diff --git a/libs/server.js b/libs/server.js
index 83852f3..e22c5b3 100644
--- a/libs/server.js
+++ b/libs/server.js
@@ -85,24 +85,20 @@ function handleRequests() {
     // POST methods
     app.post('*', function (request, response) {
         logger.logRequest(request);
-        if (!blinkstick.isAnimationInProgress() || blinkstick.isInfiniteAnimationInProgress()) {
             response.end();
-            blinkstick.parseColor(parseRequest(request.body))
-                .then(blinkstick.illuminate)
+            blinkstick.illuminate(parseRequest(request.body))
                 .then(logger.info)
                 .catch(logger.error);
             return;
-        }
-        response.sendStatus(503);
     });
 }
 
 // parse the request and return an object with sane defaults
 function parseRequest(data) {
-    const blinkstickConfig = {
+    let blinkstickConfig = {
         "id": Math.random(),
         "mode": data["mode"] || config.api.post.mode.default,
-        "color": data["color"] || config.api.post.color.default,
+        "color": blinkstick.parseColor(data["color"]),
         "options": {
             "duration": data["duration"] || config.api.post.duration.default,
             "pulse": {