diff --git a/active_grasp/controller.py b/active_grasp/controller.py
index 8ae646e..939fdb8 100644
--- a/active_grasp/controller.py
+++ b/active_grasp/controller.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class GraspController:
         self.lookup_transforms()
         self.init_service_proxies()
         self.init_robot_connection()
+        self.init_moveit()
         self.init_camera_stream()
 
     def load_parameters(self):
@@ -45,7 +46,14 @@ class GraspController:
     def init_robot_connection(self):
         self.cartesian_vel_pub = rospy.Publisher("command", Twist, queue_size=10)
         self.gripper = PandaGripperClient()
+
+    def init_moveit(self):
         self.moveit = MoveItClient("panda_arm")
+        rospy.sleep(1.0)  # wait for connections to be established
+
+        table_height = 0.22
+        msg = to_pose_stamped_msg(Transform.t([0.4, 0, table_height]), self.base_frame)
+        self.moveit.scene.add_box("table", msg, size=(0.5, 0.5, 0.02))
 
     def switch_to_cartesian_velocity_control(self):
         req = SwitchControllerRequest()
diff --git a/launch/simulation.launch b/launch/simulation.launch
index 1894ed7..3df0306 100644
--- a/launch/simulation.launch
+++ b/launch/simulation.launch
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   <node pkg="robot_state_publisher" type="robot_state_publisher" name="robot_state_publisher" />
 
   <!-- Launch MoveIt -->
-  <node pkg="tf2_ros" type="static_transform_publisher" name="virtual_joint_broadcaster" args="0 0 0 0 0 0 world panda_link0" />
+  <node pkg="tf2_ros" type="static_transform_publisher" name="to_panda" args="0 0 0 0 0 0  world panda_link0" />
   <include file="$(find panda_moveit_config)/launch/move_group.launch" />
 
   <!-- Launch rviz -->