diff --git a/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/handle.hpp b/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/handle.hpp
index dc536e51be..bfe0ff1eb8 100644
--- a/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/handle.hpp
+++ b/hardware_interface/include/hardware_interface/handle.hpp
@@ -16,41 +16,45 @@
 #define HARDWARE_INTERFACE__HANDLE_HPP_
 
 #include <string>
+#include <variant>
 
 #include "hardware_interface/macros.hpp"
 
 namespace hardware_interface
 {
+
+using HANDLE_DATATYPE = std::variant<double>;
+
 /// A handle used to get and set a value on a given interface.
-class ReadOnlyHandle
+class Handle
 {
 public:
-  ReadOnlyHandle(
+  Handle(
     const std::string & prefix_name, const std::string & interface_name,
     double * value_ptr = nullptr)
   : prefix_name_(prefix_name), interface_name_(interface_name), value_ptr_(value_ptr)
   {
   }
 
-  explicit ReadOnlyHandle(const std::string & interface_name)
+  explicit Handle(const std::string & interface_name)
   : interface_name_(interface_name), value_ptr_(nullptr)
   {
   }
 
-  explicit ReadOnlyHandle(const char * interface_name)
+  explicit Handle(const char * interface_name)
   : interface_name_(interface_name), value_ptr_(nullptr)
   {
   }
 
-  ReadOnlyHandle(const ReadOnlyHandle & other) = default;
+  Handle(const Handle & other) = default;
 
-  ReadOnlyHandle(ReadOnlyHandle && other) = default;
+  Handle(Handle && other) = default;
 
-  ReadOnlyHandle & operator=(const ReadOnlyHandle & other) = default;
+  Handle & operator=(const Handle & other) = default;
 
-  ReadOnlyHandle & operator=(ReadOnlyHandle && other) = default;
+  Handle & operator=(Handle && other) = default;
 
-  virtual ~ReadOnlyHandle() = default;
+  virtual ~Handle() = default;
 
   /// Returns true if handle references a value.
   inline operator bool() const { return value_ptr_ != nullptr; }
@@ -70,60 +74,58 @@ class ReadOnlyHandle
 
   double get_value() const
   {
+    // BEGIN (Handle export change): for backward compatibility
+    // TODO(Manuel) return value_ if old functionality is removed
     THROW_ON_NULLPTR(value_ptr_);
     return *value_ptr_;
+    // END
+  }
+
+  void set_value(double value)
+  {
+    // BEGIN (Handle export change): for backward compatibility
+    // TODO(Manuel) set value_ directly if old functionality is removed
+    THROW_ON_NULLPTR(this->value_ptr_);
+    *this->value_ptr_ = value;
+    // END
   }
 
 protected:
   std::string prefix_name_;
   std::string interface_name_;
+  HANDLE_DATATYPE value_;
+  // BEGIN (Handle export change): for backward compatibility
+  // TODO(Manuel) redeclare as HANDLE_DATATYPE * value_ptr_ if old functionality is removed
   double * value_ptr_;
+  // END
 };
 
-class ReadWriteHandle : public ReadOnlyHandle
+class StateInterface : public Handle
 {
 public:
-  ReadWriteHandle(
+  explicit StateInterface(
     const std::string & prefix_name, const std::string & interface_name,
     double * value_ptr = nullptr)
-  : ReadOnlyHandle(prefix_name, interface_name, value_ptr)
-  {
-  }
-
-  explicit ReadWriteHandle(const std::string & interface_name) : ReadOnlyHandle(interface_name) {}
-
-  explicit ReadWriteHandle(const char * interface_name) : ReadOnlyHandle(interface_name) {}
-
-  ReadWriteHandle(const ReadWriteHandle & other) = default;
-
-  ReadWriteHandle(ReadWriteHandle && other) = default;
-
-  ReadWriteHandle & operator=(const ReadWriteHandle & other) = default;
-
-  ReadWriteHandle & operator=(ReadWriteHandle && other) = default;
-
-  virtual ~ReadWriteHandle() = default;
-
-  void set_value(double value)
+  : Handle(prefix_name, interface_name, value_ptr)
   {
-    THROW_ON_NULLPTR(this->value_ptr_);
-    *this->value_ptr_ = value;
   }
-};
 
-class StateInterface : public ReadOnlyHandle
-{
-public:
   StateInterface(const StateInterface & other) = default;
 
   StateInterface(StateInterface && other) = default;
 
-  using ReadOnlyHandle::ReadOnlyHandle;
+  using Handle::Handle;
 };
 
-class CommandInterface : public ReadWriteHandle
+class CommandInterface : public Handle
 {
 public:
+  explicit CommandInterface(
+    const std::string & prefix_name, const std::string & interface_name,
+    double * value_ptr = nullptr)
+  : Handle(prefix_name, interface_name, value_ptr)
+  {
+  }
   /// CommandInterface copy constructor is actively deleted.
   /**
    * Command interfaces are having a unique ownership and thus
@@ -134,7 +136,7 @@ class CommandInterface : public ReadWriteHandle
 
   CommandInterface(CommandInterface && other) = default;
 
-  using ReadWriteHandle::ReadWriteHandle;
+  using Handle::Handle;
 };
 
 }  // namespace hardware_interface
diff --git a/transmission_interface/include/transmission_interface/handle.hpp b/transmission_interface/include/transmission_interface/handle.hpp
index 024a019bfd..4c40189648 100644
--- a/transmission_interface/include/transmission_interface/handle.hpp
+++ b/transmission_interface/include/transmission_interface/handle.hpp
@@ -20,17 +20,17 @@
 namespace transmission_interface
 {
 /** A handle used to get and set a value on a given actuator interface. */
-class ActuatorHandle : public hardware_interface::ReadWriteHandle
+class ActuatorHandle : public hardware_interface::Handle
 {
 public:
-  using hardware_interface::ReadWriteHandle::ReadWriteHandle;
+  using hardware_interface::Handle::Handle;
 };
 
 /** A handle used to get and set a value on a given joint interface. */
-class JointHandle : public hardware_interface::ReadWriteHandle
+class JointHandle : public hardware_interface::Handle
 {
 public:
-  using hardware_interface::ReadWriteHandle::ReadWriteHandle;
+  using hardware_interface::Handle::Handle;
 };
 
 }  // namespace transmission_interface