diff --git a/src/link/gz_client.cpp b/src/link/gz_client.cpp
index 28750f3..246440e 100644
--- a/src/link/gz_client.cpp
+++ b/src/link/gz_client.cpp
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ void GzClient::udp_send(const synapse_pb::Frame& frame) const
         return;
     }
     if (udp_link_ != nullptr) {
-        udp_link_.get()->write((const uint8_t*)stream.str().c_str(), stream.str().length());
+        udp_link_->write((const uint8_t*)stream.str().c_str(), stream.str().length());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/link/gz_client.hpp b/src/link/gz_client.hpp
index 80249a9..6600050 100644
--- a/src/link/gz_client.hpp
+++ b/src/link/gz_client.hpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class GzClient : public gz::transport::Node {
     std::string topic_sub_logical_camera_;
 
 public:
-    std::shared_ptr<UDPLink> udp_link_ { NULL };
+    UDPLink* udp_link_;
     gz::transport::Node::Publisher pub_actuators_;
     gz::transport::Node::Publisher pub_lighting_config_;
     gz::transport::Node::Publisher pub_material_color_;
diff --git a/src/link/udp_link.cpp b/src/link/udp_link.cpp
index 398d8ae..d558ede 100644
--- a/src/link/udp_link.cpp
+++ b/src/link/udp_link.cpp
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ using boost::asio::ip::udp;
 using std::placeholders::_1;
 using std::placeholders::_2;
 
-UDPLink::UDPLink(std::string host, int port)
+UDPLink::UDPLink(std::string host, int port, GzClient* gz)
 {
+    gz_ = gz;
+    gz_->udp_link_ = this;
     remote_endpoint_ = *udp::resolver(io_context_).resolve(udp::resolver::query(host, std::to_string(port)));
     my_endpoint_ = udp::endpoint(udp::v4(), GZ_PORT);
 
@@ -70,7 +72,7 @@ void UDPLink::rx_handler(const boost::system::error_code& ec, std::size_t bytes_
                 } else if (frame.msg_case() == synapse_pb::Frame::kLedArray) {
                     gz_->publish_led_array(frame.led_array());
                 } else {
-                    std::cerr << "unhandled message: " << frame.msg_case() <<  std::endl;
+                    std::cerr << "unhandled message: " << frame.msg_case() << std::endl;
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/link/udp_link.hpp b/src/link/udp_link.hpp
index 29957c3..d5a4eea 100644
--- a/src/link/udp_link.hpp
+++ b/src/link/udp_link.hpp
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ class UDPLink {
     };
     boost::asio::ip::udp::endpoint remote_endpoint_;
     boost::asio::ip::udp::endpoint my_endpoint_;
+    GzClient* gz_;
 
 public:
-    std::shared_ptr<GzClient> gz_ {};
-    UDPLink(std::string host, int port);
+    UDPLink(std::string host, int port, GzClient* gz);
     void run_for(std::chrono::seconds sec);
     void write(const uint8_t* buf, uint32_t len);
 
diff --git a/src/synapse_gz.cpp b/src/synapse_gz.cpp
index 6bb01e4..d064dab 100644
--- a/src/synapse_gz.cpp
+++ b/src/synapse_gz.cpp
@@ -6,67 +6,51 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include <rclcpp/parameter_value.hpp>
 
-std::atomic<bool> g_stop { false };
-std::shared_ptr<UDPLink> g_udp_link = NULL;
-std::shared_ptr<GzClient> g_gz_client = NULL;
+using namespace std::chrono_literals;
 
-void signal_handler(int signum)
-{
-    (void)signum;
-    g_stop = true;
-}
+class SynapseGz : public rclcpp::Node {
+public:
+    SynapseGz();
+    virtual ~SynapseGz();
 
-void udp_link_entry_point()
-{
-    while (not g_stop) {
-        g_udp_link->run_for(std::chrono::seconds(1));
-    }
-}
+private:
+    void udp_run();
+    std::shared_ptr<std::thread> udp_link_thread_;
+    std::shared_ptr<UDPLink> udp_link_ = NULL;
+    std::shared_ptr<GzClient> gz_client_ = NULL;
+};
 
-void gz_entry_point()
+void SynapseGz::udp_run()
 {
-    while (not g_stop) {
-        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::seconds(1));
+    while (rclcpp::ok()) {
+        udp_link_->run_for(1s);
     }
 }
 
-class SynapseGz : public rclcpp::Node {
-public:
-    SynapseGz()
-        : Node("synapze_gz")
-    {
-        this->declare_parameter("host", "127.0.0.1");
-        this->declare_parameter("port", 4243);
-        this->declare_parameter("vehicle", "b3rb");
-
-        std::string host = this->get_parameter("host").as_string();
-        int port = this->get_parameter("port").as_int();
-        std::string vehicle = this->get_parameter("vehicle").as_string();
+SynapseGz::SynapseGz()
+    : Node("synapze_gz")
+{
+    this->declare_parameter("host", "127.0.0.1");
+    this->declare_parameter("port", 4243);
+    this->declare_parameter("vehicle", "b3rb");
 
-        // create udp link
-        g_udp_link = std::make_shared<UDPLink>(host, port);
+    std::string host = this->get_parameter("host").as_string();
+    int port = this->get_parameter("port").as_int();
+    std::string vehicle = this->get_parameter("vehicle").as_string();
 
-        // create gz client
-        g_gz_client = std::make_shared<GzClient>(vehicle);
-        g_udp_link.get()->gz_ = g_gz_client;
-        g_gz_client->udp_link_ = g_udp_link;
+    gz_client_ = std::make_shared<GzClient>(vehicle);
+    udp_link_ = std::make_shared<UDPLink>(host, port, gz_client_.get());
 
-        // start threads
-        udp_link_thread_ = std::make_shared<std::thread>(udp_link_entry_point);
-        gz_thread_ = std::make_shared<std::thread>(gz_entry_point);
-    }
-    virtual ~SynapseGz()
-    {
-        // join threads
-        g_stop = true;
-        udp_link_thread_->join();
-        gz_thread_->join();
-    }
+    // start threads
+    udp_link_thread_ = std::make_shared<std::thread>(std::bind(
+        &SynapseGz::udp_run, this));
+}
 
-private:
-    std::shared_ptr<std::thread> udp_link_thread_;
-    std::shared_ptr<std::thread> gz_thread_;
-};
+SynapseGz::~SynapseGz()
+{
+    // join threads
+    udp_link_thread_->join();
+}
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {