diff --git a/api/opentrons/protocols/__init__.py b/api/opentrons/protocols/__init__.py
index 8a80a287cd5..2c508e937c2 100644
--- a/api/opentrons/protocols/__init__.py
+++ b/api/opentrons/protocols/__init__.py
@@ -56,8 +56,16 @@ def load_labware(protocol_data):
 
 def get_location(command_params, loaded_labware):
     labwareId = command_params.get('labware')
+    if not labwareId:
+        # not all commands use labware param
+        return None
     well = command_params.get('well')
-    return loaded_labware.get(labwareId, {}).get(well)
+    labware = loaded_labware.get(labwareId)
+    if not labware:
+        raise ValueError(
+            'Command tried to use labware "{}", but that ID does not exist ' +
+            'in protocol\'s "labware" section'.format(labwareId))
+    return labware.wells(well)
 
 
 def get_pipette(command_params, loaded_pipettes):
@@ -65,12 +73,47 @@ def get_pipette(command_params, loaded_pipettes):
     return loaded_pipettes.get(pipetteId)
 
 
+# TODO (Ian 2018-08-22) once Pipette has more sensible way of managing
+# flow rate value (eg as an argument in aspirate/dispense fns), remove this
+def set_flow_rate(
+        pipette_model, pipette, command_type, params, default_values):
+    """
+    Set flow rate in uL/mm, to value obtained from command's params,
+    or if unspecified in command params, then from protocol's "default-values".
+    """
+    default_aspirate = default_values.get(
+        'aspirate-flow-rate', {}).get(pipette_model)
+
+    default_dispense = default_values.get(
+        'dispense-flow-rate', {}).get(pipette_model)
+
+    flow_rate_param = params.get('flow-rate')
+
+    if flow_rate_param is not None:
+        if command_type == 'aspirate':
+            pipette.set_flow_rate(
+                aspirate=flow_rate_param,
+                dispense=default_dispense)
+            return
+        if command_type == 'dispense':
+            pipette.set_flow_rate(
+                aspirate=default_aspirate,
+                dispense=flow_rate_param)
+            return
+
+    pipette.set_flow_rate(
+        aspirate=default_aspirate,
+        dispense=default_dispense
+    )
+
+
 # C901 code complexity is due to long elif block, ok in this case (Ian+Ben)
 def dispatch_commands(protocol_data, loaded_pipettes, loaded_labware):  # noqa: C901 E501
     subprocedures = [
         p.get('subprocedure', [])
         for p in protocol_data.get('procedure', [])]
 
+    default_values = protocol_data.get('default-values', {})
     flat_subs = chain.from_iterable(subprocedures)
 
     for command_item in flat_subs:
@@ -78,9 +121,22 @@ def dispatch_commands(protocol_data, loaded_pipettes, loaded_labware):  # noqa:
         params = command_item.get('params', {})
 
         pipette = get_pipette(params, loaded_pipettes)
+        pipette_model = protocol_data\
+            .get('pipettes', {})\
+            .get(params.get('pipette'), {})\
+            .get('model')
+
         location = get_location(params, loaded_labware)
         volume = params.get('volume')
 
+        if pipette:
+            # Aspirate/Dispense flow rate must be set each time for commands
+            # which use pipettes right now.
+            # Flow rate is persisted inside the Pipette object
+            # and is settable but not easily gettable
+            set_flow_rate(
+                pipette_model, pipette, command_type, params, default_values)
+
         if command_type == 'delay':
             wait = params.get('wait', 0)
             if wait is True:
diff --git a/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/test_load_json_protocol.py b/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/test_load_json_protocol.py
index 9192a399519..6532682a35e 100644
--- a/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/test_load_json_protocol.py
+++ b/api/tests/opentrons/protocols/test_load_json_protocol.py
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ def test_blank_protocol():
 def test_dispatch_commands(monkeypatch):
     robot.reset()
     cmd = []
+    flow_rates = []
 
     def mock_sleep(seconds):
         cmd.append(("sleep", seconds))
@@ -80,6 +81,9 @@ def mock_aspirate(volume, location):
     def mock_dispense(volume, location):
         cmd.append(("dispense", volume, location))
 
+    def mock_set_flow_rate(aspirate, dispense):
+        flow_rates.append((aspirate, dispense))
+
     pipette = instruments.P10_Single('left')
 
     loaded_pipettes = {
@@ -96,9 +100,24 @@ def mock_dispense(volume, location):
 
     monkeypatch.setattr(pipette, 'aspirate', mock_aspirate)
     monkeypatch.setattr(pipette, 'dispense', mock_dispense)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(pipette, 'set_flow_rate', mock_set_flow_rate)
     monkeypatch.setattr(protocols, '_sleep', mock_sleep)
 
     protocol_data = {
+        "default-values": {
+            "aspirate-flow-rate": {
+                "p300_single_v1": 101
+            },
+            "dispense-flow-rate": {
+                "p300_single_v1": 102
+            }
+        },
+        "pipettes": {
+            "pipetteId": {
+                "mount": "left",
+                "model": "p300_single_v1"
+            }
+        },
         "procedure": [
             {
                 "subprocedure": [
@@ -108,7 +127,8 @@ def mock_dispense(volume, location):
                             "pipette": "pipetteId",
                             "labware": "sourcePlateId",
                             "well": "A1",
-                            "volume": 5
+                            "volume": 5,
+                            "flow-rate": 123
                         }
                     },
                     {
@@ -139,3 +159,8 @@ def mock_dispense(volume, location):
         ("sleep", 42),
         ("dispense", 4.5, dest_plate['B1'])
     ]
+
+    assert flow_rates == [
+        (123, 102),
+        (101, 102)
+    ]
diff --git a/protocol-designer/src/file-data/selectors/fileCreator.js b/protocol-designer/src/file-data/selectors/fileCreator.js
index c6281af8377..6d4802f5457 100644
--- a/protocol-designer/src/file-data/selectors/fileCreator.js
+++ b/protocol-designer/src/file-data/selectors/fileCreator.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // @flow
 import {createSelector} from 'reselect'
 import mapValues from 'lodash/mapValues'
+import {getPropertyAllPipettes} from '@opentrons/shared-data'
 import {fileMetadata} from './fileFields'
 import {getInitialRobotState, robotStateTimeline} from './commands'
 import {selectors as dismissSelectors} from '../../dismiss'
@@ -14,6 +15,11 @@ import type {LabwareData, PipetteData} from '../../step-generation'
 const protocolSchemaVersion = '1.0.0'
 const applicationVersion = process.env.OT_PD_VERSION || 'unknown version'
 
+const executionDefaults = {
+  'aspirate-flow-rate': getPropertyAllPipettes('aspirateFlowRate'),
+  'dispense-flow-rate': getPropertyAllPipettes('dispenseFlowRate')
+}
+
 export const createFile: BaseState => ProtocolFile = createSelector(
   fileMetadata,
   getInitialRobotState,
@@ -73,6 +79,8 @@ export const createFile: BaseState => ProtocolFile = createSelector(
         tags: []
       },
 
+      'default-values': executionDefaults,
+
       'designer-application': {
         'application-name': 'opentrons/protocol-designer',
         'application-version': applicationVersion,
diff --git a/protocol-designer/src/file-types.js b/protocol-designer/src/file-types.js
index 3986d06943c..f100ecd4781 100644
--- a/protocol-designer/src/file-types.js
+++ b/protocol-designer/src/file-types.js
@@ -7,10 +7,11 @@ import type {RootState as DismissRoot} from './dismiss'
 
 type MsSinceEpoch = number
 type VersionString = string // eg '1.0.0'
+type PipetteModel = string // TODO Ian 2018-05-11 use pipette-definitions model types enum
 
 export type FilePipette = {
   mount: Mount,
-  model: string // TODO Ian 2018-05-11 use pipette-definitions model types
+  model: PipetteModel
 }
 
 export type FileLabware = {
@@ -19,6 +20,10 @@ export type FileLabware = {
   'display-name': string
 }
 
+export type FlowRateForPipettes = {
+  [PipetteModel]: number
+}
+
 export type PDMetadata = {
   // pipetteId to tiprackModel. may be unassigned
   pipetteTiprackAssignments: {[pipetteId: string]: ?string},
@@ -48,6 +53,11 @@ export type ProtocolFile = {
     tags: Array<string>
   },
 
+  'default-values': {
+    'aspirate-flow-rate': FlowRateForPipettes,
+    'dispense-flow-rate': FlowRateForPipettes
+  },
+
   'designer-application': {
     'application-name': 'opentrons/protocol-designer',
     'application-version': VersionString,
diff --git a/shared-data/js/pipettes.js b/shared-data/js/pipettes.js
index 3e34ffecb42..b87c6d21e08 100644
--- a/shared-data/js/pipettes.js
+++ b/shared-data/js/pipettes.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // @flow
+import mapValues from 'lodash/mapValues'
 import pipetteConfigByModel from '../robot-data/pipette-config.json'
 
 export type PipetteChannels = 1 | 8
@@ -94,3 +95,7 @@ function comparePipettes (sortBy: Array<SortableProps>) {
     return 0
   }
 }
+
+export function getPropertyAllPipettes (propertyName: $Keys<PipetteConfig>) {
+  return mapValues(pipetteConfigByModel, config => config[propertyName])
+}
diff --git a/shared-data/protocol-json-schema/protocol-schema.json b/shared-data/protocol-json-schema/protocol-schema.json
index 91a9e30fd4b..c0d5ce5a4b7 100644
--- a/shared-data/protocol-json-schema/protocol-schema.json
+++ b/shared-data/protocol-json-schema/protocol-schema.json
@@ -2,13 +2,55 @@
   "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
 
   "definitions": {
+    "pipette-model": {
+      "description": "Special keyword specifying the model of the pipette. TODO finalize these model names they are still TBD",
+      "type": "string",
+      "enum": [
+        "p10_single_v1",
+        "p10_multi_v1",
+        "p50_single_v1",
+        "p50_multi_v1",
+        "p300_single_v1",
+        "p300_multi_v1",
+        "p1000_single_v1",
+        "p1000_multi_v1",
+
+        "p10_single_v1.3",
+        "p10_multi_v1.3",
+        "p50_single_v1.3",
+        "p50_multi_v1.3",
+        "p300_single_v1.3",
+        "p300_multi_v1.3",
+        "p1000_single_v1.3",
+        "p1000_multi_v1.3"
+      ]
+    },
+
     "mm-offset": {
       "description": "Millimeters for pipette location offsets",
       "type": "number"
     },
 
+    "flow-rate-for-pipettes": {
+      "description": "Flow rate in mm/sec for each pipette model used in the protocol",
+      "type": "object",
+      "propertyNames": {"$ref": "#/definitions/pipette-model"},
+      "patternProperties": {".*": {"type": "number"}},
+      "additionalProperties": false
+    },
+
+    "flow-rate-params": {
+      "properties": {
+        "flow-rate": {
+          "description": "Flow rate for aspirate/dispense. If omitted, defaults to the corresponding values in \"default-values\"",
+          "type": "number"
+        }
+      }
+    },
+
     "well-position-params": {
       "description": "Optional params for well position offsets",
+      "type": "object",
       "properties": {
         "position": {
           "required": ["anchor"],
@@ -61,6 +103,7 @@
   "additionalProperties": false,
   "required": [
     "protocol-schema",
+    "default-values",
     "metadata",
     "robot",
     "pipettes",
@@ -118,6 +161,19 @@
       }
     },
 
+    "default-values": {
+      "description": "Default values required for protocol execution",
+      "type": "object",
+      "required": [
+        "aspirate-flow-rate",
+        "dispense-flow-rate"
+      ],
+      "properties": {
+        "aspirate-flow-rate": {"$ref": "#/definitions/flow-rate-for-pipettes"},
+        "dispense-flow-rate": {"$ref": "#/definitions/flow-rate-for-pipettes"}
+      }
+    },
+
     "designer-application": {
       "description": "Optional data & metadata not required to execute the protocol, used by the application that created this protocol",
       "type": "object",
@@ -163,18 +219,7 @@
               "enum": ["left", "right"]
             },
             "model": {
-              "description": "Special keyword specifying the model of the pipette. TODO finalize these model names they are still TBD",
-              "type": "string",
-              "enum": [
-                "p10_single_v1",
-                "p10_multi_v1",
-                "p50_single_v1",
-                "p50_multi_v1",
-                "p300_single_v1",
-                "p300_multi_v1",
-                "p1000_single_v1",
-                "p1000_multi_v1"
-              ]
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/pipette-model"
             }
           }
         }
@@ -232,7 +277,8 @@
           "subprocedure": {
             "type": "array",
             "items": {
-              "anyOf": [{
+              "anyOf": [
+                {
                   "description": "Aspirate / dispense / air gap commands",
                   "type": "object",
                   "required": ["command", "params"],
@@ -243,6 +289,7 @@
                     },
                     "params": {
                       "allOf": [
+                        {"$ref": "#/definitions/flow-rate-params"},
                         {"$ref": "#/definitions/pipette-access-params"},
                         {"$ref": "#/definitions/volume-params"},
                         {"$ref": "#/definitions/well-position-params"}