diff --git a/src/ansys/edb/core/definition/component_def.py b/src/ansys/edb/core/definition/component_def.py
index 3ef8ac4cb..536ce76aa 100644
--- a/src/ansys/edb/core/definition/component_def.py
+++ b/src/ansys/edb/core/definition/component_def.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def create(cls, db, comp_def_name, fp):
         comp_def_name : str
             Name of the component definition to create.
         fp : :class:`Cell <ansys.edb.core.layout.Cell>`
-            Footprint cell of the component definition.
+            Footprint cell of the component definition, optional
 
         Returns
         -------
diff --git a/src/ansys/edb/core/inner/messages.py b/src/ansys/edb/core/inner/messages.py
index c1ba847de..7b2224a96 100644
--- a/src/ansys/edb/core/inner/messages.py
+++ b/src/ansys/edb/core/inner/messages.py
@@ -460,7 +460,10 @@ def inst_array_creation_message(layout, name, ref, orig, xaxis, yaxis, xcount, y
 
 def component_def_creation_message(db, comp_name, fp):
     """Convert to a ``ComponentDefCreateMessage`` object."""
-    return ComponentDefCreateMessage(db=db.msg, comp_name=comp_name, fp=fp.msg)
+    if fp is None:
+        return ComponentDefCreateMessage(db=db.msg, comp_name=comp_name, fp=None)
+    else:
+        return ComponentDefCreateMessage(db=db.msg, comp_name=comp_name, fp=fp.msg)
 
 
 def transform_message(transform):