diff --git a/src/contracts.js b/src/blockchain.js
similarity index 72%
rename from src/contracts.js
rename to src/blockchain.js
index e86016f..a13a64a 100644
--- a/src/contracts.js
+++ b/src/blockchain.js
@@ -1,3 +1,88 @@
+import {reduce} from 'async'
+
+function isNewWeb3_1() {
+  return (typeof(web3.version) === "string");
+};
+
+function getAccounts(cb) {
+  if (isNewWeb3_1()) {
+    return web3.eth.getAccounts().then(function(accounts) {
+      return cb(null, accounts);
+    }).catch(function(err) {
+      return cb(err);
+    });
+  }
+  web3.eth.getAccounts(cb);
+};
+
+let Blockchain = {};
+
+Blockchain.connect = function(connectionList, opts, doneCb) {
+  const self = this;
+  this.web3 = null;
+  this.doFirst(function(cb) {
+    reduce(connectionList, '', function(prev, value, next) {
+      if (prev === false) {
+        return next(null, false);
+      }
+
+      if (value === '$WEB3' && (typeof web3 !== 'undefined' && typeof Web3 !== 'undefined')) {
+        web3.setProvider(web3.givenProvider);
+      } else if (value !== '$WEB3' && (typeof Web3 !== 'undefined' && ((typeof web3 === 'undefined') || (typeof web3 !== 'undefined' && (!web3.isConnected || (web3.isConnected && !web3.isConnected())))))) {
+        if (value.indexOf('ws://') >= 0) {
+          web3.setProvider(new Web3.providers.WebsocketProvider(value));
+        } else {
+          web3.setProvider(new Web3.providers.HttpProvider(value));
+        }
+      } else if (value === '$WEB3') {
+        return next(null, '');
+      }
+
+      getAccounts(function(err, account) {
+        return next(null, !!err)
+      });
+    }, function(err, _result) {
+      self.web3 = web3;
+      getAccounts(function(err, accounts) {
+        if (opts.warnAboutMetamask) {
+          if (web3.eth.currentProvider && web3.eth.currentProvider.isMetaMask) {
+            console.warn("%cNote: Embark has detected you are in the development environment and using Metamask, please make sure Metamask is connected to your local node", "font-size: 2em");
+          }
+        }
+        if (accounts) {
+          web3.eth.defaultAccount = accounts[0];
+        }
+        cb();
+        doneCb(err);
+      });
+    });
+  })
+}
+
+Blockchain.execWhenReady = function(cb) {
+  if (this.done) {
+    return cb(this.err);
+  }
+  if (!this.list) {
+    this.list = [];
+  }
+  this.list.push(cb)
+}
+
+Blockchain.doFirst = function(todo) {
+  var self = this;
+  todo(function(err) {
+    self.done = true;
+    self.err = err;
+    if (self.list) {
+      self.list.map((x) => x.apply(x, [self.err]));
+    }
+    if (self.finalCb) {
+      self.finalCb.apply(self.finalCb, []);
+    }
+  })
+}
+
 let Contract = function (options) {
   var self = this;
   var i, abiElement;
@@ -23,6 +108,11 @@ let Contract = function (options) {
 
     let originalMethods = Object.keys(ContractClass);
 
+    Blockchain.execWhenReady(function() {
+      ContractClass.setProvider(web3.currentProvider);
+      ContractClass.options.from = web3.eth.defaultAccount;
+    });
+
     ContractClass._jsonInterface.forEach((abi) => {
       if (originalMethods.indexOf(abi.name) >= 0) {
         console.log(abi.name + " is a reserved word and cannot be used as a contract method, property or event");
@@ -231,4 +321,6 @@ Contract.prototype.send = function (value, unit, _options) {
   this.web3.eth.sendTransaction(options);
 };
 
-export default Contract;
+Blockchain.Contract = Contract;
+
+export default Blockchain;
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index acc07a5..553cd8e 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -1,24 +1,29 @@
 import Storage from './storage.js';
 import Names from './names.js';
 import Messages from './messages.js';
-import Contract from './contracts.js';
+import Blockchain from './blockchain.js';
 import Utils from './utils.js';
 
 var EmbarkJS = {
   onReady: function (cb) {
-    if (typeof (__embarkContext) === 'undefined') {
+    if (self.Blockchain.done) {
       return cb();
     }
-    return __embarkContext.execWhenReady(cb);
+    this.Blockchain.finalCb = function() {
+      cb();
+    }
   }
 };
 
-EmbarkJS.Contract = Contract;
+EmbarkJS.Blockchain = Blockchain;
 EmbarkJS.Storage = Storage;
 EmbarkJS.Names = Names;
 EmbarkJS.Messages = Messages;
 EmbarkJS.Utils = Utils;
+EmbarkJS.Contract = function() {
+  throw new Error('EmbarkJS.Contract is deprecated: please use EmbarkJS.Blockchain.Contract instead');
+};
 
-EmbarkJS.isNewWeb3 = Contract.isNewWeb3;
+EmbarkJS.isNewWeb3 = Blockchain.Contract.isNewWeb3;
 
 export default EmbarkJS;