diff --git a/ur_rtde_driver/CMakeLists.txt b/ur_rtde_driver/CMakeLists.txt
index 87ef293..5a698fd 100644
--- a/ur_rtde_driver/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ur_rtde_driver/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -25,18 +25,10 @@ find_package(catkin REQUIRED
     trajectory_msgs
     ur_controllers
     ur_msgs
-    message_generation
+    ur_rtde_msgs
 )
 find_package(Boost REQUIRED)
 
-## Generate services in the 'srv' folder
-add_service_files(
-   FILES
-   SetSpeedSlider.srv
-)
-
-generate_messages()
-
 catkin_package(
   INCLUDE_DIRS
     include
@@ -58,7 +50,7 @@ catkin_package(
     ur_controllers
     ur_msgs
     std_srvs
-    message_runtime
+    ur_rtde_msgs
   DEPENDS
     Boost
 )
diff --git a/ur_rtde_driver/include/ur_rtde_driver/ros/hardware_interface.h b/ur_rtde_driver/include/ur_rtde_driver/ros/hardware_interface.h
index 54d6893..5c56ffd 100644
--- a/ur_rtde_driver/include/ur_rtde_driver/ros/hardware_interface.h
+++ b/ur_rtde_driver/include/ur_rtde_driver/ros/hardware_interface.h
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 #include <ur_controllers/scaled_joint_command_interface.h>
 
 #include "ur_rtde_driver/ur/ur_driver.h"
-#include "ur_rtde_driver/SetSpeedSlider.h"
+#include "ur_rtde_msgs/SetSpeedSlider.h"
 
 namespace ur_driver
 {
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ protected:
   void readBitsetData(const std::unique_ptr<rtde_interface::DataPackage>& data_pkg, const std::string& var_name,
                       std::bitset<N>& data);
 
-  bool setSpeedSlider(ur_rtde_driver::SetSpeedSliderRequest& req, ur_rtde_driver::SetSpeedSliderResponse& res);
+  bool setSpeedSlider(ur_rtde_msgs::SetSpeedSliderRequest& req, ur_rtde_msgs::SetSpeedSliderResponse& res);
   bool setIO(ur_msgs::SetIORequest& req, ur_msgs::SetIOResponse& res);
 
   std::unique_ptr<UrDriver> ur_driver_;
diff --git a/ur_rtde_driver/package.xml b/ur_rtde_driver/package.xml
index 5fcf644..a6da2c5 100644
--- a/ur_rtde_driver/package.xml
+++ b/ur_rtde_driver/package.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
   <buildtool_depend>catkin</buildtool_depend>
 
   <build_depend>boost</build_depend>
-  <build_depend>message_generation</build_depend>
 
   <depend>actionlib</depend>
   <depend>control_msgs</depend>
@@ -36,6 +35,7 @@
   <depend>ur_controllers</depend>
   <depend>ur_msgs</depend>
   <depend>std_srvs</depend>
+  <depend>ur_rtde_msgs</depend>
 
   <exec_depend>force_torque_sensor_controller</exec_depend>
   <exec_depend>joint_state_controller</exec_depend>
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
   <exec_depend>socat</exec_depend>
   <exec_depend>ur_description</exec_depend>
   <exec_depend>velocity_controllers</exec_depend>
-  <exec_depend>message_runtime</exec_depend>
 
   <export>
     <rosdoc config="rosdoc.yaml" />
diff --git a/ur_rtde_driver/src/ros/hardware_interface.cpp b/ur_rtde_driver/src/ros/hardware_interface.cpp
index 676bf83..07a5af2 100644
--- a/ur_rtde_driver/src/ros/hardware_interface.cpp
+++ b/ur_rtde_driver/src/ros/hardware_interface.cpp
@@ -537,8 +537,8 @@ bool HardwareInterface::stopControl(std_srvs::TriggerRequest& req, std_srvs::Tri
   return true;
 }
 
-bool HardwareInterface::setSpeedSlider(ur_rtde_driver::SetSpeedSliderRequest& req,
-                                       ur_rtde_driver::SetSpeedSliderResponse& res)
+bool HardwareInterface::setSpeedSlider(ur_rtde_msgs::SetSpeedSliderRequest& req,
+                                       ur_rtde_msgs::SetSpeedSliderResponse& res)
 {
   if (req.data >= 0.01 && req.data <= 1.0 && ur_driver_ != nullptr)
   {
diff --git a/ur_rtde_msgs/CMakeLists.txt b/ur_rtde_msgs/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b219dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ur_rtde_msgs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,200 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.3)
+project(ur_rtde_msgs)
+
+## Compile as C++11, supported in ROS Kinetic and newer
+# add_compile_options(-std=c++11)
+
+## Find catkin macros and libraries
+## if COMPONENTS list like find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS xyz)
+## is used, also find other catkin packages
+find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS
+  message_generation
+)
+
+## System dependencies are found with CMake's conventions
+# find_package(Boost REQUIRED COMPONENTS system)
+
+
+## Uncomment this if the package has a setup.py. This macro ensures
+## modules and global scripts declared therein get installed
+## See http://ros.org/doc/api/catkin/html/user_guide/setup_dot_py.html
+# catkin_python_setup()
+
+################################################
+## Declare ROS messages, services and actions ##
+################################################
+
+## To declare and build messages, services or actions from within this
+## package, follow these steps:
+## * Let MSG_DEP_SET be the set of packages whose message types you use in
+##   your messages/services/actions (e.g. std_msgs, actionlib_msgs, ...).
+## * In the file package.xml:
+##   * add a build_depend tag for "message_generation"
+##   * add a build_depend and a exec_depend tag for each package in MSG_DEP_SET
+##   * If MSG_DEP_SET isn't empty the following dependency has been pulled in
+##     but can be declared for certainty nonetheless:
+##     * add a exec_depend tag for "message_runtime"
+## * In this file (CMakeLists.txt):
+##   * add "message_generation" and every package in MSG_DEP_SET to
+##     find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS ...)
+##   * add "message_runtime" and every package in MSG_DEP_SET to
+##     catkin_package(CATKIN_DEPENDS ...)
+##   * uncomment the add_*_files sections below as needed
+##     and list every .msg/.srv/.action file to be processed
+##   * uncomment the generate_messages entry below
+##   * add every package in MSG_DEP_SET to generate_messages(DEPENDENCIES ...)
+
+## Generate messages in the 'msg' folder
+# add_message_files(
+#   FILES
+#   Message1.msg
+#   Message2.msg
+# )
+
+## Generate services in the 'srv' folder
+add_service_files(
+  FILES
+  SetSpeedSlider.srv
+)
+
+## Generate actions in the 'action' folder
+# add_action_files(
+#   FILES
+#   Action1.action
+#   Action2.action
+# )
+
+## Generate added messages and services with any dependencies listed here
+generate_messages()
+
+################################################
+## Declare ROS dynamic reconfigure parameters ##
+################################################
+
+## To declare and build dynamic reconfigure parameters within this
+## package, follow these steps:
+## * In the file package.xml:
+##   * add a build_depend and a exec_depend tag for "dynamic_reconfigure"
+## * In this file (CMakeLists.txt):
+##   * add "dynamic_reconfigure" to
+##     find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS ...)
+##   * uncomment the "generate_dynamic_reconfigure_options" section below
+##     and list every .cfg file to be processed
+
+## Generate dynamic reconfigure parameters in the 'cfg' folder
+# generate_dynamic_reconfigure_options(
+#   cfg/DynReconf1.cfg
+#   cfg/DynReconf2.cfg
+# )
+
+###################################
+## catkin specific configuration ##
+###################################
+## The catkin_package macro generates cmake config files for your package
+## Declare things to be passed to dependent projects
+## INCLUDE_DIRS: uncomment this if your package contains header files
+## LIBRARIES: libraries you create in this project that dependent projects also need
+## CATKIN_DEPENDS: catkin_packages dependent projects also need
+## DEPENDS: system dependencies of this project that dependent projects also need
+catkin_package(
+#  INCLUDE_DIRS include
+#  LIBRARIES ur_rtde_msgs
+   CATKIN_DEPENDS message_runtime
+#  DEPENDS system_lib
+)
+
+###########
+## Build ##
+###########
+
+## Specify additional locations of header files
+## Your package locations should be listed before other locations
+include_directories(
+# include
+  ${catkin_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+)
+
+## Declare a C++ library
+# add_library(${PROJECT_NAME}
+#   src/${PROJECT_NAME}/ur_rtde_msgs.cpp
+# )
+
+## Add cmake target dependencies of the library
+## as an example, code may need to be generated before libraries
+## either from message generation or dynamic reconfigure
+# add_dependencies(${PROJECT_NAME} ${${PROJECT_NAME}_EXPORTED_TARGETS} ${catkin_EXPORTED_TARGETS})
+
+## Declare a C++ executable
+## With catkin_make all packages are built within a single CMake context
+## The recommended prefix ensures that target names across packages don't collide
+# add_executable(${PROJECT_NAME}_node src/ur_rtde_msgs_node.cpp)
+
+## Rename C++ executable without prefix
+## The above recommended prefix causes long target names, the following renames the
+## target back to the shorter version for ease of user use
+## e.g. "rosrun someones_pkg node" instead of "rosrun someones_pkg someones_pkg_node"
+# set_target_properties(${PROJECT_NAME}_node PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME node PREFIX "")
+
+## Add cmake target dependencies of the executable
+## same as for the library above
+# add_dependencies(${PROJECT_NAME}_node ${${PROJECT_NAME}_EXPORTED_TARGETS} ${catkin_EXPORTED_TARGETS})
+
+## Specify libraries to link a library or executable target against
+# target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}_node
+#   ${catkin_LIBRARIES}
+# )
+
+#############
+## Install ##
+#############
+
+# all install targets should use catkin DESTINATION variables
+# See http://ros.org/doc/api/catkin/html/adv_user_guide/variables.html
+
+## Mark executable scripts (Python etc.) for installation
+## in contrast to setup.py, you can choose the destination
+# install(PROGRAMS
+#   scripts/my_python_script
+#   DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_BIN_DESTINATION}
+# )
+
+## Mark executables for installation
+## See http://docs.ros.org/melodic/api/catkin/html/howto/format1/building_executables.html
+# install(TARGETS ${PROJECT_NAME}_node
+#   RUNTIME DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_BIN_DESTINATION}
+# )
+
+## Mark libraries for installation
+## See http://docs.ros.org/melodic/api/catkin/html/howto/format1/building_libraries.html
+# install(TARGETS ${PROJECT_NAME}
+#   ARCHIVE DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_LIB_DESTINATION}
+#   LIBRARY DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_LIB_DESTINATION}
+#   RUNTIME DESTINATION ${CATKIN_GLOBAL_BIN_DESTINATION}
+# )
+
+## Mark cpp header files for installation
+# install(DIRECTORY include/${PROJECT_NAME}/
+#   DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_INCLUDE_DESTINATION}
+#   FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.h"
+#   PATTERN ".svn" EXCLUDE
+# )
+
+## Mark other files for installation (e.g. launch and bag files, etc.)
+# install(FILES
+#   # myfile1
+#   # myfile2
+#   DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_SHARE_DESTINATION}
+# )
+
+#############
+## Testing ##
+#############
+
+## Add gtest based cpp test target and link libraries
+# catkin_add_gtest(${PROJECT_NAME}-test test/test_ur_rtde_msgs.cpp)
+# if(TARGET ${PROJECT_NAME}-test)
+#   target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME}-test ${PROJECT_NAME})
+# endif()
+
+## Add folders to be run by python nosetests
+# catkin_add_nosetests(test)
diff --git a/ur_rtde_msgs/package.xml b/ur_rtde_msgs/package.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..35ec60c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ur_rtde_msgs/package.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<package format="2">
+  <name>ur_rtde_msgs</name>
+  <version>0.0.1</version>
+  <description>Package for custom message and service definitions for the UR RTDE driver</description>
+
+  <!-- One maintainer tag required, multiple allowed, one person per tag -->
+  <!-- Example:  -->
+  <!-- <maintainer email="jane.doe@example.com">Jane Doe</maintainer> -->
+  <maintainer email="schnell@fzi.de">Tristan Schnell</maintainer>
+
+
+  <!-- One license tag required, multiple allowed, one license per tag -->
+  <!-- Commonly used license strings: -->
+  <!--   BSD, MIT, Boost Software License, GPLv2, GPLv3, LGPLv2.1, LGPLv3 -->
+  <license>Apache 2.0</license>
+
+
+  <!-- Url tags are optional, but multiple are allowed, one per tag -->
+  <!-- Optional attribute type can be: website, bugtracker, or repository -->
+  <!-- Example: -->
+  <!-- <url type="website">http://wiki.ros.org/ur_rtde_msgs</url> -->
+
+
+  <!-- Author tags are optional, multiple are allowed, one per tag -->
+  <!-- Authors do not have to be maintainers, but could be -->
+  <!-- Example: -->
+   <author>Tristan Schnell</author> 
+
+
+  <!-- The *depend tags are used to specify dependencies -->
+  <!-- Dependencies can be catkin packages or system dependencies -->
+  <!-- Examples: -->
+  <!-- Use depend as a shortcut for packages that are both build and exec dependencies -->
+  <!--   <depend>roscpp</depend> -->
+  <!--   Note that this is equivalent to the following: -->
+  <!--   <build_depend>roscpp</build_depend> -->
+  <!--   <exec_depend>roscpp</exec_depend> -->
+  <!-- Use build_depend for packages you need at compile time: -->
+  <!--   <build_depend>message_generation</build_depend> -->
+  <!-- Use build_export_depend for packages you need in order to build against this package: -->
+  <!--   <build_export_depend>message_generation</build_export_depend> -->
+  <!-- Use buildtool_depend for build tool packages: -->
+  <!--   <buildtool_depend>catkin</buildtool_depend> -->
+  <!-- Use exec_depend for packages you need at runtime: -->
+  <!--   <exec_depend>message_runtime</exec_depend> -->
+  <!-- Use test_depend for packages you need only for testing: -->
+  <!--   <test_depend>gtest</test_depend> -->
+  <!-- Use doc_depend for packages you need only for building documentation: -->
+  <!--   <doc_depend>doxygen</doc_depend> -->
+  <buildtool_depend>catkin</buildtool_depend>
+  <build_depend>message_generation</build_depend>
+  <exec_depend>message_runtime</exec_depend>
+
+
+  <!-- The export tag contains other, unspecified, tags -->
+  <export>
+    <!-- Other tools can request additional information be placed here -->
+
+  </export>
+</package>
diff --git a/ur_rtde_driver/srv/SetSpeedSlider.srv b/ur_rtde_msgs/srv/SetSpeedSlider.srv
similarity index 100%
rename from ur_rtde_driver/srv/SetSpeedSlider.srv
rename to ur_rtde_msgs/srv/SetSpeedSlider.srv