diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5d7da835..10f5f39d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Changed
 - Updated dependency rpi_ws281x to latest upstream
+- Fix High CPU load (RPI3B+) (#1013)
 
 ### Fixed
 - LED-Hue: Proper black in Entertainement mode if min brightness is set
diff --git a/include/effectengine/Effect.h b/include/effectengine/Effect.h
index a1ecc990..ca4c3a43 100644
--- a/include/effectengine/Effect.h
+++ b/include/effectengine/Effect.h
@@ -44,10 +44,22 @@ public:
 	void requestInterruption() { _interupt = true; }
 
 	///
-	/// @brief Check if the interruption flag has been set
+	/// @brief Check an interruption was requested.
+	///        This can come from requestInterruption()
+	///        or the effect's timeout expiring.
+	///
 	/// @return    The flag state
 	///
-	bool isInterruptionRequested() { return _interupt; }
+	bool isInterruptionRequested();
+
+	///
+	/// @brief Get the remaining timeout, or 0 if there
+	///        is no timeout for this effect.
+	///
+	/// @return    The flag state
+	///
+	int getRemaining();
+
 
 	QString getScript() const { return _script; }
 	QString getName() const { return _name; }
diff --git a/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.cpp b/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.cpp
index 3f241f2f..22c985fa 100644
--- a/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/effectengine/Effect.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,25 @@ Effect::~Effect()
 	_imageStack.clear();
 }
 
+bool Effect::isInterruptionRequested()
+{
+	return _interupt || getRemaining() < 0;
+}
+
+int Effect::getRemaining()
+{
+	// determine the timeout
+	int timeout = _timeout;
+
+	if (timeout > 0)
+	{
+		timeout = _endTime - QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch();
+		return timeout;
+	}
+
+	return timeout;
+}
+
 void Effect::setModuleParameters()
 {
 	// import the buildtin Hyperion module
diff --git a/libsrc/effectengine/EffectModule.cpp b/libsrc/effectengine/EffectModule.cpp
index 78d6be5d..59a6bf73 100644
--- a/libsrc/effectengine/EffectModule.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/effectengine/EffectModule.cpp
@@ -124,16 +124,6 @@ PyObject* EffectModule::wrapSetColor(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 	// check if we have aborted already
 	if (getEffect()->isInterruptionRequested()) Py_RETURN_NONE;
 
-	// determine the timeout
-	int timeout = getEffect()->_timeout;
-	if (timeout > 0)
-	{
-		timeout = getEffect()->_endTime - QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch();
-
-		// we are done if the time has passed
-		if (timeout <= 0) Py_RETURN_NONE;
-	}
-
 	// check the number of arguments
 	int argCount = PyTuple_Size(args);
 	if (argCount == 3)
@@ -144,7 +134,7 @@ PyObject* EffectModule::wrapSetColor(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 		{
 			getEffect()->_colors.fill(color);
 			QVector<ColorRgb> _cQV = getEffect()->_colors;
-			emit getEffect()->setInput(getEffect()->_priority, std::vector<ColorRgb>( _cQV.begin(), _cQV.end() ), timeout, false);
+			emit getEffect()->setInput(getEffect()->_priority, std::vector<ColorRgb>( _cQV.begin(), _cQV.end() ), getEffect()->getRemaining(), false);
 			Py_RETURN_NONE;
 		}
 		return nullptr;
@@ -163,7 +153,7 @@ PyObject* EffectModule::wrapSetColor(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 					char * data = PyByteArray_AS_STRING(bytearray);
 					memcpy(getEffect()->_colors.data(), data, length);
 					QVector<ColorRgb> _cQV = getEffect()->_colors;
-					emit getEffect()->setInput(getEffect()->_priority, std::vector<ColorRgb>( _cQV.begin(), _cQV.end() ), timeout, false);
+					emit getEffect()->setInput(getEffect()->_priority, std::vector<ColorRgb>( _cQV.begin(), _cQV.end() ), getEffect()->getRemaining(), false);
 					Py_RETURN_NONE;
 				}
 				else
@@ -195,16 +185,6 @@ PyObject* EffectModule::wrapSetImage(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 	// check if we have aborted already
 	if (getEffect()->isInterruptionRequested()) Py_RETURN_NONE;
 
-	// determine the timeout
-	int timeout = getEffect()->_timeout;
-	if (timeout > 0)
-	{
-		timeout = getEffect()->_endTime - QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch();
-
-		// we are done if the time has passed
-		if (timeout <= 0) Py_RETURN_NONE;
-	}
-
 	// bytearray of values
 	int width, height;
 	PyObject * bytearray = nullptr;
@@ -218,7 +198,7 @@ PyObject* EffectModule::wrapSetImage(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 				Image<ColorRgb> image(width, height);
 				char * data = PyByteArray_AS_STRING(bytearray);
 				memcpy(image.memptr(), data, length);
-				emit getEffect()->setInputImage(getEffect()->_priority, image, timeout, false);
+				emit getEffect()->setInputImage(getEffect()->_priority, image, getEffect()->getRemaining(), false);
 				Py_RETURN_NONE;
 			}
 			else
@@ -332,16 +312,6 @@ PyObject* EffectModule::wrapImageShow(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 	// check if we have aborted already
 	if (getEffect()->isInterruptionRequested()) Py_RETURN_NONE;
 
-	// determine the timeout
-	int timeout = getEffect()->_timeout;
-	if (timeout > 0)
-	{
-		timeout = getEffect()->_endTime - QDateTime::currentMSecsSinceEpoch();
-
-		// we are done if the time has passed
-		if (timeout <= 0) Py_RETURN_NONE;
-	}
-
 	int argCount = PyTuple_Size(args);
 	int imgId = -1;
 	bool argsOk = (argCount == 0);
@@ -375,7 +345,7 @@ PyObject* EffectModule::wrapImageShow(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 	}
 
 	memcpy(image.memptr(), binaryImage.data(), binaryImage.size());
-	emit getEffect()->setInputImage(getEffect()->_priority, image, timeout, false);
+	emit getEffect()->setInputImage(getEffect()->_priority, image, getEffect()->getRemaining(), false);
 
 	return Py_BuildValue("");
 }