diff --git a/js/ui/main.js b/js/ui/main.js
index e277224b9..ece091319 100644
--- a/js/ui/main.js
+++ b/js/ui/main.js
@@ -326,9 +326,9 @@ async function _initializeUI() {
     }
 
     let perfModule;
-    const perfModuleName = GLib.getenv('SHELL_PERF_MODULE');
-    if (perfModuleName) {
-        perfModule = await import(`../perf/${perfModuleName}.js`);
+    const {automationScript} = global;
+    if (automationScript) {
+        perfModule = await import(automationScript.get_uri());
         if (perfModule.init)
             perfModule.init();
     }
diff --git a/src/gnome-shell-perf-tool.in b/src/gnome-shell-perf-tool.in
index 6f5273c50..3911df8ff 100755
--- a/src/gnome-shell-perf-tool.in
+++ b/src/gnome-shell-perf-tool.in
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ def show_version(option, opt_str, value, parser):
 def start_shell(wrap=None, perf_output=None):
     # Set up environment
     env = dict(os.environ)
-    env['SHELL_PERF_MODULE'] = options.perf
 
     filters = ['Gnome-shell-perf-helper'] + options.extra_filter
     env['MUTTER_WM_CLASS_FILTER'] = ','.join(filters)
@@ -45,6 +44,9 @@ def start_shell(wrap=None, perf_output=None):
         args += wrap.split(' ')
     args.append(os.path.join(self_dir, 'gnome-shell'))
 
+    args.append('--automation-script')
+    args.append(options.script)
+
     args.append('--force-animations')
 
     if options.replace:
@@ -173,7 +175,7 @@ def gnome_hwtest_log(*args):
     subprocess.check_call(command)
 
 def run_performance_test(wrap=None):
-    iters = options.perf_iters
+    iters = options.test_iters
     if options.perf_warmup:
         iters += 1
 
@@ -286,10 +288,10 @@ def run_performance_test(wrap=None):
 # Main program
 
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
-parser.add_argument("--perf",
-                    help="Specify the name of a performance module to run")
-parser.add_argument("--perf-iters", type=int, metavar="ITERS",
-                    help="Numbers of iterations of performance module to run",
+parser.add_argument("--script",
+                    help="Specify the path to the automation script to run")
+parser.add_argument("--test-iters", type=int, metavar="ITERS",
+                    help="Numbers of iterations of the test to run",
                     default=1)
 parser.add_argument("--perf-warmup", action="store_true",
                     help="Run a dry run before performance tests")
@@ -321,16 +323,16 @@ parser.add_argument("--hotplug", action="store_true",
 
 options = parser.parse_args()
 
-if options.perf == None:
+if options.script == None:
     if options.hwtest:
-        options.perf = 'hwtest'
+        options.script = 'resource:///org/gnome/shell/perf/hwtest.js'
     else:
-        options.perf = 'core'
+        options.script = 'resource:///org/gnome/shell/perf/core.js'
 
 if options.extra_filter is None:
     options.extra_filter = []
 
-if options.perf == 'hwtest':
+if options.script == 'hwtest':
     options.extra_filter.append('Gedit')
 
 normal_exit = run_performance_test(wrap=options.wrap)
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 1bfa05e4b..bbf845999 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ static gboolean is_gdm_mode = FALSE;
 static char *session_mode = NULL;
 static int caught_signal = 0;
 static gboolean force_animations = FALSE;
+static char *script_path = NULL;
 
 #define DBUS_REQUEST_NAME_REPLY_PRIMARY_OWNER 1
 #define DBUS_REQUEST_NAME_REPLY_ALREADY_OWNER 4
@@ -532,6 +533,12 @@ GOptionEntry gnome_shell_options[] = {
     N_("Force animations to be enabled"),
     NULL
   },
+  {
+    "automation-script", 0, G_OPTION_FLAG_HIDDEN, G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME,
+    &script_path,
+    N_(""),
+    NULL
+  },
   { NULL }
 };
 
@@ -582,6 +589,8 @@ int
 main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
   g_autoptr (MetaContext) context = NULL;
+  g_autoptr (GFile) automation_script = NULL;
+  g_autofree char *cwd = NULL;
   GError *error = NULL;
   int ecode = EXIT_SUCCESS;
 
@@ -606,6 +615,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
   meta_context_set_gnome_wm_keybindings (context, GNOME_WM_KEYBINDINGS);
 
   init_signal_handlers (context);
+  cwd = g_get_current_dir ();
   change_to_home_directory ();
 
   if (session_mode == NULL)
@@ -628,12 +638,16 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
       dump_gjs_stack_on_signal (SIGSEGV);
     }
 
+  if (script_path)
+    automation_script = g_file_new_for_commandline_arg_and_cwd (script_path, cwd);
+
   /* Initialize the Shell global, including GjsContext
    * GjsContext will iterate the default main loop to
    * resolve internal modules.
    */
   _shell_global_init ("session-mode", session_mode,
                       "force-animations", force_animations,
+                      "automation-script", automation_script,
                       NULL);
 
   /* Setup Meta _after_ the Shell global to avoid GjsContext
diff --git a/src/shell-global.c b/src/shell-global.c
index aae9469ab..761ba331c 100644
--- a/src/shell-global.c
+++ b/src/shell-global.c
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ struct _ShellGlobal {
   char *userdatadir;
   GFile *userdatadir_path;
   GFile *runtime_state_path;
+  GFile *automation_script;
 
   ShellWindowTracker *window_tracker;
   ShellAppSystem *app_system;
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ enum {
   PROP_FRAME_FINISH_TIMESTAMP,
   PROP_SWITCHEROO_CONTROL,
   PROP_FORCE_ANIMATIONS,
+  PROP_AUTOMATION_SCRIPT,
 
   N_PROPS
 };
@@ -249,6 +251,9 @@ shell_global_set_property(GObject         *object,
     case PROP_FORCE_ANIMATIONS:
       global->force_animations = g_value_get_boolean (value);
       break;
+    case PROP_AUTOMATION_SCRIPT:
+      g_set_object (&global->automation_script, g_value_get_object (value));
+      break;
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
       break;
@@ -338,6 +343,9 @@ shell_global_get_property(GObject         *object,
     case PROP_FORCE_ANIMATIONS:
       g_value_set_boolean (value, global->force_animations);
       break;
+    case PROP_AUTOMATION_SCRIPT:
+      g_value_set_object (value, global->automation_script);
+      break;
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
       break;
@@ -688,6 +696,13 @@ shell_global_class_init (ShellGlobalClass *klass)
                           FALSE,
                           G_PARAM_READWRITE  | G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT| G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
 
+  props[PROP_AUTOMATION_SCRIPT] =
+    g_param_spec_object ("automation-script",
+                         "automation-script",
+                         "Automation script to run after startup",
+                         G_TYPE_FILE,
+                         G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT_ONLY | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS);
+
   g_object_class_install_properties (gobject_class, N_PROPS, props);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index 85339dd14..5d52d80fd 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ foreach perf_test : perf_tests
     args: [
       perf_tool,
       '--headless',
-      '--perf=@0@'.format(test_name),
+      '--script=@0@/js/perf/@1@.js'.format(meson.project_source_root(), test_name),
       options,
     ],
     is_parallel: false,