diff --git a/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map/building.py b/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map/building.py
index f7339381..8b2c36d5 100644
--- a/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map/building.py
+++ b/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map/building.py
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ def generate_nav_graphs(self):
                 nav_graphs[f'{i}'] = g
         return nav_graphs
 
-    def generate_sdf_world(self, template_file):
+    def generate_sdf_world(self, template_file, skip_camera_pose):
         """ Return an etree of this Building in SDF starting from a template"""
         if template_file == "":
             template_name = 'gz_world.sdf'
@@ -474,18 +474,20 @@ def generate_sdf_world(self, template_file):
             crs_ele.text = self.global_transform.crs_name
 
         gui_ele = world.find('gui')
-        c = self.center()
-        # Transforming camera to account for offsets if
-        # not in reference_image mode and when a floor polygon is defined.
-        if self.global_transform and c != (0, 0):
-            camera_pose = f'{c[0] - self.global_transform.x}  \
-            {c[1]-20 - self.global_transform.y} 10 0 0.6 1.57'
-        else:
-            camera_pose = f'{c[0]} {c[1]-20} 10 0 0.6 1.57'
-        # add floor-toggle GUI plugin parameters
-        plugin_ele = gui_ele.find('.//plugin[@filename="MinimalScene"]')
-        camera_pose_ele = plugin_ele.find('camera_pose')
-        camera_pose_ele.text = camera_pose
+
+        if not skip_camera_pose:
+            c = self.center()
+            # Transforming camera to account for offsets if
+            # not in reference_image mode and when a floor polygon is defined.
+            if self.global_transform and c != (0, 0):
+                camera_pose = f'{c[0] - self.global_transform.x}  \
+                {c[1]-20 - self.global_transform.y} 10 0 0.6 1.57'
+            else:
+                camera_pose = f'{c[0]} {c[1]-20} 10 0 0.6 1.57'
+            # add floor-toggle GUI plugin parameters
+            plugin_ele = gui_ele.find('.//plugin[@filename="MinimalScene"]')
+            camera_pose_ele = plugin_ele.find('camera_pose')
+            camera_pose_ele.text = camera_pose
 
         toggle_floors_ele = SubElement(
             gui_ele,
diff --git a/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map/generator.py b/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map/generator.py
index d7b2c142..f8157793 100644
--- a/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map/generator.py
+++ b/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map/generator.py
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ def generate_sdf(
         input_filename,
         output_filename,
         output_models_dir,
-        template_file
+        template_file,
+        skip_camera_pose
     ):
         print('generating {} from {}'.format(output_filename, input_filename))
 
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ def generate_sdf(
         building.generate_sdf_models(output_models_dir)
 
         # generate a top-level SDF for convenience
-        sdf = building.generate_sdf_world(template_file)
+        sdf = building.generate_sdf_world(template_file, skip_camera_pose)
 
         indent_etree(sdf)
         sdf_str = str(ElementToString(sdf), 'utf-8')
diff --git a/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map_generator/_init_argparse.py b/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map_generator/_init_argparse.py
index e09f29fc..0fc37501 100644
--- a/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map_generator/_init_argparse.py
+++ b/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map_generator/_init_argparse.py
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@
 shared_parser.add_argument("--TEMPLATE_WORLD_FILE", type=str, default="",
                            help="Specify the template for"
                            + " the base simulation.")
+shared_parser.add_argument("--SKIP_CAMERA_POSE", action="store_true",
+                           help="Skips calculating and setting the initial "
+                           + "camera view pose. This flag should only be used "
+                           + "if the template SDF file already has the camera "
+                           + "pose defined.")
 # Create subparsers for Gazebo and Nav generation
 gazebo_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
     'gazebo',
diff --git a/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map_generator/building_map_generator.py b/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map_generator/building_map_generator.py
index 23930661..2feba39c 100755
--- a/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map_generator/building_map_generator.py
+++ b/rmf_building_map_tools/building_map_generator/building_map_generator.py
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ def main():
             args.INPUT,
             args.OUTPUT_WORLD,
             args.OUTPUT_MODEL_DIR,
-            args.TEMPLATE_WORLD_FILE
+            args.TEMPLATE_WORLD_FILE,
+            args.SKIP_CAMERA_POSE
         )
 
     if args.command == "nav":