diff --git a/src/systems/ackermann_steering/AckermannSteering.cc b/src/systems/ackermann_steering/AckermannSteering.cc
index 0d468916e5..0548749c9d 100644
--- a/src/systems/ackermann_steering/AckermannSteering.cc
+++ b/src/systems/ackermann_steering/AckermannSteering.cc
@@ -608,70 +608,29 @@ void AckermannSteering::PreUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
     for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->leftJoints)
     {
       // Update wheel velocity
-      auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-      if (vel == nullptr)
-      {
-        _ecm.CreateComponent(
-            joint, components::JointVelocityCmd(
-              {this->dataPtr->leftJointSpeed}));
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->leftJointSpeed});
-      }
+      _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(
+        joint, {this->dataPtr->leftJointSpeed});
     }
 
     for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->rightJoints)
     {
       // Update wheel velocity
-      auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-      if (vel == nullptr)
-      {
-        _ecm.CreateComponent(joint,
-            components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->rightJointSpeed}));
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->rightJointSpeed});
-      }
+      _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(
+        joint, {this->dataPtr->rightJointSpeed});
     }
   }
 
   // Update steering
   for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->leftSteeringJoints)
   {
-    auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-    if (vel == nullptr)
-    {
-      _ecm.CreateComponent(
-          joint, components::JointVelocityCmd(
-                             {this->dataPtr->leftSteeringJointSpeed}));
-    }
-    else
-    {
-      *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd(
-                         {this->dataPtr->leftSteeringJointSpeed});
-    }
+    _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(
+      joint, {this->dataPtr->leftSteeringJointSpeed});
   }
 
   for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->rightSteeringJoints)
   {
-    auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-    if (vel == nullptr)
-    {
-      _ecm.CreateComponent(joint,
-          components::JointVelocityCmd(
-                  {this->dataPtr->rightSteeringJointSpeed}));
-    }
-    else
-    {
-      *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd(
-                     {this->dataPtr->rightSteeringJointSpeed});
-    }
+    _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(
+      joint, {this->dataPtr->rightSteeringJointSpeed});
   }
   if (!this->dataPtr->steeringOnly)
   {
diff --git a/src/systems/diff_drive/DiffDrive.cc b/src/systems/diff_drive/DiffDrive.cc
index 700e342743..04fc968279 100644
--- a/src/systems/diff_drive/DiffDrive.cc
+++ b/src/systems/diff_drive/DiffDrive.cc
@@ -459,17 +459,8 @@ void DiffDrive::PreUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
       continue;
 
     // Update wheel velocity
-    auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-    if (vel == nullptr)
-    {
-      _ecm.CreateComponent(
-          joint, components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->leftJointSpeed}));
-    }
-    else
-    {
-      *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->leftJointSpeed});
-    }
+    _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint,
+      {this->dataPtr->leftJointSpeed});
   }
 
   for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->rightJoints)
@@ -479,17 +470,8 @@ void DiffDrive::PreUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
       continue;
 
     // Update wheel velocity
-    auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-    if (vel == nullptr)
-    {
-      _ecm.CreateComponent(joint,
-          components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->rightJointSpeed}));
-    }
-    else
-    {
-      *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->rightJointSpeed});
-    }
+    _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint,
+      {this->dataPtr->rightJointSpeed});
   }
 
   // Create the left and right side joint position components if they
diff --git a/src/systems/joint_controller/JointController.cc b/src/systems/joint_controller/JointController.cc
index 4c18ac7bdf..40f5caac33 100644
--- a/src/systems/joint_controller/JointController.cc
+++ b/src/systems/joint_controller/JointController.cc
@@ -344,17 +344,7 @@ void JointController::PreUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
     // Update joint velocity
     for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->jointEntities)
     {
-      auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-      if (vel == nullptr)
-      {
-        _ecm.CreateComponent(
-            joint, components::JointVelocityCmd({targetVel}));
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd({targetVel});
-      }
+      _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint, {targetVel});
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/systems/joint_position_controller/JointPositionController.cc b/src/systems/joint_position_controller/JointPositionController.cc
index 80d36c2f9e..b2835160ff 100644
--- a/src/systems/joint_position_controller/JointPositionController.cc
+++ b/src/systems/joint_position_controller/JointPositionController.cc
@@ -461,17 +461,7 @@ void JointPositionController::PreUpdate(
     for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->jointEntities)
     {
       // Update velocity command.
-      auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-      if (vel == nullptr)
-      {
-        _ecm.CreateComponent(
-            joint, components::JointVelocityCmd({targetVel}));
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd({targetVel});
-      }
+      _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint, {targetVel});
     }
     return;
   }
diff --git a/src/systems/mecanum_drive/MecanumDrive.cc b/src/systems/mecanum_drive/MecanumDrive.cc
index 6d77de4c77..2f585307c7 100644
--- a/src/systems/mecanum_drive/MecanumDrive.cc
+++ b/src/systems/mecanum_drive/MecanumDrive.cc
@@ -426,66 +426,29 @@ void MecanumDrive::PreUpdate(const gz::sim::UpdateInfo &_info,
   for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->frontLeftJoints)
   {
     // Update wheel velocity
-    auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-    if (vel == nullptr)
-    {
-      _ecm.CreateComponent(joint,
-          components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->frontLeftJointSpeed}));
-    }
-    else
-    {
-      *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->frontLeftJointSpeed});
-    }
+    _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint,
+      {this->dataPtr->frontLeftJointSpeed});
   }
 
   for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->frontRightJoints)
   {
     // Update wheel velocity
-    auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-    if (vel == nullptr)
-    {
-      _ecm.CreateComponent(joint,
-          components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->frontRightJointSpeed}));
-    }
-    else
-    {
-      *vel =
-          components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->frontRightJointSpeed});
-    }
+    _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint,
+      {this->dataPtr->frontRightJointSpeed});
   }
 
   for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->backLeftJoints)
   {
     // Update wheel velocity
-    auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-    if (vel == nullptr)
-    {
-      _ecm.CreateComponent(joint,
-          components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->backLeftJointSpeed}));
-    }
-    else
-    {
-      *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->backLeftJointSpeed});
-    }
+    _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint,
+      {this->dataPtr->backLeftJointSpeed});
   }
 
   for (Entity joint : this->dataPtr->backRightJoints)
   {
     // Update wheel velocity
-    auto vel = _ecm.Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint);
-
-    if (vel == nullptr)
-    {
-      _ecm.CreateComponent(joint,
-          components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->backRightJointSpeed}));
-    }
-    else
-    {
-      *vel = components::JointVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->backRightJointSpeed});
-    }
+    _ecm.SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(joint,
+      {this->dataPtr->backRightJointSpeed});
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/systems/thruster/Thruster.cc b/src/systems/thruster/Thruster.cc
index e7663924b2..87aa50dcb4 100644
--- a/src/systems/thruster/Thruster.cc
+++ b/src/systems/thruster/Thruster.cc
@@ -740,18 +740,8 @@ void Thruster::PreUpdate(
   // Velocity control
   else
   {
-    auto velocityComp =
-    _ecm.Component<gz::sim::components::JointVelocityCmd>(
-      this->dataPtr->jointEntity);
-    if (velocityComp == nullptr)
-    {
-      _ecm.CreateComponent(this->dataPtr->jointEntity,
-        components::JointVelocityCmd({desiredPropellerAngVel}));
-    }
-    else
-    {
-      velocityComp->Data()[0] = desiredPropellerAngVel;
-    }
+    _ecm.SetComponentData<gz::sim::components::JointVelocityCmd>(
+      this->dataPtr->jointEntity, {desiredPropellerAngVel});
     angvel.set_data(desiredPropellerAngVel);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/systems/velocity_control/VelocityControl.cc b/src/systems/velocity_control/VelocityControl.cc
index 68224b3bab..b5a1ccbde1 100644
--- a/src/systems/velocity_control/VelocityControl.cc
+++ b/src/systems/velocity_control/VelocityControl.cc
@@ -197,38 +197,12 @@ void VelocityControl::PreUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
     return;
 
   // update angular velocity of model
-  auto modelAngularVel =
-    _ecm.Component<components::AngularVelocityCmd>(
-      this->dataPtr->model.Entity());
-
-  if (modelAngularVel == nullptr)
-  {
-    _ecm.CreateComponent(
-      this->dataPtr->model.Entity(),
-      components::AngularVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->angularVelocity}));
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    *modelAngularVel =
-      components::AngularVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->angularVelocity});
-  }
+  _ecm.SetComponentData<components::AngularVelocityCmd>(
+    this->dataPtr->model.Entity(), {this->dataPtr->angularVelocity});
 
   // update linear velocity of model
-  auto modelLinearVel =
-    _ecm.Component<components::LinearVelocityCmd>(
-      this->dataPtr->model.Entity());
-
-  if (modelLinearVel == nullptr)
-  {
-    _ecm.CreateComponent(
-      this->dataPtr->model.Entity(),
-      components::LinearVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->linearVelocity}));
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    *modelLinearVel =
-      components::LinearVelocityCmd({this->dataPtr->linearVelocity});
-  }
+  _ecm.SetComponentData<components::LinearVelocityCmd>(
+    this->dataPtr->model.Entity(), {this->dataPtr->linearVelocity});
 
   // If there are links, create link components
   // If the link hasn't been identified yet, look for it
@@ -262,17 +236,8 @@ void VelocityControl::PreUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
     auto it = this->dataPtr->links.find(linkName);
     if (it != this->dataPtr->links.end())
     {
-      auto linkAngularVelComp =
-          _ecm.Component<components::AngularVelocityCmd>(it->second);
-      if (!linkAngularVelComp)
-      {
-        _ecm.CreateComponent(it->second,
-            components::AngularVelocityCmd({angularVel}));
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        *linkAngularVelComp = components::AngularVelocityCmd(angularVel);
-      }
+      _ecm.SetComponentData<components::AngularVelocityCmd>(
+        it->second, {angularVel});
     }
     else
     {
@@ -286,17 +251,8 @@ void VelocityControl::PreUpdate(const UpdateInfo &_info,
     auto it = this->dataPtr->links.find(linkName);
     if (it != this->dataPtr->links.end())
     {
-      auto linkLinearVelComp =
-          _ecm.Component<components::LinearVelocityCmd>(it->second);
-      if (!linkLinearVelComp)
-      {
-        _ecm.CreateComponent(it->second,
-            components::LinearVelocityCmd({linearVel}));
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        *linkLinearVelComp = components::LinearVelocityCmd(linearVel);
-      }
+      _ecm.SetComponentData<components::LinearVelocityCmd>(
+        it->second, {linearVel});
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/test/integration/wheel_slip.cc b/test/integration/wheel_slip.cc
index 08453c8933..fef0017caf 100644
--- a/test/integration/wheel_slip.cc
+++ b/test/integration/wheel_slip.cc
@@ -526,23 +526,14 @@ TEST_F(WheelSlipTest, GZ_UTILS_TEST_DISABLED_ON_WIN32(TricyclesUphill))
   testSlipSystem.OnPreUpdate([&](const UpdateInfo &,
         EntityComponentManager &)
       {
-      auto wheelRearLeftVelocity0Cmd =
-        ecm->Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(wheelRearLeftSpin0Entity);
-      auto wheelRearRightVelocity0Cmd =
-        ecm->Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(wheelRearRightSpin0Entity);
-      auto wheelRearLeftVelocity1Cmd =
-        ecm->Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(wheelRearLeftSpin1Entity);
-      auto wheelRearRightVelocity1Cmd =
-        ecm->Component<components::JointVelocityCmd>(wheelRearRightSpin1Entity);
-
-      *wheelRearLeftVelocity0Cmd =
-        components::JointVelocityCmd({angularSpeed});
-      *wheelRearRightVelocity0Cmd =
-        components::JointVelocityCmd({angularSpeed});
-      *wheelRearLeftVelocity1Cmd =
-        components::JointVelocityCmd({angularSpeed});
-      *wheelRearRightVelocity1Cmd =
-        components::JointVelocityCmd({angularSpeed});
+        ecm->SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(
+          wheelRearLeftSpin0Entity, {angularSpeed});
+        ecm->SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(
+          wheelRearLeftSpin1Entity, {angularSpeed});
+        ecm->SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(
+          wheelRearRightSpin0Entity, {angularSpeed});
+        ecm->SetComponentData<components::JointVelocityCmd>(
+          wheelRearRightSpin1Entity, {angularSpeed});
       });
   server.AddSystem(testSlipSystem.systemPtr);
   server.Run(true, 2000, false);