diff --git a/msg/tools/generate_microRTPS_bridge.py b/msg/tools/generate_microRTPS_bridge.py
index 67b1b6ae2d76..057770066d45 100644
--- a/msg/tools/generate_microRTPS_bridge.py
+++ b/msg/tools/generate_microRTPS_bridge.py
@@ -206,9 +206,14 @@
     fastrtps_version = subprocess.check_output(
         "ldconfig -v 2>/dev/null | grep libfastrtps", shell=True).decode("utf-8").strip().split('so.')[-1]
 else:
-    # grab the version of the ros-<ros_distro>-fastrtps package
-    fastrtps_version = re.search(r'Version:\s*([\dd.]+)', subprocess.check_output(
-        "dpkg -s ros-" + ros2_distro + "-fastrtps 2>/dev/null | grep -i version", shell=True).decode("utf-8").strip()).group(1)
+    try:
+        # grab the version of the ros-<ros_distro>-fastrtps package
+        fastrtps_version = re.search(r'Version:\s*([\dd.]+)', subprocess.check_output(
+            "dpkg -s ros-" + ros2_distro + "-fastrtps 2>/dev/null | grep -i version", shell=True).decode("utf-8").strip()).group(1)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        # if ROS2 was installed from sources the command above fails, get the system-wide version instead
+        fastrtps_version = subprocess.check_output(
+            "ldconfig -v 2>/dev/null | grep libfastrtps", shell=True).decode("utf-8").strip().split('so.')[-1]
 
 
 # If nothing specified it's generated both