diff --git a/src/app/drawController.js b/src/app/drawController.js
index 38735f6b92..cc74e20b22 100644
--- a/src/app/drawController.js
+++ b/src/app/drawController.js
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import {AnnotationGroup} from '../image/annotation';
-import {RemoveAnnotationCommand} from '../tools/drawCommands';
+import {
+  RemoveAnnotationCommand,
+  UpdateAnnotationCommand
+} from '../tools/drawCommands';
 import {logger} from '../utils/logger';
 
 // doc imports
@@ -87,6 +90,32 @@ export class DrawController {
     command.execute();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Update an annotation via an update command (triggers draw actions).
+   *
+   * @param {string} id The annotation id.
+   * @param {object} originalProps The original annotation properties
+   *   that will be updated.
+   * @param {object} newProps The new annotation properties
+   *   that will replace the original ones.
+   * @param {Function} exeCallback The undo stack callback.
+   */
+  updateAnnotationWithCommand(id, originalProps, newProps, exeCallback) {
+    const annotation = this.getAnnotation(id);
+    if (typeof annotation === 'undefined') {
+      logger.warn(
+        'Cannot create update command for undefined annotation: ' + id);
+      return;
+    }
+    // create remove annotation command
+    const command = new UpdateAnnotationCommand(
+      annotation, originalProps, newProps, this);
+    // add command to undo stack
+    exeCallback(command);
+    // execute command: triggers draw remove
+    command.execute();
+  }
+
   /**
    * Remove all annotations via remove commands (triggers draw actions).
    *