diff --git a/gns3server/handlers/api/iou_handler.py b/gns3server/handlers/api/iou_handler.py
index b4f8fe22..28c26b68 100644
--- a/gns3server/handlers/api/iou_handler.py
+++ b/gns3server/handlers/api/iou_handler.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from aiohttp.web import HTTPConflict
 from ...web.route import Route
 from ...schemas.nio import NIO_SCHEMA
 from ...schemas.iou import IOU_CREATE_SCHEMA
+from ...schemas.iou import IOU_START_SCHEMA
 from ...schemas.iou import IOU_UPDATE_SCHEMA
 from ...schemas.iou import IOU_OBJECT_SCHEMA
 from ...schemas.iou import IOU_CAPTURE_SCHEMA
@@ -151,11 +152,19 @@ class IOUHandler:
             400: "Invalid request",
             404: "Instance doesn't exist"
         },
+        input=IOU_START_SCHEMA,
         description="Start a IOU instance")
     def start(request, response):
 
         iou_manager = IOU.instance()
         vm = iou_manager.get_vm(request.match_info["vm_id"], project_id=request.match_info["project_id"])
+
+        for name, value in request.json.items():
+            if hasattr(vm, name) and getattr(vm, name) != value:
+                setattr(vm, name, value)
+                print(name)
+                print(vm.iourc_path)
+
         yield from vm.start()
         response.set_status(204)
 
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/iou.py b/gns3server/schemas/iou.py
index 62079031..f541ba1a 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/iou.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/iou.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ IOU_CREATE_SCHEMA = {
             "type": ["string", "null"]
         },
         "iourc_content": {
-            "description": "Content of the iourc file, if a file exist on servers this variable is ignored. It's mostly for compatibility with < 1.3 releases",
+            "description": "Content of the iourc file. Ignored if Null",
             "type": ["string", "null"]
         }
     },
@@ -156,13 +156,27 @@ IOU_UPDATE_SCHEMA = {
             "type": ["boolean", "null"]
         },
         "iourc_content": {
-            "description": "Content of the iourc file, if a file exist on servers this variable is ignored. It's mostly for compatibility with < 1.3 releases",
+            "description": "Content of the iourc file. Ignored if Null",
             "type": ["string", "null"]
         }
     },
     "additionalProperties": False,
 }
 
+
+IOU_START_SCHEMA = {
+    "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
+    "description": "Request validation to start an IOU instance",
+    "type": "object",
+    "properties": {
+        "iourc_content": {
+            "description": "Content of the iourc file. Ignored if Null",
+            "type": ["string", "null"]
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
 IOU_OBJECT_SCHEMA = {
     "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#",
     "description": "IOU instance",
diff --git a/tests/handlers/api/test_iou.py b/tests/handlers/api/test_iou.py
index 169ff4ee..94612a03 100644
--- a/tests/handlers/api/test_iou.py
+++ b/tests/handlers/api/test_iou.py
@@ -137,11 +137,25 @@ def test_iou_get(server, project, vm):
 
 def test_iou_start(server, vm):
     with asyncio_patch("gns3server.modules.iou.iou_vm.IOUVM.start", return_value=True) as mock:
-        response = server.post("/projects/{project_id}/iou/vms/{vm_id}/start".format(project_id=vm["project_id"], vm_id=vm["vm_id"]), example=True)
+        response = server.post("/projects/{project_id}/iou/vms/{vm_id}/start".format(project_id=vm["project_id"], vm_id=vm["vm_id"]))
         assert mock.called
         assert response.status == 204
 
 
+def test_iou_start_with_iourc(server, vm, tmpdir):
+    body = {"iourc_content": "test"}
+
+    with asyncio_patch("gns3server.modules.iou.iou_vm.IOUVM.start", return_value=True) as mock:
+        response = server.post("/projects/{project_id}/iou/vms/{vm_id}/start".format(project_id=vm["project_id"], vm_id=vm["vm_id"]), body=body, example=True)
+        assert mock.called
+        assert response.status == 204
+
+    response = server.get("/projects/{project_id}/iou/vms/{vm_id}".format(project_id=vm["project_id"], vm_id=vm["vm_id"]))
+    assert response.status == 200
+    with open(response.json["iourc_path"]) as f:
+        assert f.read() == "test"
+
+
 def test_iou_stop(server, vm):
     with asyncio_patch("gns3server.modules.iou.iou_vm.IOUVM.stop", return_value=True) as mock:
         response = server.post("/projects/{project_id}/iou/vms/{vm_id}/stop".format(project_id=vm["project_id"], vm_id=vm["vm_id"]), example=True)