diff --git a/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.cxx b/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.cxx
index 513331a6ae..9768957e79 100644
--- a/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.cxx
@@ -915,6 +915,31 @@ ai_format_update(const string &field_name, DOID_TYPE do_id,
 }
 #endif  // HAVE_PYTHON
 
+#ifdef HAVE_PYTHON
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: DCClass::ai_format_update_msg_type
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Generates a datagram containing the message necessary
+//               to send an update, using the indicated msg type
+//               for the indicated distributed
+//               object from the AI.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+Datagram DCClass::
+ai_format_update_msg_type(const string &field_name, DOID_TYPE do_id, 
+                 CHANNEL_TYPE to_id, CHANNEL_TYPE from_id, int msg_type, PyObject *args) const {
+  DCField *field = get_field_by_name(field_name);
+  if (field == (DCField *)NULL) {
+    ostringstream strm;
+    strm << "No field named " << field_name << " in class " << get_name()
+         << "\n";
+    nassert_raise(strm.str());
+    return Datagram();
+  }
+
+  return field->ai_format_update_msg_type(do_id, to_id, from_id, msg_type, args);
+}
+#endif  // HAVE_PYTHON
+
 #ifdef HAVE_PYTHON
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: DCClass::client_format_generate
diff --git a/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.h b/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.h
index c1b7142c8d..f282eb0430 100644
--- a/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.h
+++ b/direct/src/dcparser/dcClass.h
@@ -112,6 +112,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
                                 DOID_TYPE do_id, PyObject *args) const;
   Datagram ai_format_update(const string &field_name, DOID_TYPE do_id, 
                             CHANNEL_TYPE to_id, CHANNEL_TYPE from_id, PyObject *args) const;
+  Datagram ai_format_update_msg_type(const string &field_name, DOID_TYPE do_id, 
+                            CHANNEL_TYPE to_id, CHANNEL_TYPE from_id, int msg_type, PyObject *args) const;
   Datagram ai_format_generate(PyObject *distobj, DOID_TYPE do_id, ZONEID_TYPE parent_id, ZONEID_TYPE zone_id,
                               CHANNEL_TYPE district_channel_id, CHANNEL_TYPE from_channel_id,
                               PyObject *optional_fields) const;
diff --git a/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.cxx b/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.cxx
index 37bc0f0a96..3a55c866cc 100644
--- a/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.cxx
@@ -480,6 +480,36 @@ ai_format_update(DOID_TYPE do_id, CHANNEL_TYPE to_id, CHANNEL_TYPE from_id, PyOb
 }
 #endif  // HAVE_PYTHON
 
+#ifdef HAVE_PYTHON
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: DCField::ai_format_update_msg_type
+//       Access: Published
+//  Description: Generates a datagram containing the message necessary
+//               to send an update, with the msg type,
+//               for the indicated distributed
+//               object from the AI.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+Datagram DCField::
+ai_format_update_msg_type(DOID_TYPE do_id, CHANNEL_TYPE to_id, CHANNEL_TYPE from_id, int msg_type, PyObject *args) const {
+  DCPacker packer;
+
+  packer.raw_pack_uint8(1);
+  packer.RAW_PACK_CHANNEL(to_id);
+  packer.RAW_PACK_CHANNEL(from_id);
+  packer.raw_pack_uint16(msg_type);
+  packer.raw_pack_uint32(do_id);
+  packer.raw_pack_uint16(_number);
+
+  packer.begin_pack(this);
+  pack_args(packer, args);
+  if (!packer.end_pack()) {
+    return Datagram();
+  }
+
+  return Datagram(packer.get_data(), packer.get_length());
+}
+#endif  // HAVE_PYTHON
+
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: DCField::generate_hash
diff --git a/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.h b/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.h
index 217973b393..ff6d3b2d00 100644
--- a/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.h
+++ b/direct/src/dcparser/dcField.h
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ PUBLISHED:
   Datagram client_format_update(DOID_TYPE do_id, PyObject *args) const;
   Datagram ai_format_update(DOID_TYPE do_id, CHANNEL_TYPE to_id, CHANNEL_TYPE from_id,
                             PyObject *args) const;
+  Datagram ai_format_update_msg_type(DOID_TYPE do_id, CHANNEL_TYPE to_id, CHANNEL_TYPE from_id,
+                            int msg_type, PyObject *args) const;
 #endif 
 
 public: