diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_client.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_client.py
index 6259c90d3..443b72b40 100755
--- a/artiq/frontend/artiq_client.py
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_client.py
@@ -32,12 +32,14 @@ def get_argparser():
     subparsers.required = True
 
     parser_add = subparsers.add_parser("submit", help="submit an experiment")
-    parser_add.add_argument(
-        "-t", "--timed", default=None, type=str,
-        help="set a due date for the experiment")
+    parser_add.add_argument("-t", "--timed", default=None, type=str,
+                            help="set a due date for the experiment")
     parser_add.add_argument("-p", "--pipeline", default="main", type=str,
                             help="pipeline to run the experiment in "
                                  "(default: %(default)s)")
+    parser_add.add_argument("-P", "--priority", default=0, type=int,
+                            help="priority (higher value means sooner "
+                                 "scheduling, default: %(default)s)")
     parser_add.add_argument("-e", "--experiment", default=None,
                             help="experiment to run")
     parser_add.add_argument("file",
@@ -104,7 +106,7 @@ def _action_submit(remote, args):
         due_date = None
     else:
         due_date = time.mktime(parse_date(args.timed).timetuple())
-    rid = remote.submit(args.pipeline, expid, due_date)
+    rid = remote.submit(args.pipeline, expid, args.priority, due_date)
     print("RID: {}".format(rid))
 
 
@@ -132,11 +134,13 @@ def _show_schedule(schedule):
     clear_screen()
     if schedule:
         l = sorted(schedule.items(),
-                   key=lambda x: (x[1]["due_date"] or 0, x[0]))
-        table = PrettyTable(["RID", "Pipeline", "    Status    ", "Due date",
-                             "File", "Experiment", "Arguments"])
+                   key=lambda x: (x[1]["due_date"] or 0,
+                                  -x[1]["priority"],
+                                  x[0]))
+        table = PrettyTable(["RID", "Pipeline", "    Status    ", "Prio",
+                             "Due date", "File", "Experiment", "Arguments"])
         for rid, v in l:
-            row = [rid, v["pipeline"], v["status"]]
+            row = [rid, v["pipeline"], v["status"], v["priority"]]
             if v["due_date"] is None:
                 row.append("")
             else:
diff --git a/artiq/gui/schedule.py b/artiq/gui/schedule.py
index 451d99be8..46f42d583 100644
--- a/artiq/gui/schedule.py
+++ b/artiq/gui/schedule.py
@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ from artiq.tools import format_arguments
 class _ScheduleModel(DictSyncModel):
     def __init__(self, parent, init):
         DictSyncModel.__init__(self,
-            ["RID", "Pipeline", "Status", "Due date",
+            ["RID", "Pipeline", "Status", "Prio", "Due date",
              "File", "Experiment", "Arguments"],
             parent, init)
 
     def sort_key(self, k, v):
-        # order by due date, and then by RID
-        return (v["due_date"] or 0, k)
+        # order by due date, and then by priority and RID
+        return (v["due_date"] or 0, -v["priority"], k)
 
     def convert(self, k, v, column):
         if column == 0:
@@ -28,19 +28,21 @@ class _ScheduleModel(DictSyncModel):
         elif column == 2:
             return v["status"]
         elif column == 3:
+            return str(v["priority"])
+        elif column == 4:
             if v["due_date"] is None:
                 return ""
             else:
                 return time.strftime("%m/%d %H:%M:%S",
                                      time.localtime(v["due_date"]))
-        elif column == 4:
-            return v["expid"]["file"]
         elif column == 5:
+            return v["expid"]["file"]
+        elif column == 6:
             if v["expid"]["experiment"] is None:
                 return ""
             else:
                 return v["expid"]["experiment"]
-        elif column == 6:
+        elif column == 7:
             return format_arguments(v["expid"]["arguments"])
         else:
             raise ValueError
diff --git a/artiq/master/scheduler.py b/artiq/master/scheduler.py
index fbe560606..91fe06b47 100644
--- a/artiq/master/scheduler.py
+++ b/artiq/master/scheduler.py
@@ -45,12 +45,13 @@ def _mk_worker_method(name):
 
 class Run:
     def __init__(self, rid, pipeline_name,
-                 expid, due_date,
+                 expid, priority, due_date,
                  worker_handlers, notifier):
         # called through pool
         self.rid = rid
         self.pipeline_name = pipeline_name
         self.expid = expid
+        self.priority = priority
         self.due_date = due_date
 
         self._status = RunStatus.pending
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ class Run:
         self._notifier[self.rid] = {
             "pipeline": self.pipeline_name,
             "expid": self.expid,
+            "priority": self.priority,
             "due_date": self.due_date,
             "status": self._status.name
         }
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ class Run:
         else:
             overdue = int(now > self.due_date)
             due_date_k = -self.due_date
-        return (overdue, due_date_k, -self.rid)
+        return (overdue, self.priority, due_date_k, -self.rid)
 
     @asyncio.coroutine
     def close(self):
@@ -123,10 +125,10 @@ class RunPool:
         self._worker_handlers = worker_handlers
         self._notifier = notifier
 
-    def submit(self, expid, due_date, pipeline_name):
+    def submit(self, expid, priority, due_date, pipeline_name):
         # called through scheduler
         rid = self._ridc.get()
-        run = Run(rid, pipeline_name, expid, due_date,
+        run = Run(rid, pipeline_name, expid, priority, due_date,
                   self._worker_handlers, self._notifier)
         self.runs[rid] = run
         if self.submitted_callback is not None:
@@ -349,7 +351,7 @@ class Scheduler:
         if self._pipelines:
             logger.warning("some pipelines were not garbage-collected")
 
-    def submit(self, pipeline_name, expid, due_date):
+    def submit(self, pipeline_name, expid, priority, due_date):
         if self._terminated:
             return
         try:
@@ -360,7 +362,7 @@ class Scheduler:
                                 self._worker_handlers, self.notifier)
             self._pipelines[pipeline_name] = pipeline
             pipeline.start()
-        return pipeline.pool.submit(expid, due_date, pipeline_name)
+        return pipeline.pool.submit(expid, priority, due_date, pipeline_name)
 
     def delete(self, rid):
         self._deleter.delete(rid)