diff --git a/src/EnergyPlus/DataRuntimeLanguage.hh b/src/EnergyPlus/DataRuntimeLanguage.hh
index 5bfc09c0425..906fa15b1e8 100644
--- a/src/EnergyPlus/DataRuntimeLanguage.hh
+++ b/src/EnergyPlus/DataRuntimeLanguage.hh
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ namespace DataRuntimeLanguage {
         bool CheckedOkay;              // set to true once matched to available actuator
         int ErlVariableNum;            // points to global Erl variable, matches Name
         int ActuatorVariableNum;       // points to index match in EMSActuatorAvailable structure
+        bool wasActuated = false;      // issue #10944: true once any Erl program has set this actuator
 
         // Default Constructor
         ActuatorUsedType() : CheckedOkay(false), ErlVariableNum(0), ActuatorVariableNum(0)
diff --git a/src/EnergyPlus/EMSManager.cc b/src/EnergyPlus/EMSManager.cc
index 4818b53dec8..206d1a28574 100644
--- a/src/EnergyPlus/EMSManager.cc
+++ b/src/EnergyPlus/EMSManager.cc
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ namespace EMSManager {
                                      state.dataRuntimeLang->NumExternalInterfaceFunctionalMockupUnitImportActuatorsUsed +
                                      state.dataRuntimeLang->NumExternalInterfaceFunctionalMockupUnitExportActuatorsUsed;
              ++ActuatorUsedLoop) {
-            auto const &thisActuatorUsed = state.dataRuntimeLang->EMSActuatorUsed(ActuatorUsedLoop);
+            auto &thisActuatorUsed = state.dataRuntimeLang->EMSActuatorUsed(ActuatorUsedLoop);
 
             int ErlVariableNum = thisActuatorUsed.ErlVariableNum;
             if (ErlVariableNum <= 0) {
@@ -343,6 +343,7 @@ namespace EMSManager {
             if (thisErlVar.Value.Type == DataRuntimeLanguage::Value::Null) {
                 *thisActuatorAvail.Actuated = false;
             } else {
+                thisActuatorUsed.wasActuated = true; // issue #10944
                 // Set the value and the actuated flag remotely on the actuated object via the pointer
                 switch (thisActuatorAvail.PntrVarTypeUsed) {
                 case DataRuntimeLanguage::PtrDataType::Real: {
@@ -1983,9 +1984,9 @@ namespace EMSManager {
     void checkForUnusedActuatorsAtEnd(EnergyPlusData &state)
     {
         // call at end of simulation to check if any of the user's actuators were never initialized.
-        // Could be a mistake we want to help users catch // Issue #4404.
+        // Could be a mistake we want to help users catch // Issues #4404, #10944.
         for (int actuatorUsedLoop = 1; actuatorUsedLoop <= state.dataRuntimeLang->numActuatorsUsed; ++actuatorUsedLoop) {
-            if (!state.dataRuntimeLang->ErlVariable(state.dataRuntimeLang->EMSActuatorUsed(actuatorUsedLoop).ErlVariableNum).Value.initialized) {
+            if (!state.dataRuntimeLang->EMSActuatorUsed(actuatorUsedLoop).wasActuated) {
                 ShowWarningError(state,
                                  "checkForUnusedActuatorsAtEnd: Unused EMS Actuator detected, suggesting possible unintended programming error or "
                                  "spelling mistake.");
diff --git a/tst/EnergyPlus/unit/EMSManager.unit.cc b/tst/EnergyPlus/unit/EMSManager.unit.cc
index 3d2ce940cc8..f6320a38641 100644
--- a/tst/EnergyPlus/unit/EMSManager.unit.cc
+++ b/tst/EnergyPlus/unit/EMSManager.unit.cc
@@ -3019,3 +3019,50 @@ TEST_F(EnergyPlusFixture, EMSManager_Sensor_On_ScheduleConstant)
     EXPECT_FALSE(schedDirect->EMSActuatedOn);
     EXPECT_EQ(0.0, schedDirect->EMSVal);
 }
+
+TEST_F(EnergyPlusFixture, UnusedActuatorWarning)
+{
+    // Issue #10944: user declares actuator A1, typos it as Al in the program.
+    // Al becomes a fresh local Erl variable; A1 is never assigned.
+    // End-of-sim check must warn about unused actuator A1.
+    std::string const idf_objects = delimited_string({
+
+        "OutdoorAir:Node, Test node;",
+
+        "EnergyManagementSystem:Actuator,",
+        "A1,                              !- Name",
+        "Test node,                       !- Actuated Component Unique Name",
+        "System Node Setpoint,            !- Actuated Component Type",
+        "Temperature Setpoint;            !- Actuated Component Control Type",
+
+        "EnergyManagementSystem:ProgramCallingManager,",
+        "Typo Test Manager,               !- Name",
+        "BeginTimestepBeforePredictor,    !- EnergyPlus Model Calling Point",
+        "TypoProgram;                     !- Program Name 1",
+
+        "EnergyManagementSystem:Program,",
+        "TypoProgram,",
+        "Set Al = 2;",
+
+    });
+
+    ASSERT_TRUE(process_idf(idf_objects));
+    state->init_state(*state);
+
+    OutAirNodeManager::SetOutAirNodes(*state);
+
+    EMSManager::CheckIfAnyEMS(*state);
+
+    state->dataEMSMgr->FinishProcessingUserInput = true;
+
+    bool anyRan;
+    EMSManager::ManageEMS(*state, EMSManager::EMSCallFrom::SetupSimulation, anyRan, ObjexxFCL::Optional_int_const());
+    EMSManager::ManageEMS(*state, EMSManager::EMSCallFrom::BeginTimestepBeforePredictor, anyRan, ObjexxFCL::Optional_int_const());
+
+    compare_err_stream(""); // drop any setup chatter
+
+    EMSManager::checkForUnusedActuatorsAtEnd(*state);
+
+    EXPECT_TRUE(compare_err_stream_substring("Unused EMS Actuator detected", false));
+    EXPECT_TRUE(compare_err_stream_substring("A1", true));
+}