diff --git a/bin/msgflo-python b/bin/msgflo-python
index 7d585c7..c27d573 100755
--- a/bin/msgflo-python
+++ b/bin/msgflo-python
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def load_module_file(filepath):
 def main():
     prog, args = sys.argv[0], sys.argv[1:]
     try:
-        modulepath, role = args
+        modulepath, role = args[0:2]
     except ValueError, e:
         sys.stderr.write("Usage: msgflo-python MODULE.py ROLE\n")
         return 1
diff --git a/msgflo/msgflo.py b/msgflo/msgflo.py
index d105af6..9c69416 100755
--- a/msgflo/msgflo.py
+++ b/msgflo/msgflo.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 import sys, os, json, random, urlparse
 sys.path.append(os.path.abspath("."))
 
+from optparse import OptionParser
+
 import logging
 logging.basicConfig()
 log_level = os.environ.get('MSGFLO_PYTHON_LOGLEVEL')
@@ -75,7 +77,7 @@ def __init__(self, broker, discovery_period=None):
     def done_callback(self, done_cb):
         self._done_cb = done_cb
 
-    def add_participant(self, participant):
+    def add_participant(self, participant, iips={}):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def ack_message(self, msg):
@@ -92,6 +94,13 @@ def __init__(self, raw):
     self.data = raw
     self.json = None
 
+def deliver_iips(participant):
+    iips = participant._iips
+    for port, data in iips.items():
+        msg = Message(data)
+        msg.json = data
+        participant.process(port, msg)
+
 class AmqpEngine(Engine):
 
   def __init__(self, broker, discovery_period=None):
@@ -107,9 +116,10 @@ def __init__(self, broker, discovery_period=None):
     self._channel = self._conn.channel()
     self._channel.add_close_listener(self._channel_closed_cb)
 
-  def add_participant(self, participant):
+  def add_participant(self, participant, iips={}):
     self.participant = participant
     self.participant._engine = self
+    self.participant._iips = iips
 
     # Create and configure message exchange and queue
     for p in self.participant.definition['inports']:
@@ -117,6 +127,10 @@ def add_participant(self, participant):
     for p in self.participant.definition['outports']:
       self._setup_queue(self.participant, self._channel, 'out', p)
 
+    # Deliver IIPs
+    deliver_iips(self.participant)
+
+    # Send discovery message
     def send_discovery():
       while self.participant:
         self._send_discovery(self._channel, self.participant.definition)
@@ -222,9 +236,10 @@ def __init__(self, broker):
         port = 1883
       self._client.connect(host, port, 60)
 
-  def add_participant(self, participant):
+  def add_participant(self, participant, iips={}):
     self.participant = participant
     self.participant._engine = self
+    self.participant._iips = iips
 
   def run(self):
     self._message_pump_greenlet = gevent.spawn(self._message_pump_greenthread)
@@ -266,6 +281,10 @@ def _on_connect(self, client, userdata, flags, rc):
         subscriptions.append((topic, 0))
       self._client.subscribe(subscriptions)
 
+      # Deliver IIPs
+      deliver_iips(self.participant)
+
+      # Send discovery messsage
       def send_discovery():
         while self.participant:
           delay = self.discovery_period/2.2
@@ -304,7 +323,7 @@ def _send_discovery(self, definition):
     logger.debug('sent discovery message %s' % msg)
     return
 
-def run(participant, broker=None, done_cb=None):
+def run(participant, broker=None, done_cb=None, iips={}):
     if broker is None:
         broker = os.environ.get('MSGFLO_BROKER', 'amqp://localhost')
 
@@ -319,22 +338,36 @@ def run(participant, broker=None, done_cb=None):
 
     if done_cb:
         engine.done_callback(done_cb)
-    engine.add_participant(participant)
+    engine.add_participant(participant, iips)
     engine.run()
 
     return engine
 
+def parse(argv, defaults={}):
+    parser = OptionParser(usage="%prog [options] role")
+    parser.add_option("-i", "--iips", dest="iips", default='{}',
+        help="Data as initial information packets", metavar='{"inportA": "inA-data", ...}')
+
+    (options, args) = parser.parse_args(argv)
+    for k, v in defaults.items():
+      if k not in options:
+        options[k] = v
+    options.iips = json.loads(options.iips)
+    options.role = args[0]
+
+    return [options, parser]
+
 def main(Participant, role=None):
-    if not role:
-        try:
-            role = sys.argv[1]
-        except IndexError, e:
-            role = participant.definition.component.tolower()
+    [config, parser] = parse(sys.argv)
+    if role:
+      config.role = role
+    if not config.role:
+      parser.error("role not specified")
 
-    participant = Participant(role)
+    participant = Participant(config.role)
     d = participant.definition
     waiter = gevent.event.AsyncResult()
-    engine = run(participant, done_cb=waiter.set)
+    engine = run(participant, done_cb=waiter.set, iips=config.iips)
     anon_url = "%s://%s" % (engine.broker_info.scheme, engine.broker_info.hostname)
     print "%s(%s) running on %s" % (d['role'], d['component'], anon_url)
     sys.stdout.flush()