diff --git a/msg/actuator_controls_virtual_fw.msg b/msg/actuator_controls_virtual_fw.msg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..414eb06ddb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/msg/actuator_controls_virtual_fw.msg
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+uint8 NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROLS = 8
+uint8 NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROL_GROUPS = 4
+uint64 timestamp
+uint64 timestamp_sample	    # the timestamp the data this control response is based on was sampled
+float32[8] control