diff --git a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_robot_state/client/common/VirtualRobotReader.cpp b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_robot_state/client/common/VirtualRobotReader.cpp
index a1fbd970fe95a28c8d3671d5f6541b9b5f258ece..a3655fee1ae2597b768424f0b89fd581a1bb0680 100644
--- a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_robot_state/client/common/VirtualRobotReader.cpp
+++ b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_robot_state/client/common/VirtualRobotReader.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,15 @@ namespace armarx::armem::robot_state
         const std::string xmlFilename = ArmarXDataPath::resolvePath(description->xml.serialize().path);
         ARMARX_INFO << "Loading (virtual) robot '" << description->name << "' from XML file '" << xmlFilename << "'";
 
-        auto robot = VirtualRobot::RobotIO::loadRobot(xmlFilename, loadMode);
+        return VirtualRobot::RobotIO::loadRobot(xmlFilename, loadMode);
+    }
+
+
+    VirtualRobot::RobotPtr VirtualRobotReader::getSynchronizedRobot(const std::string& name,
+            const armem::Time& timestamp,
+            const VirtualRobot::RobotIO::RobotDescription& loadMode)
+    {
+        auto robot = getRobot(name, timestamp);
 
         synchronizeRobot(*robot, timestamp);
 
diff --git a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_robot_state/client/common/VirtualRobotReader.h b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_robot_state/client/common/VirtualRobotReader.h
index 5958bbca18cb618210b67b72b970bf0435d24bd9..a280e71b6132f065aec28a008ebb5ab803845dad 100644
--- a/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_robot_state/client/common/VirtualRobotReader.h
+++ b/source/RobotAPI/libraries/armem_robot_state/client/common/VirtualRobotReader.h
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ namespace armarx::armem::robot_state
                  const armem::Time& timestamp,
                  const VirtualRobot::RobotIO::RobotDescription& loadMode =
                      VirtualRobot::RobotIO::RobotDescription::eStructure);
+
+        VirtualRobot::RobotPtr
+        getSynchronizedRobot(const std::string& name,
+                             const armem::Time& timestamp,
+                             const VirtualRobot::RobotIO::RobotDescription& loadMode =
+                                 VirtualRobot::RobotIO::RobotDescription::eStructure);
     };
 
 } // namespace armarx::armem::robot_state
\ No newline at end of file