diff --git a/lib/i18n/locales/en.json b/lib/i18n/locales/en.json
index 75427395d..020f31e6a 100644
--- a/lib/i18n/locales/en.json
+++ b/lib/i18n/locales/en.json
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@
 	"Error while downloading the file": "Error while downloading the file",
 	"Error while loading the content of ": "Error while loading the content of ",
 	"no contracts found": "no contracts found",
+	"IPFS node detected": "IPFS node detected",
+	"No process file for this storage type exists. Please start the process locally.": "No process file for this storage type exists. Please start the process locally.",
+	"Starting swarm process": "Starting swarm process",
+	"Storage process for swarm ended before the end of this process. Code: 0": "Storage process for swarm ended before the end of this process. Code: 0",
 	"DApp path length is too long: \"": "DApp path length is too long: \"",
 	"This is known to cause issues with some applications, please consider reducing your DApp path's length to 66 characters or less.": "This is known to cause issues with some applications, please consider reducing your DApp path's length to 66 characters or less.",
 	"DApp path length is too long: ": "DApp path length is too long: ",
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 4b2fd38d7..d511e9ffa 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -339,7 +339,8 @@ class Embark {
           if (!serviceCheckResult.status || serviceCheckResult.status === 'off') {
             const storageProcessesLauncher = new StorageProcessesLauncher({
               logger: engine.logger,
-              events: engine.events
+              events: engine.events,
+              storageConfig: engine.config.storageConfig
             });
             return storageProcessesLauncher.launchProcess(platform.toLowerCase(), (err) => {
               if (err) {
diff --git a/lib/processes/storageProcesses/storageProcessesLauncher.js b/lib/processes/storageProcesses/storageProcessesLauncher.js
index 10048e665..965673409 100644
--- a/lib/processes/storageProcesses/storageProcessesLauncher.js
+++ b/lib/processes/storageProcesses/storageProcessesLauncher.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ class StorageProcessesLauncher {
   constructor(options) {
     this.logger = options.logger;
     this.events = options.events;
+    this.storageConfig = options.storageConfig;
     this.processes = {};
   }
 
@@ -32,9 +33,16 @@ class StorageProcessesLauncher {
         silent: true,
         exitCallback: self.processExited.bind(this, storageName)
       });
-      self.processes[storageName].send({action: constants.blockchain.init, options: {}});
+      self.processes[storageName].send({action: constants.blockchain.init, options: {storageConfig: self.storageConfig}});
 
-      callback();
+      self.processes[storageName].on('result', constants.storage.initiated, (msg) => {
+        if (msg.error) {
+          self.processes[storageName].disconnect();
+          delete self.processes[storageName];
+          return callback(msg.error);
+        }
+        callback();
+      });
     });
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/processes/storageProcesses/swarm.js b/lib/processes/storageProcesses/swarm.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..db413fa2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/processes/storageProcesses/swarm.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+const shelljs = require('shelljs');
+const ProcessWrapper = require('../../process/processWrapper');
+const constants = require('../../constants');
+
+let swarmProcess;
+
+class SwarmProcess extends ProcessWrapper {
+  constructor(options) {
+    super();
+    this.storageConfig = options.storageConfig;
+  }
+
+  startSwarmDaemon() {
+    if (!this.storageConfig.account || !this.storageConfig.account.address || !this.storageConfig.password) {
+      return 'Account address and password are needed in the storage config to start the Swarm process';
+    }
+    shelljs.exec(`${this.storageConfig.swarmPath || 'swarm'} --bzzaccount ${this.storageConfig.account.address} --password ${this.storageConfig.password}`, {silent: true}, (err, _stdout, _stderr) => {
+      if (err) {
+        console.error(err);
+        process.exit(1);
+      }
+      process.exit();
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+process.on('message', (msg) => {
+  if (msg.action === constants.storage.init) {
+    swarmProcess = new SwarmProcess(msg.options);
+    const error = swarmProcess.startSwarmDaemon();
+
+    swarmProcess.send({result: constants.storage.initiated, error});
+  }
+});