diff --git a/dwa_local_planner/include/dwa_local_planner/dwa_planner_ros.h b/dwa_local_planner/include/dwa_local_planner/dwa_planner_ros.h
index 02397ca4e4..ca1399a360 100644
--- a/dwa_local_planner/include/dwa_local_planner/dwa_planner_ros.h
+++ b/dwa_local_planner/include/dwa_local_planner/dwa_planner_ros.h
@@ -185,6 +185,12 @@ namespace dwa_local_planner {
 
       void resetBestEffort();
 
+      /**
+       * Update our local copy of the costmap with the latest costs, minimizing the time we lock the master one
+       * @param master Pointer to the master costmap
+       */
+      void updateCostmap(costmap_2d::Costmap2D* master);
+
       tf2_ros::Buffer* tf_; ///< @brief Used for transforming point clouds
 
       // for visualisation, publishers of global and local plan
@@ -194,6 +200,7 @@ namespace dwa_local_planner {
 
       boost::shared_ptr<DWAPlanner> dp_; ///< @brief The trajectory controller
 
+      costmap_2d::Costmap2D costmap_copy_; ///< @brief Local copy of the costmap; used for scoring trajectories
       costmap_2d::Costmap2DROS* costmap_ros_;
 
       dynamic_reconfigure::Server<DWAPlannerConfig> *dsrv_;
diff --git a/dwa_local_planner/src/dwa_planner_ros.cpp b/dwa_local_planner/src/dwa_planner_ros.cpp
index 79841dcbae..a192543978 100644
--- a/dwa_local_planner/src/dwa_planner_ros.cpp
+++ b/dwa_local_planner/src/dwa_planner_ros.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ namespace dwa_local_planner {
 
   void DWAPlannerROS::reconfigureCB(DWAPlannerConfig &config, uint32_t level) {
       const std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(config_mtx_);
-      
+
       if (setup_ && config.restore_defaults) {
         config = default_config_;
         config.restore_defaults = false;
@@ -126,12 +126,12 @@ namespace dwa_local_planner {
       costmap_ros_ = costmap_ros;
       costmap_ros_->getRobotPose(current_pose_);
 
-      // make sure to update the costmap we'll use for this cycle
-      costmap_2d::Costmap2D* costmap = costmap_ros_->getCostmap();
+      // update our local copy of the costmap; we will update too before computing velocity commands
+      updateCostmap(costmap_ros_->getCostmap());
 
-      planner_util_.initialize(tf, costmap, costmap_ros_->getGlobalFrameID());
+      planner_util_.initialize(tf, &costmap_copy_, costmap_ros_->getGlobalFrameID());
 
-      //create the actual planner that we'll use.. it'll configure itself from the parameter server
+      // create the actual planner that we'll use.. it'll configure itself from the parameter server
       dp_ = boost::shared_ptr<DWAPlanner>(new DWAPlanner(name, &planner_util_));
 
       if( private_nh.getParam( "odom_topic", odom_topic_ ))
@@ -394,6 +394,8 @@ namespace dwa_local_planner {
   uint32_t DWAPlannerROS::computeVelocityCommands(const geometry_msgs::PoseStamped& pose,
                                                   const geometry_msgs::TwistStamped& velocity,
                                                   geometry_msgs::TwistStamped& cmd_vel, std::string& message) {
+    updateCostmap(costmap_ros_->getCostmap());
+
     // dispatches to either dwa sampling control or stop and rotate control, depending on whether we have been close enough to goal
     if ( ! costmap_ros_->getRobotPose(current_pose_)) {
       message = "Could not get robot pose";
@@ -429,7 +431,7 @@ namespace dwa_local_planner {
       if (!outer_goal_entry_) {
         outer_goal_entry_ = current_pose_;
       }
-      
+
       // check if we reached inner tolerance
       if (finishedBestEffort()) {
         //publish an empty plan because we've reached our goal position
@@ -483,5 +485,9 @@ namespace dwa_local_planner {
 
   }
 
+  void DWAPlannerROS::updateCostmap(costmap_2d::Costmap2D* master) {
+   boost::unique_lock<costmap_2d::Costmap2D::mutex_t> lock(*(master->getMutex()));
+   costmap_copy_ = *master;
+  }
 
 };