diff --git a/alived-notify b/alived-notify
index 214ec9a0224efeb769006e1798291d5e8f4b0ff4..a05fcd8f3a63233aae00e3bc958068aa0bdf41ab 100755
--- a/alived-notify
+++ b/alived-notify
@@ -45,8 +45,14 @@ def main(args):
   # Alive XML page
   alive_xml_url = "http://bcda.xray.aps.anl.gov/cgi-bin/alivexml.cgi"
 
-  # Parse args
-  name, ip, state, mess = args
+  ### Parse args
+  # The following line only works if the number of args is exactly four
+  #!name, ip, state, mess = args
+  # The following lines allow Dohn to add arguments without breaking the script
+  name = args[0]
+  ip = args[1]
+  state = args[2]
+  mess = args[3]
   
   # Get the XLM file
   try:
@@ -96,7 +102,7 @@ def main(args):
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-  if len(sys.argv) != 5:
+  if len(sys.argv) < 5:
     print "Usage: an_hook.py <iocname> <ip> <status> <user_args>"
     #!print sys.argv
   else:
diff --git a/alived-notify-test b/alived-notify-test
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..2605dc4ec6ab3d076bb45e3c632742b019951d24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/alived-notify-test
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+echo "I was called:" >> /home/beams/KPETERSN/notifiy-log.txt
+echo "  $*" >> /home/beams/KPETERSN/notifiy-log.txt
+