diff --git a/franka_gazebo/config/franka_hw_sim.yaml b/franka_gazebo/config/franka_hw_sim.yaml
index 08a2f767a..41eedd264 100644
--- a/franka_gazebo/config/franka_hw_sim.yaml
+++ b/franka_gazebo/config/franka_hw_sim.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 arm_id: $(arg arm_id)
 
-m_ee:  0.76
+m_ee: 0.76
 franka_gripper:
-  type:    franka_gazebo/FrankaGripperSim
-  arm_id:  $(arg arm_id)
+  type: franka_gazebo/FrankaGripperSim
+  arm_id: $(arg arm_id)
 
   finger1:
     gains: { p: 100, i: 25, d: 20 }
diff --git a/franka_gazebo/src/franka_gripper_sim.cpp b/franka_gazebo/src/franka_gripper_sim.cpp
index 117bd0327..96aca3de1 100644
--- a/franka_gazebo/src/franka_gripper_sim.cpp
+++ b/franka_gazebo/src/franka_gripper_sim.cpp
@@ -421,22 +421,35 @@ void FrankaGripperSim::onGraspGoal(const franka_gripper::GraspGoalConstPtr& goal
 }
 
 void FrankaGripperSim::onGripperActionGoal(const control_msgs::GripperCommandGoalConstPtr& goal) {
+  control_msgs::GripperCommandResult result;
+  double width_d = goal->command.position * 2.0;
+
   ROS_INFO_STREAM_NAMED("FrankaGripperSim", "New Gripper Command Action Goal received: "
-                                                << goal->command.max_effort << "N");
+                                                << width_d << "m, " << goal->command.max_effort
+                                                << "N");
 
   // HACK: As one gripper finger is <mimic>, MoveIt!'s trajectory execution manager
   // only sends us the width of one finger. Multiply by 2 to get the intended width.
   double width = this->finger1_.getPosition() + this->finger2_.getPosition();
 
+  if (width_d > kMaxFingerWidth || width_d < 0.0) {
+    std::string error =
+        "Commanding out of range width! max_width = " + std::to_string(kMaxFingerWidth) +
+        " command = " + std::to_string(width_d);
+    ROS_ERROR_STREAM_NAMED("FrankaGripperSim", error);
+    result.reached_goal = static_cast<decltype(result.reached_goal)>(false);
+    action_gc_->setAborted(result, error);
+    return;
+  }
+
   franka_gripper::GraspEpsilon eps;
   eps.inner = this->tolerance_gripper_action_;
   eps.outer = this->tolerance_gripper_action_;
 
-  transition(State::GRASPING,
-             Config{.width_desired = goal->command.position * 2.0 < width ? 0 : kMaxFingerWidth,
-                    .speed_desired = this->speed_default_,
-                    .force_desired = goal->command.max_effort,
-                    .tolerance = eps});
+  transition(State::GRASPING, Config{.width_desired = width_d,
+                                     .speed_desired = this->speed_default_,
+                                     .force_desired = goal->command.max_effort,
+                                     .tolerance = eps});
 
   waitUntilStateChange();
 
@@ -446,7 +459,6 @@ void FrankaGripperSim::onGripperActionGoal(const control_msgs::GripperCommandGoa
     return;
   }
 
-  control_msgs::GripperCommandResult result;
   if (this->state_ != State::HOLDING) {
     result.reached_goal = static_cast<decltype(result.reached_goal)>(false);
     std::string error = "Unexpected state transistion: The gripper not in HOLDING as expected";
@@ -454,7 +466,6 @@ void FrankaGripperSim::onGripperActionGoal(const control_msgs::GripperCommandGoa
     return;
   }
 
-  double width_d = goal->command.position * 2.0;
   width = this->finger1_.getPosition() + this->finger2_.getPosition();  // recalculate
   bool inside_tolerance = width_d - this->tolerance_gripper_action_ < width and
                           width < width_d + this->tolerance_gripper_action_;