diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 651270ae2..1f500c573 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ commands may use incompatible installations or incomplete environment state.
 - Reuse existing launch patterns and substitutions. Keep launch argument,
   parameter, topic, and namespace names consistent across launch files, config
   files, and node declarations.
+- When editing or creating launch files, consider whether there is a need for passing
+  through the `use_sim_time` parameter. Most packages should support simulation time.
 
 ## Configuration
 
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..43c994c2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+@AGENTS.md
diff --git a/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_bringup/launch/highlevel.launch b/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_bringup/launch/highlevel.launch
index 71a4679a9..bd2f8208f 100644
--- a/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_bringup/launch/highlevel.launch
+++ b/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_bringup/launch/highlevel.launch
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@
         </include>
     </group>
     <group if="$(var whistle_detector)">
-        <include file="$(find-pkg-share bitbots_whistle_detector)/launch/whistle_detector.launch"/>
+        <include file="$(find-pkg-share bitbots_whistle_detector)/launch/whistle_detector.launch">
+            <arg name="sim" value="$(var sim)"/>
+        </include>
     </group>
     <!-- launch localization or fake localization -->
     <group if="$(var localization)">
diff --git a/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_diagnostic/launch/aggregator.launch b/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_diagnostic/launch/aggregator.launch
index 63e77dceb..3c14fbed5 100644
--- a/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_diagnostic/launch/aggregator.launch
+++ b/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_diagnostic/launch/aggregator.launch
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 <?xml version="1.0"?>
 <launch>
+    <arg name="sim" default="false" description="Whether to use simulation time" />
+
     <node pkg="diagnostic_aggregator" exec="aggregator_node" args="--ros-args --log-level WARN">
         <param from="$(find-pkg-share bitbots_diagnostic)/config/analyzers.yaml" />
+        <param name="use_sim_time" value="$(var sim)" />
     </node>
 </launch>
 
diff --git a/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_robot_description/launch/load_robot_description.launch b/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_robot_description/launch/load_robot_description.launch
index 614c0560b..2e62528c2 100644
--- a/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_robot_description/launch/load_robot_description.launch
+++ b/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_robot_description/launch/load_robot_description.launch
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     <node name="robot_state_publisher" pkg="robot_state_publisher" exec="robot_state_publisher">
         <param name="publish_frequency" value="100.0"/>
         <param name="robot_description" value="$(command '$(find-exec xacro) $(find-pkg-share piplus_description)/urdf/pi_plus_22dof.urdf.xacro')"/>
+        <param name="use_sim_time" value="$(var sim)"/>
     </node>
 
     <include file="$(find-pkg-share bitbots_extrinsic_calibration)/launch/calibration.launch">
diff --git a/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_whistle_detector/launch/whistle_detector.launch b/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_whistle_detector/launch/whistle_detector.launch
index 1d39902bc..f3aa6918e 100644
--- a/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_whistle_detector/launch/whistle_detector.launch
+++ b/src/bitbots_misc/bitbots_whistle_detector/launch/whistle_detector.launch
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 <launch>
+    <arg name="sim" default="false" description="Whether to use simulation time" />
+
     <node pkg="bitbots_whistle_detector" exec="whistle_detector" name="bitbots_whistle_detector" output="screen">
+        <param name="use_sim_time" value="$(var sim)" />
     </node>
 </launch>
diff --git a/src/lib/bitbots_tf_buffer/src/bitbots_tf_buffer.cpp b/src/lib/bitbots_tf_buffer/src/bitbots_tf_buffer.cpp
index ade8337c0..b87d940ed 100644
--- a/src/lib/bitbots_tf_buffer/src/bitbots_tf_buffer.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/bitbots_tf_buffer/src/bitbots_tf_buffer.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,14 @@ class Buffer {
     rcl_node_t *node_handle =
         static_cast<rcl_node_t *>(reinterpret_cast<void *>(node.attr("handle").attr("pointer").cast<size_t>()));
     const char *node_name = rcl_node_get_name(node_handle);
+
+    // inherit the use_sim_time parameter from the outer node
+    const bool use_sim_time = node.attr("get_parameter")("use_sim_time").attr("value").cast<bool>();
+    rclcpp::NodeOptions node_options;
+    node_options.parameter_overrides({rclcpp::Parameter("use_sim_time", use_sim_time)});
+
     // create node with name <python_node_name>_tf
-    node_ = std::make_shared<rclcpp::Node>((std::string(node_name) + "_tf").c_str());
+    node_ = std::make_shared<rclcpp::Node>((std::string(node_name) + "_tf").c_str(), node_options);
 
     // Get buffer duration from python duration
     auto duration =