diff --git a/msg/px4_msgs/actuator_controls.msg b/msg/px4_msgs/actuator_controls.msg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..743f20cdff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/msg/px4_msgs/actuator_controls.msg
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+uint8 NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROLS = 8
+uint8 NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROL_GROUPS = 4
+uint64 timestamp
+float32[8] control
diff --git a/msg/templates/msg.h.template b/msg/templates/msg.h.template
index 5fce506b6b..84dea37a3b 100644
--- a/msg/templates/msg.h.template
+++ b/msg/templates/msg.h.template
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ type_map = {'int8': 'int8_t',
   'uint32': 'uint32_t',
   'uint64': 'uint64_t',
   'float32': 'float',
-  'bool': 'bool'}
+  'bool': 'bool',
+  'actuator_controls': 'actuator_controls'}
 
 # Function to print a standard ros type
 def print_field_def(field):
diff --git a/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_base.h b/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_base.h
index d42d672c00..c7853a0ecb 100644
--- a/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_base.h
+++ b/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_base.h
@@ -53,11 +53,11 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <math.h>
 
-#include <uORB/topics/actuator_controls.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/vehicle_rates_setpoint.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/vehicle_attitude.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/vehicle_control_mode.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/actuator_armed.h>
+#include <uORB/topics/parameter_update.h>
 #include <systemlib/perf_counter.h>
 #include <lib/mathlib/mathlib.h>
 
diff --git a/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_main.cpp b/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_main.cpp
index a8a3ae6b0b..6ab4f95cd1 100644
--- a/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_main.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mc_att_control/mc_att_control_main.cpp
@@ -61,12 +61,6 @@
 #include <poll.h>
 #include <drivers/drv_hrt.h>
 #include <arch/board/board.h>
-#include <uORB/topics/actuator_controls.h>
-#include <uORB/topics/vehicle_rates_setpoint.h>
-#include <uORB/topics/vehicle_attitude.h>
-#include <uORB/topics/vehicle_control_mode.h>
-#include <uORB/topics/actuator_armed.h>
-#include <uORB/topics/parameter_update.h>
 #include <systemlib/param/param.h>
 #include <systemlib/err.h>
 #include <systemlib/perf_counter.h>
diff --git a/src/modules/uORB/topics/actuator_controls.h b/src/modules/uORB/topics/actuator_controls.h
index 43f7a59ee9..3e43107adf 100644
--- a/src/modules/uORB/topics/actuator_controls.h
+++ b/src/modules/uORB/topics/actuator_controls.h
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /****************************************************************************
  *
- *   Copyright (C) 2012 PX4 Development Team. All rights reserved.
+ *   Copyright (C) 2013-2014 PX4 Development Team. All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
@@ -31,48 +31,32 @@
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-/**
- * @file actuator_controls.h
- *
- * Actuator control topics - mixer inputs.
- *
- * Values published to these topics are the outputs of the vehicle control
- * system, and are expected to be mixed and used to drive the actuators
- * (servos, speed controls, etc.) that operate the vehicle.
- *
- * Each topic can be published by a single controller
- */
+ /* Auto-generated by genmsg_cpp from file /home/thomasgubler/src/catkin_ws/src/Firmware/msg/px4_msgs/actuator_controls.msg */
 
-#ifndef TOPIC_ACTUATOR_CONTROLS_H
-#define TOPIC_ACTUATOR_CONTROLS_H
+
+#pragma once
 
 #include <stdint.h>
-#include <platforms/px4_defines.h>
+#include "../uORB.h"
 
-#define NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROLS		8
-#define NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROL_GROUPS	4	/**< for sanity checking */
+#define NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROLS 8
+#define NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROL_GROUPS 4
 
-/* control sets with pre-defined applications */
-#define ORB_ID_VEHICLE_ATTITUDE_CONTROLS	ORB_ID(actuator_controls_0)
 
 /**
  * @addtogroup topics
  * @{
  */
 
+
 struct actuator_controls_s {
 	uint64_t timestamp;
-	float	control[NUM_ACTUATOR_CONTROLS];
+	float control[8];
 };
 
 /**
  * @}
  */
 
-/* actuator control sets; this list can be expanded as more controllers emerge */
-ORB_DECLARE(actuator_controls_0);
-ORB_DECLARE(actuator_controls_1);
-ORB_DECLARE(actuator_controls_2);
-ORB_DECLARE(actuator_controls_3);
-
-#endif
+/* register this as object request broker structure */
+ORB_DECLARE(actuator_controls);
diff --git a/src/platforms/px4_defines.h b/src/platforms/px4_defines.h
index ff302448a5..daeff9cf30 100644
--- a/src/platforms/px4_defines.h
+++ b/src/platforms/px4_defines.h
@@ -139,3 +139,10 @@ typedef param_t px4_param_t;
 
 /* wrapper for rotation matrices stored in arrays */
 #define PX4_R(_array, _x, _y) PX4_ARRAY2D(_array, 3, _x, _y)
+
+/* Diverese uORB header defiens */ //XXX: move to better location
+#define ORB_ID_VEHICLE_ATTITUDE_CONTROLS    ORB_ID(actuator_controls_0)
+ORB_DECLARE(actuator_controls_0);
+ORB_DECLARE(actuator_controls_1);
+ORB_DECLARE(actuator_controls_2);
+ORB_DECLARE(actuator_controls_3);
diff --git a/src/platforms/px4_includes.h b/src/platforms/px4_includes.h
index 2045bd2a85..3e94586c14 100644
--- a/src/platforms/px4_includes.h
+++ b/src/platforms/px4_includes.h
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@
 #include <uORB/topics/rc_channels.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/vehicle_attitude_setpoint.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/manual_control_setpoint.h>
+#include <uORB/topics/actuator_controls_0.h>
+#include <uORB/topics/actuator_controls_1.h>
+#include <uORB/topics/actuator_controls_2.h>
+#include <uORB/topics/actuator_controls_3.h>
 #include <systemlib/err.h>
 #include <systemlib/param/param.h>
 
diff --git a/src/systemcmds/esc_calib/esc_calib.c b/src/systemcmds/esc_calib/esc_calib.c
index 7d80af3079..20967b541d 100644
--- a/src/systemcmds/esc_calib/esc_calib.c
+++ b/src/systemcmds/esc_calib/esc_calib.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <nuttx/config.h>
+#include <platforms/px4_defines.h>
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>