diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 83f41059..8f92e8f5 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ repos:
 
   - repo: https://github.com/commitizen-tools/commitizen
     hooks:
-    - id: commitizen
-    - id: commitizen-branch
-      stages:
-      - push
-    rev: 3.12.0
+      - id: commitizen
+      - id: commitizen-branch
+        stages:
+          - push
+    rev: v3.13.0
 
   - repo: https://github.com/pycqa/isort
     rev: 5.12.0
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 9bc25282..2633da65 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "specklepy"
-version = "2.17.8"
+version = "2.17.14"
 description = "The Python SDK for Speckle 2.0"
 readme = "README.md"
 authors = ["Speckle Systems <devops@speckle.systems>"]
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ packages = [
 python = ">=3.8.0, <4.0"
 pydantic = "^2.0"
 appdirs = "^1.4.4"
-gql = {extras = ["requests", "websockets"], version = "^3.3.0"}
+gql = { extras = ["requests", "websockets"], version = "^3.3.0" }
 ujson = "^5.3.0"
 Deprecated = "^1.2.13"
 stringcase = "^1.2.0"
diff --git a/src/speckle_automate/runner.py b/src/speckle_automate/runner.py
index e0196552..d85b2160 100644
--- a/src/speckle_automate/runner.py
+++ b/src/speckle_automate/runner.py
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@
  that conforms to the AutomateFunction "interface"
 """
 import json
-import os
 import sys
 import traceback
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Callable, Optional, TypeVar, Union, overload
+from typing import Callable, Optional, Tuple, TypeVar, Union, overload
+
+from pydantic import create_model
+from pydantic.json_schema import GenerateJsonSchema
 
 from speckle_automate.automation_context import AutomationContext
-from speckle_automate.schema import AutomateBase, AutomationStatus
+from speckle_automate.schema import AutomateBase, AutomationRunData, AutomationStatus
 
 T = TypeVar("T", bound=AutomateBase)
 
@@ -19,6 +21,41 @@
 AutomateFunctionWithoutInputs = Callable[[AutomationContext], None]
 
 
+def _read_input_data(inputs_location: str) -> str:
+    input_path = Path(inputs_location)
+    if not input_path.exists():
+        raise ValueError(f"Cannot find the function inputs file at {input_path}")
+
+    return input_path.read_text()
+
+
+def _parse_input_data(
+    input_location: str, input_schema: Optional[type[T]]
+) -> Tuple[AutomationRunData, Optional[T], str]:
+    input_json_string = _read_input_data(input_location)
+
+    class FunctionRunData(AutomateBase):
+        speckle_token: str
+        automation_run_data: AutomationRunData
+        function_inputs: None = None
+
+    parser_model = FunctionRunData
+
+    if input_schema:
+        parser_model = create_model(
+            "FunctionRunDataWithInputs",
+            function_inputs=(input_schema, ...),
+            __base__=FunctionRunData,
+        )
+
+    input_data = parser_model.model_validate_json(input_json_string)
+    return (
+        input_data.automation_run_data,
+        input_data.function_inputs,
+        input_data.speckle_token,
+    )
+
+
 @overload
 def execute_automate_function(
     automate_function: AutomateFunction[T],
@@ -32,6 +69,13 @@ def execute_automate_function(automate_function: AutomateFunctionWithoutInputs)
     ...
 
 
+class AutomateGenerateJsonSchema(GenerateJsonSchema):
+    def generate(self, schema, mode="validation"):
+        json_schema = super().generate(schema, mode=mode)
+        json_schema["$schema"] = self.schema_dialect
+        return json_schema
+
+
 def execute_automate_function(
     automate_function: Union[AutomateFunction[T], AutomateFunctionWithoutInputs],
     input_schema: Optional[type[T]] = None,
@@ -40,49 +84,44 @@ def execute_automate_function(
     # first arg is the python file name, we do not need that
     args = sys.argv[1:]
 
-    if len(args) < 2:
-        raise ValueError("too few arguments specified need minimum 2")
-
-    if len(args) > 4:
-        raise ValueError("too many arguments specified, max supported is 4")
+    if len(args) != 2:
+        raise ValueError("Incorrect number of arguments specified need 2")
 
     # we rely on a command name convention to decide what to do.
     # this is here, so that the function authors do not see any of this
-    command = args[0]
+    command, argument = args
 
     if command == "generate_schema":
-        path = Path(args[1])
+        path = Path(argument)
         schema = json.dumps(
-            input_schema.model_json_schema(by_alias=True) if input_schema else {}
+            input_schema.model_json_schema(
+                by_alias=True, schema_generator=AutomateGenerateJsonSchema
+            )
+            if input_schema
+            else {}
         )
         path.write_text(schema)
 
     elif command == "run":
-        automation_run_data = args[1]
-        function_inputs = args[2]
-
-        speckle_token = os.environ.get("SPECKLE_TOKEN", None)
-        if not speckle_token and len(args) != 4:
-            raise ValueError("Cannot get speckle token from arguments or environment")
+        automation_run_data, function_inputs, speckle_token = _parse_input_data(
+            argument, input_schema
+        )
 
-        speckle_token = speckle_token if speckle_token else args[3]
         automation_context = AutomationContext.initialize(
             automation_run_data, speckle_token
         )
 
-        inputs = (
-            input_schema.model_validate_json(function_inputs)
-            if input_schema
-            else input_schema
-        )
-
-        if inputs:
+        if function_inputs:
             automation_context = run_function(
                 automation_context,
                 automate_function,  # type: ignore
-                inputs,
+                function_inputs,  # type: ignore
             )
+
         else:
+            automation_context = AutomationContext.initialize(
+                automation_run_data, speckle_token
+            )
             automation_context = run_function(
                 automation_context,
                 automate_function,  # type: ignore