diff --git a/mxcubecore/HardwareObjects/ESRF/ESRFBeamlineActions.py b/mxcubecore/HardwareObjects/ESRF/ESRFBeamlineActions.py
index c28ec5e508..ceb93f602f 100644
--- a/mxcubecore/HardwareObjects/ESRF/ESRFBeamlineActions.py
+++ b/mxcubecore/HardwareObjects/ESRF/ESRFBeamlineActions.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 
 from ast import literal_eval
 
+from mxcubecore import HardwareRepository as HWR
 from mxcubecore.HardwareObjects.BeamlineActions import (
     BeamlineActions,
     ControllerCommand,
@@ -55,6 +56,15 @@ def __init__(self, *args):
         self.ctrl_list = []
         self.hwobj_list = []
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _bliss_session_call(function_name):
+        """Build a callable that runs 'function_name' in the BLISS session
+        via the BlissProxy REST client and blocks for the result.
+        """
+        return lambda *args, **kwargs: HWR.beamline.bliss_proxy.session.call(
+            function_name, *args, **kwargs
+        ).get()
+
     def init(self):
         """Initialise the controller commands and the actuator object
         to be used.
@@ -63,13 +73,23 @@ def init(self):
 
         if ctrl_cmds:
             controller = self.get_object_by_role("controller")
+            bliss_proxy = getattr(HWR.beamline, "bliss_proxy", None)
             for key, name in ctrl_cmds.items():
-                try:
-                    action = getattr(controller, key)
+                if bliss_proxy is not None:
+                    # Prefer running the command in the BLISS session;
+                    action = self._bliss_session_call(key)
+                elif controller is not None:
+                    try:
+                        action = getattr(controller, key)
+                    except AttributeError:
+                        action = None
+                else:
+                    action = None
+
+                if action is not None:
                     self.ctrl_list.append(ControllerCommand(name, action))
-                except AttributeError:
-                    # self.log.exception("")
-                    pass
+                else:
+                    self.log.warning(f"Could not resolve controller command '{key}'")
 
         hwobj_cmd_roles = self.get_property("hwobj_command_roles")
         if hwobj_cmd_roles: