diff --git a/demo/chains.json b/demo/chains.json
index 51b90f75a..057ecdf6e 100644
--- a/demo/chains.json
+++ b/demo/chains.json
@@ -3,16 +3,12 @@
     "name":      "development",
     "networkId": "",
     "contracts": {
-      "288f087742d513019f59539bbf4f07b352e14327e0e7b8ed4bc7c33e34fbc192": {
-        "address": "0xab47369d82950224a1698d4a856cfa175ba9cf84",
-        "name":    "SimpleStorage"
-      },
       "5a52b16abb7dfccfc675550d0daba1683a3cf7e80fb5f0e199301f7dd57237fb": {
-        "address": "0xbd2b5c34a2a85d3ae5e903e0015a07868c0d97c3",
+        "address": "0x94ba5dc1241a41a13a2c62e7a65c7c455dae5380",
         "name":    "SimpleStorage"
       },
       "708fa6b699f419627ab3c4c2d9c82f8f1a6fab03c122d0a9ee55d2d0d0ad1e4b": {
-        "address": "0x7a72b8be758afe7d3e421e7d32c81c605fec333d",
+        "address": "0x57df57939ddf112aeaa4232d9e2ad20de40e9fb7",
         "name":    "token"
       }
     }
diff --git a/demo/config/blockchain.json b/demo/config/blockchain.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..14d0c9a6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demo/config/blockchain.json
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+{
+  "development": {
+    "networkType": "custom",
+    "genesisBlock": "config/development/genesis.json",
+    "datadir": ".embark/development/datadir",
+    "mineWhenNeeded": true,
+    "nodiscover": true,
+    "rpcHost": "localhost",
+    "rpcPort": 8545,
+    "account": {
+      "password": "config/development/password"
+    }
+  },
+  "testnet": {
+    "rpcHost": "localhost",
+    "rpcPort": 8545,
+    "networkType": "testnet"
+  },
+  "livenet": {
+    "networkType": "livenet"
+  },
+  "privatenet": {
+    "networkType": "custom",
+    "rpcHost": "localhost",
+    "rpcPort": 8545,
+    "datadir": "yourdatadir",
+    "networkId": "123",
+    "nodes": []
+  }
+}
diff --git a/lib/blockchain.js b/lib/blockchain.js
index 9beee684b..c42c1c058 100644
--- a/lib/blockchain.js
+++ b/lib/blockchain.js
@@ -1,180 +1,77 @@
 var mkdirp = require('mkdirp');
 var wrench = require('wrench');
+var colors = require('colors');
+var GethCommands = require('./geth_commands.js');
 
-var Blockchain = function(blockchainConfig) {
+var Blockchain = function(blockchainConfig, Client) {
   this.blockchainConfig = blockchainConfig;
+
+  this.config = {
+    networkType: this.blockchainConfig.networkType || 'custom',
+    genesisBlock: this.blockchainConfig.genesisBlock || false,
+    datadir: this.blockchainConfig.datadir || false,
+    mineWhenNeeded: this.blockchainConfig.mineWhenNeeded || false,
+    rpcHost: this.blockchainConfig.rpcHost || 'localhost',
+    rpcPort: this.blockchainConfig.rpcPort || 8545,
+    networkId: this.blockchainConfig.networkId || 12301,
+    port: this.blockchainConfig.port || 30303,
+    nodiscover: this.blockchainConfig.nodiscover || false,
+    mine: this.blockchainConfig.mine || false,
+    whisper: this.blockchainConfig.whisper || true,
+    account: this.blockchainConfig.account || {}
+  };
+
+  this.client = new Client({config: this.config});
 };
 
-Blockchain.prototype.run = function(options) {
-  this.env = env;
-
-  //var address = this.get_address();
-  var address = this.initChainAndGetAddress(options);
-  console.log("running: " + this.run_command(address, false));
-  exec(this.run_command(address, false));
-  //this.runChain(address, options);
+Blockchain.prototype.runCommand = function(cmd) {
+  console.log(("running: " + cmd.underline).green);
+  return exec(cmd);
 };
 
-Blockchain.prototype.initChainAndGetAddress = function(options) {
+Blockchain.prototype.run = function() {
+  console.log("===============================================================================".magenta);
+  console.log("===============================================================================".magenta);
+  console.log(("Embark Blockchain Using: " + this.client.name.underline).magenta);
+  console.log("===============================================================================".magenta);
+  console.log("===============================================================================".magenta);
+  var address = this.initChainAndGetAddress();
+  var mainCommand = this.client.mainCommand(address);
+  this.runCommand(mainCommand);
+};
+
+Blockchain.prototype.initChainAndGetAddress = function() {
   var address = null, result;
 
   // ensure datadir exists, bypassing the interactive liabilities prompt.
   this.datadir = '.embark/development/datadir';
   mkdirp.sync(this.datadir);
+
+  // copy mining script
   wrench.copyDirSyncRecursive(__dirname + "/../js", ".embark/development/js", {forceDelete: true});
 
-  console.log("running: " + this.list_command());
-  result = exec(this.list_command());
-
+  // check if an account already exists, create one if not, return address
+  result = this.runCommand(this.client.listAccountsCommand());
   if (result.output === undefined || result.output === '' || result.output.indexOf("Fatal") >= 0) {
-    //if (config.genesisBlock !== void 0) {
-      console.log("initializing genesis block");
-      console.log("running: " + this.generate_genesis_init_command());
-      result = exec(this.generate_genesis_init_command());
-    //}
+    console.log("no accounts found".green);
+    if (this.config.genesisBlock) {
+      console.log("initializing genesis block".green);
+      result = this.runCommand(this.client.initGenesisCommmand());
+    }
 
-    console.log("running: " + this.init_command());
-    result = exec(this.init_command());
+    result = this.runCommand(this.client.newAccountCommand());
     address = result.output.match(/{(\w+)}/)[1];
   } else {
-    console.log("=== already initialized");
+    console.log("already initialized".green);
     address = result.output.match(/{(\w+)}/)[1];
   }
 
   return address;
 };
 
-Blockchain.prototype.generate_genesis_init_command = function() {
-  //var config = this.config;
-
-  var cmd = "geth ";
-
-  //if (config.datadir !== "default") {
-  cmd += "--datadir=\"" + this.datadir + "\" ";
-  //}
-
-  //cmd += "init \"" + config.genesisBlock + "\" ";
-  cmd += "init \"" + "./config/development/genesis.json" + "\" ";
-
-  return cmd;
-};
-
-Blockchain.prototype.init_command = function() {
-  return this.generate_init_command() + "account new ";
-};
-
-Blockchain.prototype.generate_init_command = function() {
-  //var config = this.config;
-  //var address = config.account.address;
-
-  var cmd = "geth ";
-
-  //if (config.datadir !== "default") {
-    cmd += "--datadir=\"" + this.datadir + "\" ";
-  //}
-
-  //if (config.account.password !== void 0) {
-    cmd += "--password " + './config/development/password' + " ";
-  //}
-
-  return cmd;
-};
-
-Blockchain.prototype.generate_basic_command = function() {
-  var config = this.config;
-  //var address = config.account.address;
-
-  var cmd = "geth ";
-  var rpc_api = ['eth', 'web3'];
-
-  //if (config.datadir !== "default") {
-    cmd += "--datadir=\"" + this.datadir + "\" ";
-  //}
-
-  //if (config.testnet) {
-  //  cmd += "--testnet ";
-  //}
-
-  //if (config.account.password !== void 0) {
-    //cmd += "--password " + config.account.password + " ";
-    cmd += "--password " + "./config/development/password" + " ";
-  //}
-
-  cmd += "--port " + "30303" + " ";
-  cmd += "--rpc ";
-  cmd += "--rpcport " + this.blockchainConfig.rpcPort + " ";
-  cmd += "--rpcaddr " + this.blockchainConfig.rpcHost + " ";
-  cmd += "--networkid " + "12301" + " ";
-  //cmd += "--rpccorsdomain=\"" + "localhost" + "\" ";
-  cmd += "--rpccorsdomain=\"" + "*" + "\" ";
-
-  //cmd += "--port " + config.port + " ";
-  //cmd += "--rpc ";
-  //cmd += "--rpcport " + config.rpcPort + " ";
-  //cmd += "--rpcaddr " + config.rpcHost + " ";
-  //cmd += "--networkid " + config.networkId + " ";
-  //cmd += "--rpccorsdomain=\"" + config.rpcWhitelist + "\" ";
-
-  //if (config.minerthreads !== void 0) {
-  //  cmd += "--minerthreads \"" + config.minerthreads + "\" ";
-  //}
-
-  //if(config.mine_when_needed || config.mine)
-    cmd += "--mine ";
-
-  //if (config.whisper) {
-    cmd += "--shh ";
-    rpc_api.push('shh');
-  //}
-
-  cmd += '--rpcapi "' + rpc_api.join(',') + '" ';
-
-  //TODO: this should be configurable
-  //cmd += "--maxpeers " + config.maxPeers + " ";
-
-  return cmd;
-};
-
-Blockchain.prototype.list_command = function() {
-  return this.generate_init_command() + "account list ";
-};
-
-Blockchain.prototype.run_command = function(address, use_tmp) {
-  var cmd = this.generate_basic_command();
-  //var config = this.config;
-
-  //if (address !== void 0) {
-    cmd += "--unlock=" + address + " ";
-  //}
-
-  cmd += "js .embark/development/js/mine.js";
-  //if (config.mine_when_needed) {
-  //  if (use_tmp) {
-  //    cmd += "js /tmp/js/mine.js";
-  //  }
-  //  else {
-  //    cmd += "js node_modules/embark-framework/js/mine.js";
-  //  }
-  //}
-
-  return cmd;
-};
-
-Blockchain.prototype.startChain = function(use_tmp) {
-  var address = this.get_address();
-  console.log("running: " + this.run_command(address, use_tmp));
-  exec(this.run_command(address, use_tmp));
-};
-
-Blockchain.prototype.getStartChainCommand = function(use_tmp) {
-  var address = this.get_address();
-  return this.run_command(address, use_tmp);
-};
-
-
 var BlockchainClient = function(blockchainConfig, client) {
   if (client === 'geth') {
-    return new Blockchain(blockchainConfig);
+    return new Blockchain(blockchainConfig, GethCommands);
   } else {
     throw new Error('unknown client');
   }
diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
index 87b5381a6..21720303b 100644
--- a/lib/config.js
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ Config.prototype.reloadConfig = function() {
 };
 
 Config.prototype.loadBlockchainConfigFile = function() {
-  var defaultBlockchainConfig = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(this.configDir + this.env + "/blockchain.json"))[this.env];
+  //var defaultBlockchainConfig = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(this.configDir + this.env + "/blockchain.json"))[this.env];
+  var defaultBlockchainConfig = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(this.configDir + "blockchain.json"))[this.env];
   this.blockchainConfig = defaultBlockchainConfig;
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/geth_commands.js b/lib/geth_commands.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c5126ac85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/geth_commands.js
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+
+var GethCommands = function(options) {
+  this.config = options.config;
+  this.name = "Go-Ethereum (https://github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum)";
+};
+
+GethCommands.prototype.initGenesisCommmand = function() {
+  var config = this.config;
+  var cmd = "geth ";
+
+  if (config.networkType === 'testnet') {
+    cmd += "--testnet ";
+  } else if (config.networkType === 'olympic') {
+    cmd += "--olympic ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.datadir) {
+    cmd += "--datadir=\"" + config.datadir + "\" ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.genesisBlock) {
+    cmd += "init \"" + config.genesisBlock + "\" ";
+  }
+
+  return cmd;
+};
+
+GethCommands.prototype.newAccountCommand = function() {
+  var config = this.config;
+  var cmd = "geth ";
+
+  if (config.networkType === 'testnet') {
+    cmd += "--testnet ";
+  } else if (config.networkType === 'olympic') {
+    cmd += "--olympic ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.datadir) {
+    cmd += "--datadir=\"" + config.datadir + "\" ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.account && config.account.password) {
+    cmd += "--password " + config.account.password + " ";
+  }
+
+  return cmd + "account new ";
+};
+
+GethCommands.prototype.listAccountsCommand = function() {
+  var config = this.config;
+  var cmd = "geth ";
+
+  if (config.networkType === 'testnet') {
+    cmd += "--testnet ";
+  } else if (config.networkType === 'olympic') {
+    cmd += "--olympic ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.datadir) {
+    cmd += "--datadir=\"" + config.datadir + "\" ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.account && config.account.password) {
+    cmd += "--password " + config.account.password + " ";
+  }
+
+  return cmd + "account list ";
+};
+
+GethCommands.prototype.mainCommand = function(address) {
+  var config = this.config;
+  var cmd = "geth ";
+  var rpc_api = ['eth', 'web3'];
+
+  if (config.datadir) {
+    cmd += "--datadir=\"" + config.datadir + "\" ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.networkType === 'testnet') {
+    cmd += "--testnet ";
+  } else if (config.networkType === 'olympic') {
+    cmd += "--olympic ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.networkType !== 'custom') {
+    cmd += "--networkid " + config.networkId + " ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.account && config.account.password) {
+    cmd += "--password " + config.account.password + " ";
+  }
+
+  cmd += "--port " + "30303" + " ";
+  cmd += "--rpc ";
+  cmd += "--rpcport " + config.rpcPort + " ";
+  cmd += "--rpcaddr " + config.rpcHost + " ";
+  //cmd += "--rpccorsdomain=\"" + "localhost" + "\" ";
+  cmd += "--rpccorsdomain=\"" + "*" + "\" ";
+  //cmd += "--rpccorsdomain=\"" + config.rpcWhitelist + "\" ";
+
+  //"nodiscover": true,
+
+  if (config.mineWhenNeeded || config.mine) {
+    cmd += "--mine ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.whisper) {
+    cmd += "--shh ";
+    rpc_api.push('shh');
+  }
+
+  cmd += '--rpcapi "' + rpc_api.join(',') + '" ';
+
+  var accountAddress = config.account.address || address;
+  if (accountAddress) {
+    cmd += "--unlock=" + accountAddress + " ";
+  }
+
+  if (config.mineWhenNeeded) {
+    cmd += "js .embark/development/js/mine.js";
+  }
+
+  return cmd;
+};
+
+module.exports = GethCommands;
+