diff --git a/src/core_pkg/core_pkg/core_headless.py b/src/core_pkg/core_pkg/core_headless.py
index ce6896f..797bb3e 100755
--- a/src/core_pkg/core_pkg/core_headless.py
+++ b/src/core_pkg/core_pkg/core_headless.py
@@ -20,113 +20,86 @@ os.environ["SDL_VIDEODRIVER"] = "dummy"  # Prevents pygame from trying to open a
 os.environ["SDL_AUDIODRIVER"] = "dummy"  # Force pygame to use a dummy audio driver before pygame.init()
 
 
-max_speed = 75 #Max speed as a duty cycle percentage (1-100)
+max_speed = 90 #Max speed as a duty cycle percentage (1-100)
 
 class Headless(Node):
     def __init__(self):
-        # Initalize node with name
-        super().__init__("core_headless")
-
-        self.create_timer(0.20, self.send_controls)
-
-
-        # Create a publisher to publish any output the pico sends
-        self.publisher = self.create_publisher(CoreControl, '/core/control', 10) 
-
-
-        self.lastMsg = String() #Used to ignore sending controls repeatedly when they do not change
-
+        # Initialize pygame first
         pygame.init()
-
-        # Initialize the gamepad module
         pygame.joystick.init()
-
-        # Check if any gamepad is connected
-        if pygame.joystick.get_count() == 0:
-            print("No gamepad found.")
-            pygame.quit()
-            exit()
-        for event in pygame.event.get():
-            if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
-                pygame.quit()
-                exit()
-
-        # Initialize the first gamepad, print name to terminal
+        
+        # Wait for a gamepad to be connected
+        self.gamepad = None
+        print("Waiting for gamepad connection...")
+        while pygame.joystick.get_count() == 0:
+            # Process any pygame events to keep it responsive
+            for event in pygame.event.get():
+                if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
+                    pygame.quit()
+                    sys.exit(0)
+            time.sleep(1.0)  # Check every second
+            print("No gamepad found. Waiting...")
+        
+        # Initialize the gamepad
         self.gamepad = pygame.joystick.Joystick(0)
         self.gamepad.init()
         print(f'Gamepad Found: {self.gamepad.get_name()}')
-        #
-        #
-
+        
+        # Now initialize the ROS2 node
+        super().__init__("core_headless")
+        self.create_timer(0.15, self.send_controls)
+        self.publisher = self.create_publisher(CoreControl, '/core/control', 10)
+        self.lastMsg = String()  # Used to ignore sending controls repeatedly when they do not change
 
     def run(self):
         # This thread makes all the update processes run in the background
         thread = threading.Thread(target=rclpy.spin, args={self}, daemon=True)
         thread.start()
         
-
         try:
             while rclpy.ok():
-                #Check the pico for updates
                 self.send_controls()
-
-                if pygame.joystick.get_count() == 0: #if controller disconnected, wait for it to be reconnected
-                    print(f"Gamepad disconnected: {self.gamepad.get_name()}")
-                    
-                    while pygame.joystick.get_count() == 0:
-                        self.send_controls()
-                    self.gamepad = pygame.joystick.Joystick(0)
-                    self.gamepad.init() #re-initialized gamepad
-                    print(f"Gamepad reconnected: {self.gamepad.get_name()}")
-                    
-
+                time.sleep(0.1)  # Small delay to avoid CPU hogging
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
             sys.exit(0)
-        
 
     def send_controls(self):
-        
         for event in pygame.event.get():
             if event.type == pygame.QUIT:
                 pygame.quit()
-                exit()
-        input = CoreControl()
-
-        input.max_speed = max_speed
-
-        input.right_stick = round(self.gamepad.get_axis(4),2)#right y-axis
-        if self.gamepad.get_axis(5) > 0:
-            input.left_stick = input.right_stick
-        else:
-            input.left_stick = round(self.gamepad.get_axis(1),2)#lext y-axis
-
-
-
-        if pygame.joystick.get_count() != 0:
-            output = f'L: {input.left_stick}, R: {input.right_stick}, M: {max_speed}' #stop the rover if there is no controller connected
-            self.get_logger().info(f"[Ctrl] {output}")
-            self.publisher.publish(input)
-        else:
+                sys.exit(0)
+        
+        # Check if controller is still connected
+        if pygame.joystick.get_count() == 0:
+            print("Gamepad disconnected. Exiting...")
+            # Send one last zero control message
+            input = CoreControl()
             input.left_stick = 0
             input.right_stick = 0
             input.max_speed = 0
-            self.get_logger().info(f"[Ctrl] Stopping. No Gamepad Connected. ")
             self.publisher.publish(input)
+            self.get_logger().info("Final stop command sent. Shutting down.")
+            # Clean up
+            pygame.quit()
+            sys.exit(0)
+            
+        input = CoreControl()
+        input.max_speed = max_speed
+        input.right_stick = -1 * round(self.gamepad.get_axis(4), 2)  # right y-axis
+        if self.gamepad.get_axis(5) > 0:
+            input.left_stick = input.right_stick
+        else:
+            input.left_stick = -1 * round(self.gamepad.get_axis(1), 2)  # left y-axis
 
-
-        
+        output = f'L: {input.left_stick}, R: {input.right_stick}, M: {max_speed}'
+        self.get_logger().info(f"[Ctrl] {output}")
+        self.publisher.publish(input)
 
 def main(args=None):
     rclpy.init(args=args)
-
     node = Headless()
-    
     rclpy.spin(node)
     rclpy.shutdown()
 
-    #tb_bs = BaseStation()
-    #node.run()
-
-
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()