diff --git a/src/automatic_start.cpp b/src/automatic_start.cpp
index da52dcc..f39b9d4 100644
--- a/src/automatic_start.cpp
+++ b/src/automatic_start.cpp
@@ -815,7 +815,7 @@ bool AutomaticStart::topicCheck(void) {
 
     for (int i = 0; i < int(topic_check_topics_.size()); i++) {
 
-      if (topic_check_topics_[i].getTime() != ros::Time::UNINITIALIZED &&
+      if (topic_check_topics_[i].getTime() == ros::Time::UNINITIALIZED ||
           (ros::Time::now() - topic_check_topics_[i].getTime()) > ros::Duration(_topic_check_timeout_)) {
 
         missing_topics << std::endl << "\t" << topic_check_topics_[i].getTopicName();
diff --git a/test/topic_check/test.cpp b/test/topic_check/test.cpp
index 10dc8e8..f0cda40 100644
--- a/test/topic_check/test.cpp
+++ b/test/topic_check/test.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ bool Tester::test() {
   if (!success) {
     return true;
   } else {
-    ROS_ERROR("[%s]: takeoff initiated, this should not be possible", ros::this_node::getName().c_str());
+    ROS_ERROR("[%s]: takeoff initiated, this should not be possible: '%s'", ros::this_node::getName().c_str(), message.c_str());
     return false;
   }
 }