diff --git a/spm/cactus/cactus_test_cmds.h b/spm/cactus/cactus_test_cmds.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6329b6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spm/cactus/cactus_test_cmds.h
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2020, Arm Limited. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+ */
+
+#ifndef CACTUS_TEST_CMDS
+#define CACTUS_TEST_CMDS
+
+#include <debug.h>
+#include <ffa_helpers.h>
+
+/**
+ * Success and error return to be sent over a msg response.
+ */
+#define CACTUS_SUCCESS	 0
+#define CACTUS_ERROR	-1
+
+/**
+ * Get command from struct smc_ret_values.
+ */
+#define CACTUS_GET_CMD(smc_ret) smc_ret.ret3
+
+/**
+ * Template for commands to be sent to CACTUS partitions over direct
+ * messages interfaces.
+ */
+#define CACTUS_SEND_CMD(source, dest, cmd, val0, val1, val2, val3)	\
+	ffa_msg_send_direct_req64_5args(source, dest, cmd, 		\
+					val0, val1, val2, val3)
+
+#define PRINT_CMD(smc_ret)						\
+	VERBOSE("cmd %lx; args: %lx, %lx, %lx, %lx\n",	 		\
+		smc_ret.ret3, smc_ret.ret4, smc_ret.ret5, 		\
+		smc_ret.ret6, smc_ret.ret7)
+
+/**
+ * Command to notify cactus of a memory management operation. The cmd value
+ * should be the memory management smc function id.
+ */
+#define CACTUS_MEM_SEND_CMD(source, dest, mem_func, handle) 		\
+		CACTUS_SEND_CMD(source, dest, mem_func, handle, 0, 0, 0)
+
+#define CACTUS_MEM_SEND_GET_HANDLE(smc_ret) smc_ret.ret4
+
+/**
+ * Template for responses to CACTUS commands.
+ */
+#define CACTUS_RESPONSE(source, dest, response) 			\
+		ffa_msg_send_direct_resp(source, dest, response)
+
+#define CACTUS_SUCCESS_RESP(source, dest) 				\
+		CACTUS_RESPONSE(source, dest, CACTUS_SUCCESS)
+
+#define CACTUS_ERROR_RESP(source, dest) 				\
+		CACTUS_RESPONSE(source, dest, CACTUS_ERROR)
+
+#define CACTUS_GET_RESPONSE(smc_ret) smc_ret.ret3
+
+#endif