diff --git a/doc/news/interface_changes/DM-45883.mtaos.rst b/doc/news/interface_changes/DM-45883.mtaos.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e2a0cd316
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/news/interface_changes/DM-45883.mtaos.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add support for sparse zernike coefficients to MTAOS_command_addAberration, MTAOS_logevent_wavefrontError and MTAOS_logevent_rejectedWavefrontError.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/python/lsst/ts/xml/data/sal_interfaces/MTAOS/MTAOS_Commands.xml b/python/lsst/ts/xml/data/sal_interfaces/MTAOS/MTAOS_Commands.xml
index f8f463f82..43b41dc88 100644
--- a/python/lsst/ts/xml/data/sal_interfaces/MTAOS/MTAOS_Commands.xml
+++ b/python/lsst/ts/xml/data/sal_interfaces/MTAOS/MTAOS_Commands.xml
@@ -147,11 +147,25 @@
     <Description>Utility command to add aberration to the system based on user provided wavefront errors. The command assume uniform aberration on all sensors.</Description>
     <item>
       <EFDB_Name>wf</EFDB_Name>
-      <Description>Array with z4-z22 terms of wavefront errors. Indexes are considered to be ANSI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zernike_polynomials#OSA/ANSI_standard_indices).</Description>
+      <Description>Array with z4-z22 terms of wavefront errors. Indexes are considered to be ANSI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zernike_polynomials#OSA/ANSI_standard_indices). This attribute will be deprecated in favor of nollZernikeIndices and nollZernikeValues.</Description>
       <IDL_Type>double</IDL_Type>
       <Units>micron</Units>
       <Count>19</Count>
     </item>
+    <item>
+      <EFDB_Name>nollZernikeIndices</EFDB_Name>
+      <Description>Array with zernike noll indices used for the wavefront errors. Indices can be any sparse list comprising zernikes above zk4.</Description>
+      <IDL_Type>int</IDL_Type>
+      <Units>unitless</Units>
+      <Count>100</Count>
+    </item>
+    <item>
+      <EFDB_Name>nollZernikeValues</EFDB_Name>
+      <Description>Array with wavefront errors expressed in the zernike coefficient values that map to the specified nollZernikeIndices. </Description>
+      <IDL_Type>double</IDL_Type>
+      <Units>micron</Units>
+      <Count>100</Count>
+    </item>
     <item>
       <EFDB_Name>config</EFDB_Name>
       <Description>Yaml configuration string with additional parameters to be passed to OFC. If options are invalid command will be rejected. If not given, use the standard configuration.</Description>
diff --git a/python/lsst/ts/xml/data/sal_interfaces/MTAOS/MTAOS_Events.xml b/python/lsst/ts/xml/data/sal_interfaces/MTAOS/MTAOS_Events.xml
index bd24439cf..948bee349 100644
--- a/python/lsst/ts/xml/data/sal_interfaces/MTAOS/MTAOS_Events.xml
+++ b/python/lsst/ts/xml/data/sal_interfaces/MTAOS/MTAOS_Events.xml
@@ -16,11 +16,25 @@
     </item>
     <item>
       <EFDB_Name>annularZernikeCoeff</EFDB_Name>
-      <Description>z4-z22 terms of annular Zernike polynomials.</Description>
+      <Description>z4-z22 terms of annular Zernike polynomials. This attribute will be deprecated in favor of nollZernikeIndices and nollZernikeValues.</Description>
       <IDL_Type>double</IDL_Type>
       <Units>micron</Units>
       <Count>19</Count>
     </item>
+    <item>
+      <EFDB_Name>nollZernikeIndices</EFDB_Name>
+      <Description>Array with zernike noll indices used for the wavefront errors. Indices can be any sparse list comprising zernikes above zk4.</Description>
+      <IDL_Type>int</IDL_Type>
+      <Units>unitless</Units>
+      <Count>100</Count>
+    </item>
+    <item>
+      <EFDB_Name>nollZernikeValues</EFDB_Name>
+      <Description>Array with annular Zernike polynomials that map to the specified nollZernikeIndices. </Description>
+      <IDL_Type>double</IDL_Type>
+      <Units>micron</Units>
+      <Count>100</Count>
+    </item>
   </SALEvent>
   <SALEvent>
     <Subsystem>MTAOS</Subsystem>
@@ -35,11 +49,25 @@
     </item>
     <item>
       <EFDB_Name>annularZernikeCoeff</EFDB_Name>
-      <Description>z4-z22 terms of annular Zernike polynomials.</Description>
+      <Description>z4-z22 terms of annular Zernike polynomials. This attribute will be deprecated in favor of nollZernikeIndices and nollZernikeValues.</Description>
       <IDL_Type>double</IDL_Type>
       <Units>micron</Units>
       <Count>19</Count>
     </item>
+    <item>
+      <EFDB_Name>nollZernikeIndices</EFDB_Name>
+      <Description>Array with zernike noll indices used for the wavefront errors. Indices can be any sparse list comprising zernikes above zk4.</Description>
+      <IDL_Type>int</IDL_Type>
+      <Units>unitless</Units>
+      <Count>100</Count>
+    </item>
+    <item>
+      <EFDB_Name>nollZernikeValues</EFDB_Name>
+      <Description>Array with annular Zernike polynomials that map to the specified nollZernikeIndices. </Description>
+      <IDL_Type>double</IDL_Type>
+      <Units>micron</Units>
+      <Count>100</Count>
+    </item>
   </SALEvent>
   <SALEvent>
     <Subsystem>MTAOS</Subsystem>