diff --git a/src/hyfi/pipeline/configs.py b/src/hyfi/pipeline/configs.py
index 7b06ba6a..9dd2e9be 100644
--- a/src/hyfi/pipeline/configs.py
+++ b/src/hyfi/pipeline/configs.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 class BaseRunConfig(BaseModel):
     """Run Configuration"""
 
-    run_with: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = {}
+    run: Optional[Union[str, Dict[str, Any]]] = {}
 
     name: Optional[str] = ""
     desc: Optional[str] = ""
@@ -36,8 +36,21 @@ def validate_model_config_before(cls, data):
         return Composer.replace_special_keys(Composer.to_dict(data))
 
     @property
-    def kwargs(self):
-        return self.run_with or {}
+    def run_config(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        if self.run and isinstance(self.run, str):
+            return {"_target_": self.run}
+        return self.run or {}
+
+    @property
+    def run_target(self) -> str:
+        return self.run_config.get("_target_") or ""
+
+    @property
+    def run_kwargs(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        _kwargs = self.run_config.copy()
+        _kwargs.pop("_target_", None)
+        _kwargs.pop("_partial_", None)
+        return _kwargs
 
 
 class RunningConfig(BaseRunConfig):
@@ -55,7 +68,6 @@ class PipeConfig(BaseRunConfig):
     """Pipe Configuration"""
 
     pipe_target: str = ""
-    run: str = ""
 
     use_pipe_obj: bool = True
     pipe_obj_arg_name: Optional[str] = ""
@@ -75,20 +87,35 @@ def get_pipe_func(self) -> Optional[Callable]:
             return None
 
     def get_run_func(self) -> Optional[Callable]:
-        if self.run.startswith("lambda"):
-            logger.info("Returning lambda function: %s", self.run)
-            return eval(self.run)
-        elif self.run:
-            kwargs = self.run_with or {}
+        run_cfg = self.run_config
+        run_target = self.run_target
+        if run_target and run_target.startswith("lambda"):
+            logger.info("Returning lambda function: %s", run_target)
+            return eval(run_target)
+        elif run_cfg:
             if self.pipe_obj_arg_name:
-                kwargs.pop(self.pipe_obj_arg_name)
+                run_cfg.pop(self.pipe_obj_arg_name)
             logger.info(
-                "Returning partial function: %s with kwargs: %s", self.run, kwargs
+                "Returning partial function: %s with kwargs: %s", run_target, run_cfg
             )
-            return Composer.partial(self.run, **kwargs)
+            return Composer.partial(run_cfg)
         else:
             logger.warning("No function found for %s", self)
             return None
+        # if self.run.startswith("lambda"):
+        #     logger.info("Returning lambda function: %s", self.run)
+        #     return eval(self.run)
+        # elif self.run:
+        #     kwargs = self.run_with or {}
+        #     if self.pipe_obj_arg_name:
+        #         kwargs.pop(self.pipe_obj_arg_name)
+        #     logger.info(
+        #         "Returning partial function: %s with kwargs: %s", self.run, kwargs
+        #     )
+        #     return Composer.partial(self.run, **kwargs)
+        # else:
+        #     logger.warning("No function found for %s", self)
+        #     return None
 
 
 class DataframePipeConfig(PipeConfig):