diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index 2d6dfaa..689392e 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-OBJS=main.o sysinput.o ep_init.o ep_util.o fbinit.o fbprimitive.o log.o gpio.o msg_queue.o \
+OBJS=main.o sysinput.o ep_init.o ep_upiwin.o ep_backlight.o ep_util.o fbinit.o fbprimitive.o log.o gpio.o msg_queue.o \
      time_func.o config.o splash.o
 LIBS=-lpython3.7m -lcrypt -lbcm2835 -lpthread -ldl -lutil -lm
 CFLAGS=-I/usr/include/python3.7m -Wall -fstack-protector -fwrapv -fno-PIE -g -O3 -DDEBUG_ASSERT
diff --git a/src/ep_backlight.c b/src/ep_backlight.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..04ccec9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ep_backlight.c
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#define PY_SSIZE_T_CLEAN
+#include <Python.h>
+#include "gpio.h"
+#include "ep_upiwin.h"
+#include "ep_init.h"
+
+PyObject *Epython_get_backlight(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
+{
+  PUPIWIN_STATE pstate;
+  
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, ""))
+    return NULL;
+  pstate = (PUPIWIN_STATE)PyModule_GetState(UPIWIN_module);
+  return PyBool_FromLong((long)(pstate->backlight_on));
+}
+
+PyObject *Epython_set_backlight(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
+{
+  PUPIWIN_STATE pstate;
+  int new_state;
+
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "p", &new_state))
+    return NULL;
+  pstate = (PUPIWIN_STATE)PyModule_GetState(UPIWIN_module);
+  if (new_state && !(pstate->backlight_on))
+    Gpio_set_backlight(pstate->backlight_level);
+  else if (!new_state && pstate->backlight_on)
+    Gpio_set_backlight(0);
+  pstate->backlight_on = MAKEBOOL(new_state);
+  return PyLong_FromUnsignedLong(S_OK);
+}
+
+PyObject *Epython_get_backlight_level(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
+{
+  PUPIWIN_STATE pstate;
+  
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, ""))
+    return NULL;
+  pstate = (PUPIWIN_STATE)PyModule_GetState(UPIWIN_module);
+  return PyLong_FromUnsignedLong(pstate->backlight_level);
+}
+
+PyObject *Epython_set_backlight_level(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
+{
+  PUPIWIN_STATE pstate;
+  UINT32 new_level;
+  HRESULT hr = S_OK;
+
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "k", &new_level))
+    return NULL;
+  if (new_level <= GSB_BACKLIGHT_MAX)
+  {
+    pstate = (PUPIWIN_STATE)PyModule_GetState(UPIWIN_module);
+    if (pstate->backlight_on)
+      Gpio_set_backlight(new_level);
+    pstate->backlight_level = new_level;
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    hr = E_INVALIDARG;
+  }
+  return PyLong_FromUnsignedLong(hr);
+}
diff --git a/src/ep_init.c b/src/ep_init.c
index a61dd9f..2467a59 100644
--- a/src/ep_init.c
+++ b/src/ep_init.c
@@ -11,30 +11,40 @@ const PCSTR Mod_UPIWIN_tmp = "upiwin_tmp";      /* name of the temporary UPIWIN
 
 static wchar_t *python_name = NULL;       /* location of the Python executable */
 
-static PyObject *upiwin_module = NULL;
-static PyObject *upiwin_tmp_module = NULL;
+PyObject *UPIWIN_module = NULL;
+PyObject *UPIWIN_tmp_module = NULL;
 
-static PyObject *init_upiwin_module(void)
-{
-}
+static PyModuleDef DefUPIWIN_tmp = {
+  PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,   /* standard garbage */
+  Mod_UPIWIN,              /* module name */
+  NULL,                    /* no doc string */
+  -1,                      /* no per-module memory */
+  NULL,                    /* method defs will be added later */
+  NULL,                    /* no slots for multi-phase init */
+  NULL,                    /* no traversal proc */
+  NULL,                    /* no clear function */
+  NULL                     /* no free function */
+};
 
 static PyObject *init_upiwin_tmp_module(void)
 {
+  PyObject *module = PyModule_Create(&DefUPIWIN_tmp);
+  return module;
 }
 
 /* used to link the two modules into Python's init table */
 static struct _inittab upiwin_inittab[] = {
-  { Mod_UPIWIN,     init_upiwin_module     },
-  { Mod_UPIWIN_tmp, init_upiwin_tmp_module },
-  { NULL,           NULL                   }
+  { Mod_UPIWIN,     Epython_init_upiwin_module },
+  { Mod_UPIWIN_tmp, init_upiwin_tmp_module     },
+  { NULL,           NULL                       }
 };
 
 static void epython_cleanup(void)
 {
-  Py_DECREF(upiwin_tmp_module);
-  upiwin_tmp_module = NULL;
-  Py_DECREF(upiwin_module);
-  upiwin_module = NULL;
+  Py_DECREF(UPIWIN_tmp_module);
+  UPIWIN_tmp_module = NULL;
+  Py_DECREF(UPIWIN_module);
+  UPIWIN_module = NULL;
   if (!Py_FinalizeEx())
     Log(LWARN, "errors encountered when Python uninitialized itself");
   PyMem_RawFree(python_name);
@@ -72,15 +82,15 @@ HRESULT Epython_setup(void)
   Py_Initialize();
 
   /* Import the modules */
-  upiwin_module = PyImport_ImportModule(Mod_UPIWIN);
-  if (!upiwin_module)
+  UPIWIN_module = PyImport_ImportModule(Mod_UPIWIN);
+  if (!UPIWIN_module)
   {
     Log(LFATAL, "error importing the upiwin module");
     hr = Epython_trace_exception();
     goto error_1;
   }
-  upiwin_tmp_module = PyImport_ImportModule(Mod_UPIWIN_tmp);
-  if (!upiwin_tmp_module)
+  UPIWIN_tmp_module = PyImport_ImportModule(Mod_UPIWIN_tmp);
+  if (!UPIWIN_tmp_module)
   {
     Log(LFATAL, "error importing the upiwin_tmp module");
     hr = Epython_trace_exception();
@@ -93,8 +103,8 @@ HRESULT Epython_setup(void)
   return hr;
 
 error_2:
-  Py_DECREF(upiwin_module);
-  upiwin_module = NULL;
+  Py_DECREF(UPIWIN_module);
+  UPIWIN_module = NULL;
 error_1:
   Py_FinalizeEx();
 error_0:
diff --git a/src/ep_init.h b/src/ep_init.h
index 3ef391c..8d12d97 100644
--- a/src/ep_init.h
+++ b/src/ep_init.h
@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
 #ifndef __EP_INIT_H_INCLUDED
 #define __EP_INIT_H_INCLUDED
 
+#define PY_SSIZE_T_CLEAN
+#include <Python.h>
 #include "wintype.h"
 
 extern const PCSTR Mod_UPIWIN;
 extern const PCSTR Mod_UPIWIN_tmp;
 
+extern PyObject *UPIWIN_module;
+extern PyObject *UPIWIN_tmp_module;
+
+extern PyObject *Epython_init_upiwin_module(void);
+
 extern HRESULT Epython_setup(void);
 
 #endif /* __EP_INIT_H_INCLUDED */
diff --git a/src/ep_upiwin.c b/src/ep_upiwin.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0434d3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ep_upiwin.c
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#define PY_SSIZE_T_CLEAN
+#include <Python.h>
+#include "scode.h"
+#include "ep_init.h"
+#include "gpio.h"
+#include "ep_upiwin.h"
+
+static PyMethodDef UPIWINMethods[] = {
+  /* Backlight control functions */
+  {"get_backlight", Epython_get_backlight, METH_VARARGS,
+   "Returns the current status of the backlight (True=on, False=off)."},
+  {"set_backlight", Epython_set_backlight, METH_VARARGS,
+   "Sets the current status of the backlight (True=on, False=off). Returns a SCODE."},
+  {"get_backlight_level", Epython_get_backlight_level, METH_VARARGS,
+   "Returns the current intensity level of the backlight."},
+  {"set_backlight_level", Epython_set_backlight_level, METH_VARARGS,
+   "Sets the current intensity level of the backlight. Returns a SCODE."},
+  {NULL, NULL, 0, NULL}
+};
+
+static PyModuleDef DefUPIWIN = {
+  PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,   /* standard garbage */
+  Mod_UPIWIN,              /* module name */
+  NULL,                    /* no doc string */
+  sizeof(UPIWIN_STATE),    /* per-module memory */
+  UPIWINMethods,           /* method defs */
+  NULL,                    /* no slots for multi-phase init */
+  NULL,                    /* no traversal proc */
+  NULL,                    /* no clear function */
+  NULL                     /* no free function */
+};
+
+PyObject *Epython_init_upiwin_module(void)
+{
+  PyObject *module;
+  PUPIWIN_STATE pstate;
+  
+  module = PyModule_Create(&DefUPIWIN);
+  if (!module)
+    return NULL;
+
+  /* set up the module state */
+  pstate = (PUPIWIN_STATE)PyModule_GetState(module);
+  pstate->backlight_on = TRUE;
+  pstate->backlight_level = GSB_BACKLIGHT_DEFAULT;
+  
+  return module;
+}
diff --git a/src/ep_upiwin.h b/src/ep_upiwin.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa41b43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ep_upiwin.h
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#ifndef __EP_UPIWIN_H_INCLUDED
+#define __EP_UPIWIN_H_INCLUDED
+
+#define PY_SSIZE_T_CLEAN
+#include <Python.h>
+#include "wintype.h"
+
+typedef struct tagUPIWIN_STATE {
+  BOOL backlight_on;
+  UINT32 backlight_level;
+} UPIWIN_STATE, *PUPIWIN_STATE;
+
+/* method definitions go here */
+extern PyObject *Epython_get_backlight(PyObject *self, PyObject *args);
+extern PyObject *Epython_set_backlight(PyObject *self, PyObject *args);
+extern PyObject *Epython_get_backlight_level(PyObject *self, PyObject *args);
+extern PyObject *Epython_set_backlight_level(PyObject *self, PyObject *args);
+
+#endif /* __EP_UPIWIN_H_INCLUDED */
diff --git a/src/gpio.c b/src/gpio.c
index dfe0710..ff877c4 100644
--- a/src/gpio.c
+++ b/src/gpio.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ HRESULT Gpio_setup(void)
   bcm2835_pwm_set_clock(BCM2835_PWM_CLOCK_DIVIDER_2);
   bcm2835_pwm_set_mode(PWM_BACKLIGHT, 1, 1);
   bcm2835_pwm_set_range(PWM_BACKLIGHT, GSB_BACKLIGHT_MAX + 1);
-  bcm2835_pwm_set_data(PWM_BACKLIGHT, GSB_BACKLIGHT_MAX);
+  bcm2835_pwm_set_data(PWM_BACKLIGHT, GSB_BACKLIGHT_DEFAULT);
 
   hr = Config_exitfunc(do_cleanup);
   if (FAILED(hr))
diff --git a/src/gpio.h b/src/gpio.h
index 707393a..e368291 100644
--- a/src/gpio.h
+++ b/src/gpio.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 #define GSB_BACKLIGHT_MAX   1023       /* maximum level for backlight */
 
+#define GSB_BACKLIGHT_DEFAULT  GSB_BACKLIGHT_MAX
+
 extern HRESULT Gpio_setup(void);
 extern UINT32 Gpio_read_buttons(void);
 extern void Gpio_set_backlight(UINT32 level);