std_msgs.msg.String, queue_size=1)
         self.tf_listener = tf.TransformListener()
         self.twist_pub = rospy.Publisher("/twist_controller/command", geometry_msgs.msg.Twist, queue_size=1)
@@ -262,6 +278,13 @@ def test_set_io(self):
             messages += 1
         self.assertEqual(pin_state, 1)
 
+    def test_tool_contact(self):
+        start_response = self.start_tool_contact.call()
+        self.assertEqual(start_response.success,True)
+
+        end_response = self.end_tool_contact.call()
+        self.assertEqual(end_response.success, True)
+
     def test_cartesian_passthrough(self):
         #### Power cycle the robot in order to make sure it is running correctly####
         self.assertTrue(self.set_robot_to_mode(RobotMode.POWER_OFF))