diff --git a/lib/cmd.js b/lib/cmd.js
index 8f350b72f..bdd64ac85 100644
--- a/lib/cmd.js
+++ b/lib/cmd.js
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ class Cmd {
     program
       .command('new [name]')
       .description('new application')
-      .action(function (name) {
+      .option('--simple', 'create a barebones project meant only for contract development')
+      .action(function (name, options) {
         if (name === undefined) {
           return promptly.prompt("Name your app (default is embarkDApp):", {
             default: "embarkDApp",
@@ -56,13 +57,20 @@ class Cmd {
               err.retry();
             } else {
               //slightly different assignment of name since it comes from child prompt
-              embark.generateTemplate('boilerplate', './', inputvalue);
+              if (options.simple) {
+                embark.generateTemplate('simple', './', inputvalue);
+              } else {
+                embark.generateTemplate('boilerplate', './', inputvalue);
+              }
             }
           });
         } else {
-          embark.generateTemplate('boilerplate', './', name);
+          if (options.simple) {
+            embark.generateTemplate('simple', './', name);
+          } else {
+            embark.generateTemplate('boilerplate', './', name);
+          }
         }
-
       });
   }
 
diff --git a/templates/simple/.gitignore b/templates/simple/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77bcafb1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/simple/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+.embark/
+node_modules/
+dist/
+config/production/password
+config/livenet/password
diff --git a/templates/simple/chains.json b/templates/simple/chains.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0967ef424
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/simple/chains.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{}
diff --git a/templates/simple/contracts.json b/templates/simple/contracts.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..41db174dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/simple/contracts.json
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{
+  "default": {
+    "versions": {
+      "web3.js": "1.0.0-beta",
+      "solc": "0.4.17"
+    },
+    "deployment": {
+      "host": "localhost",
+      "port": 8545,
+      "type": "rpc"
+    },
+    "dappConnection": [
+      "$WEB3",
+      "http://localhost:8545"
+    ],
+    "gas": "auto",
+    "contracts": {
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/templates/simple/contracts/.gitkeep b/templates/simple/contracts/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/templates/simple/embark.json b/templates/simple/embark.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bf27d8f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/simple/embark.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  "contracts": ["contracts/**"],
+  "app": {},
+  "buildDir": "build/",
+  "config": "./",
+  "plugins": {}
+}
diff --git a/templates/simple/package.json b/templates/simple/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..46a574886
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/simple/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+  "name": "%APP_NAME%",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "",
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "embark test"
+  },
+  "author": "",
+  "license": "ISC",
+  "homepage": "",
+  "devDependencies": {
+  }
+}
diff --git a/templates/simple/test/contract_spec.js b/templates/simple/test/contract_spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8c5ed27f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/simple/test/contract_spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+//describe("SimpleStorage", function() {
+//  this.timeout(0);
+//  before(function(done) {
+//    this.timeout(0);
+//    var contractsConfig = {
+//      "SimpleStorage": {
+//        args: [100]
+//      }
+//    };
+//    EmbarkSpec.deployAll(contractsConfig, () => { done() });
+//  });
+//
+//  it("should set constructor value", function(done) {
+//    SimpleStorage.methods.storedData().call().then(function(result) {
+//      assert.equal(result, 100);
+//      done();
+//    });
+//  });
+//
+//  it("set storage value", function(done) {
+//    SimpleStorage.methods.set(150).send().then(function() {
+//      SimpleStorage.methods.get().call().then(function(result) {
+//        assert.equal(result, 150);
+//        done();
+//      });
+//    });
+//  });
+//
+//});