diff --git a/nav2_amcl/src/amcl_node.cpp b/nav2_amcl/src/amcl_node.cpp
index 5ea501103bab27a4766736ddd9352e64fba3e7c3..e857cf648de26c1071b440911c463b29e223c954 100644
--- a/nav2_amcl/src/amcl_node.cpp
+++ b/nav2_amcl/src/amcl_node.cpp
@@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ AmclNode::initOdometry()
   // When pausing and resuming, remember the last robot pose so we don't start at 0:0 again
   init_pose_[0] = last_published_pose_.pose.pose.position.x;
   init_pose_[1] = last_published_pose_.pose.pose.position.y;
-  init_pose_[2] = last_published_pose_.pose.pose.position.z;
+  init_pose_[2] = tf2::getYaw(last_published_pose_.pose.pose.orientation);
 
   if (!initial_pose_is_known_) {
     init_cov_[0] = 0.5 * 0.5;