diff --git a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.cpp b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.cpp
index 05c224d83b..50dbc52963 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.cpp
@@ -534,6 +534,7 @@ void AC_AttitudeControl::input_rate_bf_roll_pitch_yaw_2(float roll_rate_bf_cds,
     _attitude_target.to_euler(_euler_angle_target);
     // Convert body-frame angular velocity into euler angle derivative of desired attitude
     ang_vel_to_euler_rate(_attitude_target, _ang_vel_target, _euler_rate_target);
+
     // finally update the attitude target
     _ang_vel_body = _ang_vel_target;
 }
@@ -619,6 +620,25 @@ void AC_AttitudeControl::input_angle_step_bf_roll_pitch_yaw(float roll_angle_ste
     attitude_controller_run_quat();
 }
 
+// Command an rate step (i.e change) in body frame rate
+// Used to command a step in rate without exciting the orthogonal axis during autotune
+// Done as a single thread-safe function to avoid intermediate zero values being seen by the attitude controller
+void AC_AttitudeControl::input_rate_step_bf_roll_pitch_yaw(float roll_rate_step_bf_cd, float pitch_rate_step_bf_cd, float yaw_rate_step_bf_cd)
+{
+    // Update the unused targets attitude based on current attitude to condition mode change
+    _ahrs.get_quat_body_to_ned(_attitude_target);
+    _attitude_target.to_euler(_euler_angle_target);
+    // Set the target angular velocity to be zero to minimize target overshoot after the rate step finishes
+    _ang_vel_target.zero();
+    // Convert body-frame angular velocity into euler angle derivative of desired attitude
+    _euler_rate_target.zero();
+
+    Vector3f ang_vel_body {roll_rate_step_bf_cd, pitch_rate_step_bf_cd, yaw_rate_step_bf_cd};
+    ang_vel_body = ang_vel_body * 0.01f * DEG_TO_RAD;
+    // finally update the attitude target
+    _ang_vel_body = ang_vel_body;
+}
+
 // Command a thrust vector and heading rate
 void AC_AttitudeControl::input_thrust_vector_rate_heading(const Vector3f& thrust_vector, float heading_rate_cds, bool slew_yaw)
 {
diff --git a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.h b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.h
index 6829ceb8c5..c326b76643 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.h
+++ b/libraries/AC_AttitudeControl/AC_AttitudeControl.h
@@ -206,6 +206,9 @@ public:
     // Command an angular step (i.e change) in body frame angle
     virtual void input_angle_step_bf_roll_pitch_yaw(float roll_angle_step_bf_cd, float pitch_angle_step_bf_cd, float yaw_angle_step_bf_cd);
 
+    // Command an angular rate step (i.e change) in body frame rate
+    virtual void input_rate_step_bf_roll_pitch_yaw(float roll_rate_step_bf_cd, float pitch_rate_step_bf_cd, float yaw_rate_step_bf_cd);
+
     // Command a thrust vector in the earth frame and a heading angle and/or rate
     virtual void input_thrust_vector_rate_heading(const Vector3f& thrust_vector, float heading_rate_cds, bool slew_yaw = true);
     virtual void input_thrust_vector_heading(const Vector3f& thrust_vector, float heading_angle_cd, float heading_rate_cds);