diff --git a/pybar/run_manager.py b/pybar/run_manager.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/pybar/run_manager.py
+++ b/pybar/run_manager.py
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ class RunManager(object):
         '''
         self.current_run.abort(msg)
 
-    def run_run(self, run, run_conf=None, use_thread=False, catch_exception=True):
+    def run_run(self, run, conf=None, run_conf=None, use_thread=False, catch_exception=True):
         '''Runs a run in another thread. Non-blocking.
 
         Parameters
@@ -424,6 +424,9 @@ class RunManager(object):
         If use_thread is True, returns function, which blocks until thread terminates, and which itself returns run status.
         If use_thread is False, returns run status.
         '''
+        if conf is not None:
+            self.conf.update(conf)
+            
         if isclass(run):
             # instantiate the class
             run = run(conf=self.conf)
ENH: allow passing conf to run_run