diff --git a/src/encoderstate.c b/src/encoderstate.c
index d72cd853..dcc526db 100644
--- a/src/encoderstate.c
+++ b/src/encoderstate.c
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@
 #include "tables.h"
 #include "threadqueue.h"
 
+#include "strategies/strategies-picture.h"
+
 
 int kvz_encoder_state_match_children_of_previous_frame(encoder_state_t * const state) {
   int i;
@@ -1190,31 +1192,6 @@ static void normalize_lcu_weights(encoder_state_t * const state)
   }
 }
 
-// Calculate pixel value variance. Takes in arrays of kvz_pixel
-static double pixel_var(kvz_pixel * const arr, const uint32_t len) {
-  double var = 0;
-  double arr_mean = 0;
-
-  // Calculate array mean
-  int i = 0;
-  double sum = 0;
-
-  for (; i < len; ++i) {
-    sum += arr[i];
-  }
-  arr_mean = sum / (double)len;
-
-  // Calculate array variance  
-  for (i = 0; i < len; ++i) {
-    double tmp = (double)arr[i] - arr_mean;
-    var += tmp*tmp;
-  }
-
-  var /= len;
-
-  return var;
-}
-
 static void encoder_state_init_new_frame(encoder_state_t * const state, kvz_picture* frame) {
   assert(state->type == ENCODER_STATE_TYPE_MAIN);
 
@@ -1235,7 +1212,7 @@ static void encoder_state_init_new_frame(encoder_state_t * const state, kvz_pict
     
     // Calculate frame pixel variance
     uint32_t len = state->tile->frame->width * state->tile->frame->height;
-    double frame_var = pixel_var(state->tile->frame->source->y, len);
+    double frame_var = kvz_pixel_var(state->tile->frame->source->y, len);
 
     // Loop through LCUs
     // For each LCU calculate: D * (log(LCU pixel variance) - log(frame pixel variance))
@@ -1255,7 +1232,7 @@ static void encoder_state_init_new_frame(encoder_state_t * const state, kvz_pict
         kvz_pixels_blit(&state->tile->frame->source->y[pxl_x + pxl_y * state->tile->frame->source->stride], tmp,
           x_max, y_max, state->tile->frame->source->stride, LCU_WIDTH);
 
-        double lcu_var = pixel_var(tmp, LCU_LUMA_SIZE);
+        double lcu_var = kvz_pixel_var(tmp, LCU_LUMA_SIZE);
 
         // UNCOMMENT AND CONTINUE HERE
         /*
diff --git a/src/strategies/generic/picture-generic.c b/src/strategies/generic/picture-generic.c
index 3d0fca9f..53073487 100644
--- a/src/strategies/generic/picture-generic.c
+++ b/src/strategies/generic/picture-generic.c
@@ -675,6 +675,32 @@ static uint32_t hor_sad_generic(const kvz_pixel *pic_data, const kvz_pixel *ref_
   return result;
 }
 
+// Calculate pixel value variance. Takes in arrays of kvz_pixel
+static double pixel_var_generic(const kvz_pixel *arr, const uint32_t len)
+{
+  double var = 0;
+  double arr_mean = 0;
+
+  // Calculate array mean
+  int i = 0;
+  double sum = 0;
+
+  for (; i < len; ++i) {
+    sum += arr[i];
+  }
+  arr_mean = sum / (double)len;
+
+  // Calculate array variance
+  for (i = 0; i < len; ++i) {
+    double tmp = (double)arr[i] - arr_mean;
+    var += tmp*tmp;
+  }
+
+  var /= len;
+
+  return var;
+}
+
 int kvz_strategy_register_picture_generic(void* opaque, uint8_t bitdepth)
 {
   bool success = true;
@@ -714,5 +740,7 @@ int kvz_strategy_register_picture_generic(void* opaque, uint8_t bitdepth)
   success &= kvz_strategyselector_register(opaque, "ver_sad", "generic", 0, &ver_sad_generic);
   success &= kvz_strategyselector_register(opaque, "hor_sad", "generic", 0, &hor_sad_generic);
 
+  success &= kvz_strategyselector_register(opaque, "pixel_var", "generic", 0, &pixel_var_generic);
+
   return success;
 }
diff --git a/src/strategies/strategies-picture.c b/src/strategies/strategies-picture.c
index c9615546..37431544 100644
--- a/src/strategies/strategies-picture.c
+++ b/src/strategies/strategies-picture.c
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ get_optimized_sad_func *kvz_get_optimized_sad = 0;
 ver_sad_func *kvz_ver_sad = 0;
 hor_sad_func *kvz_hor_sad = 0;
 
+pixel_var_func *kvz_pixel_var = 0;
+
 
 int kvz_strategy_register_picture(void* opaque, uint8_t bitdepth) {
   bool success = true;
diff --git a/src/strategies/strategies-picture.h b/src/strategies/strategies-picture.h
index f6f7340f..c5545628 100644
--- a/src/strategies/strategies-picture.h
+++ b/src/strategies/strategies-picture.h
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ typedef void (inter_recon_bipred_func)(const int hi_prec_luma_rec0,
     bool predict_luma,
     bool predict_chroma);  
 
+typedef double (pixel_var_func)(const kvz_pixel *buf, const uint32_t len);
+
 // Declare function pointers.
 extern reg_sad_func * kvz_reg_sad;
 
@@ -176,6 +178,8 @@ extern get_optimized_sad_func *kvz_get_optimized_sad;
 extern ver_sad_func *kvz_ver_sad;
 extern hor_sad_func *kvz_hor_sad;
 
+extern pixel_var_func *kvz_pixel_var;
+
 int kvz_strategy_register_picture(void* opaque, uint8_t bitdepth);
 cost_pixel_nxn_func * kvz_pixels_get_satd_func(unsigned n);
 cost_pixel_nxn_func * kvz_pixels_get_sad_func(unsigned n);
@@ -211,6 +215,7 @@ cost_pixel_nxn_multi_func * kvz_pixels_get_sad_dual_func(unsigned n);
   {"get_optimized_sad", (void**) &kvz_get_optimized_sad}, \
   {"ver_sad", (void**) &kvz_ver_sad}, \
   {"hor_sad", (void**) &kvz_hor_sad}, \
+  {"pixel_var", (void**) &kvz_pixel_var}, \