diff --git a/stretch_gazebo/launch/gazebo.launch b/stretch_gazebo/launch/gazebo.launch
index c2dc117..6b75bcd 100644
--- a/stretch_gazebo/launch/gazebo.launch
+++ b/stretch_gazebo/launch/gazebo.launch
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
   <arg name="rviz" default="false"/>
   <arg name="model" default="$(find stretch_gazebo)/urdf/stretch_gazebo.urdf.xacro"/>
   <arg name="gpu_lidar" default="false"/>
+  <arg name="visualize_lidar" default="false"/>
   <arg name="world" default="worlds/empty.world"/>
 
   <include file="$(find gazebo_ros)/launch/empty_world.launch">
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@
     <arg name="verbose" value="true"/>
   </include>
 
-  <param name="robot_description" command="$(find xacro)/xacro $(arg model) gpu_lidar:=$(arg gpu_lidar)" />
+  <param name="robot_description" command="$(find xacro)/xacro $(arg model) gpu_lidar:=$(arg gpu_lidar) visualize_lidar:=$(arg visualize_lidar)" />
 
   <!-- push robot_description to factory and spawn robot in gazebo -->
   <node name="urdf_spawner" pkg="gazebo_ros" type="spawn_model"
diff --git a/stretch_gazebo/urdf/stretch_gazebo.urdf.xacro b/stretch_gazebo/urdf/stretch_gazebo.urdf.xacro
index fcec6ee..d7ad7e7 100644
--- a/stretch_gazebo/urdf/stretch_gazebo.urdf.xacro
+++ b/stretch_gazebo/urdf/stretch_gazebo.urdf.xacro
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <robot xmlns:xacro="http://www.ros.org/wiki/xacro" name="stretch_description">
   <xacro:arg name="gpu_lidar" default="false" />
+  <xacro:arg name="visualize_lidar" default="false" />
 
   <xacro:include filename="$(find stretch_description)/urdf/stretch_main.xacro" />
   <xacro:include filename="$(find stretch_description)/urdf/stretch_aruco.xacro" />
@@ -245,7 +246,7 @@
       <material>Gazebo/Black</material>
       <sensor type="ray" name="laser_sensor">
         <pose>0 0 0 0 0 0</pose>
-        <visualize>true</visualize>
+        <visualize>$(arg visualize_lidar)</visualize>
         <update_rate>5.5</update_rate>
         <ray>
           <scan>
@@ -281,7 +282,7 @@
       <material>Gazebo/Black</material>
       <sensor type="gpu_ray" name="laser_sensor">
         <pose>0 0 0 0 0 0</pose>
-        <visualize>true</visualize>
+        <visualize>$(arg visualize_lidar)</visualize>
         <update_rate>5.5</update_rate>
         <ray>
           <scan>