Pain is an evolutionarily adaptive mechanism that motivates the initiation of defensive actions to protect the body. For example, when a movement repeatedly generates pain, the ability to anticipate this, and establish protective strategies during motor preparation that allow avoiding pain or pain exacerbation. However, empirical validation of this idea is lacking. Recently, I initiated a new research line in which I investigare how motor preparation in the brain might play a role in avoiding anticipated pain. The planned fundamental research program consists of studies with experimentally induced pain in healthy volunteers as well as clinical pain populations, performing various movement taks, ranging from simple motor tasks in the laboratory to complex goal-directed movements in virtual reality. Various methods to assess motor preparation are examined related to both lower and higher order motor processes, and in which behavioral, neurophysiological, and psychophysiological indicators are combined. Since available resources for this novel research program are yet limited, the basic research funding will be used to further support its development.