diff --git a/include/effectengine/EffectEngine.h b/include/effectengine/EffectEngine.h
index f1aa0106..57cc6484 100644
--- a/include/effectengine/EffectEngine.h
+++ b/include/effectengine/EffectEngine.h
@@ -26,13 +26,20 @@ public slots:
 	/// Clear all effects
 	void allChannelsCleared();
 
+public:
+	struct EffectDefinition
+	{
+		std::string script;
+		std::string args;
+	};
+
 private slots:
 	void effectFinished(Effect * effect);
 
 private:
 	Hyperion * _hyperion;
 
-	std::map<std::string, std::string> _availableEffects;
+	std::map<std::string, EffectDefinition> _availableEffects;
 
 	std::list<Effect *> _activeEffects;
 
diff --git a/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.cpp b/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.cpp
index 7b52fabd..7ea26567 100644
--- a/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.cpp
@@ -17,10 +17,12 @@ PyMethodDef Effect::effectMethods[] = {
 };
 
 
-Effect::Effect(int priority, int timeout) :
+Effect::Effect(int priority, int timeout, const std::string & script, const std::string & args) :
 	QThread(),
 	_priority(priority),
 	_timeout(timeout),
+	_script(script),
+	_args(args),
 	_endTime(-1),
 	_interpreterThreadState(nullptr),
 	_abortRequested(false),
@@ -47,6 +49,9 @@ void Effect::run()
 	// add ledCount variable to the interpreter
 	PyObject_SetAttrString(module, "ledCount", Py_BuildValue("i", _imageProcessor->getLedCount()));
 
+	// add a args variable to the interpreter
+	PyObject_SetAttrString(module, "args", Py_BuildValue("s", _args.c_str()));
+
 	// Set the end time if applicable
 	if (_timeout > 0)
 	{
@@ -54,9 +59,15 @@ void Effect::run()
 	}
 
 	// Run the effect script
-	std::string script = "test.py";
-	FILE* file = fopen(script.c_str(), "r");
-	PyRun_SimpleFile(file, script.c_str());
+	FILE* file = fopen(_script.c_str(), "r");
+	if (file != nullptr)
+	{
+		PyRun_SimpleFile(file, _script.c_str());
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		std::cerr << "Unable to open script file " << _script << std::endl;
+	}
 
 	// Clean up the thread state
 	Py_EndInterpreter(_interpreterThreadState);
diff --git a/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.h b/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.h
index 220ec4a6..8310076c 100644
--- a/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.h
+++ b/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class Effect : public QThread
 	Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-	Effect(int priority, int timeout);
+	Effect(int priority, int timeout, const std::string & script, const std::string & args = "");
 	virtual ~Effect();
 
 	virtual void run();
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ private:
 
 	const int _timeout;
 
+	const std::string & _script;
+
+	const std::string & _args;
+
 	int64_t _endTime;
 
 	PyThreadState * _interpreterThreadState;
diff --git a/libsrc/effectengine/EffectEngine.cpp b/libsrc/effectengine/EffectEngine.cpp
index 74fdf6c5..9a9f1390 100644
--- a/libsrc/effectengine/EffectEngine.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/effectengine/EffectEngine.cpp
@@ -23,13 +23,12 @@ EffectEngine::EffectEngine(Hyperion * hyperion) :
 	connect(_hyperion, SIGNAL(allChannelsCleared()), this, SLOT(allChannelsCleared()));
 
 	// read all effects
-	_availableEffects["test"] = "test.py";
+	_availableEffects["test"] = {"test.py", "{\"speed\":0.2}"};
 
 	// initialize the python interpreter
 	std::cout << "Initializing Python interpreter" << std::endl;
 	Py_InitializeEx(0);
 	PyEval_InitThreads(); // Create the GIL
-	PyRun_SimpleString("print 'test'");
 	_mainThreadState = PyEval_SaveThread();
 }
 
@@ -54,11 +53,18 @@ int EffectEngine::runEffect(const std::string &effectName, int priority, int tim
 {
 	std::cout << "run effect " << effectName << " on channel " << priority << std::endl;
 
+	if (_availableEffects.find(effectName) == _availableEffects.end())
+	{
+		// no such effect
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	// clear current effect on the channel
 	channelCleared(priority);
 
 	// create the effect
-	Effect * effect = new Effect(priority, timeout);
+	const EffectDefinition & effectDefinition = _availableEffects[effectName];
+	Effect * effect = new Effect(priority, timeout, effectDefinition.script, effectDefinition.args);
 	connect(effect, SIGNAL(setColors(int,std::vector<ColorRgb>,int)), _hyperion, SLOT(setColors(int,std::vector<ColorRgb>,int)), Qt::QueuedConnection);
 	connect(effect, SIGNAL(effectFinished(Effect*)), this, SLOT(effectFinished(Effect*)));
 	_activeEffects.push_back(effect);