diff --git a/lib/contracts/deploy.js b/lib/contracts/deploy.js
index afdd72b7a..632596ba7 100644
--- a/lib/contracts/deploy.js
+++ b/lib/contracts/deploy.js
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ class Deploy {
     // always run contractCode so other functionality like 'afterDeploy' can also work
     let codeGenerator = new CodeGenerator({contractsManager: self.contractsManager});
     let contractCode = codeGenerator.generateContractCode(contract, self.gasLimit);
-    RunCode.doEval(contractCode, self.web3);
+    RunCode.doEval(contractCode, {web3: self.web3});
 
     return callback();
   }
@@ -151,13 +151,13 @@ class Deploy {
       // always run contractCode so other functionality like 'afterDeploy' can also work
       let codeGenerator = new CodeGenerator({contractsManager: self.contractsManager});
       let contractCode = codeGenerator.generateContractCode(contract, self.gasLimit);
-      RunCode.doEval(contractCode, self.web3);
+      RunCode.doEval(contractCode, {web3: self.web3});
 
       if (contract.onDeploy !== undefined) {
         self.logger.info(__('executing onDeploy commands'));
 
         let contractCode = codeGenerator.generateContractCode(contract, self.gasLimit);
-        RunCode.doEval(contractCode, self.web3);
+        RunCode.doEval(contractCode, {web3: self.web3});
 
         let withErrors = false;
         let regex = /\$\w+/g;
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class Deploy {
         for(let cmd of onDeployCode) {
           self.logger.info(__("executing: ") + cmd);
           try {
-            RunCode.doEval(cmd, self.web3);
+            RunCode.doEval(cmd, {web3: self.web3});
           } catch(e) {
             if (e.message.indexOf("invalid opcode") >= 0) {
               self.logger.error(__('the transaction was rejected; this usually happens due to a throw or a require, it can also happen due to an invalid operation'));
diff --git a/lib/contracts/deploy_manager.js b/lib/contracts/deploy_manager.js
index 447a3f57f..0c21e642c 100644
--- a/lib/contracts/deploy_manager.js
+++ b/lib/contracts/deploy_manager.js
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class DeployManager {
         for(let cmd of onDeployCode) {
           self.logger.info(__("executing") + ": " + cmd);
           try {
-            RunCode.doEval(cmd, web3);
+            RunCode.doEval(cmd, {web3: web3});
           } catch(e) {
             if (e.message.indexOf("invalid opcode") >= 0) {
               self.logger.error(__('the transaction was rejected; this usually happens due to a throw or a require, it can also happen due to an invalid operation'));
diff --git a/lib/core/runCode.js b/lib/core/runCode.js
index 582238b88..9eddfd515 100644
--- a/lib/core/runCode.js
+++ b/lib/core/runCode.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /*eslint no-unused-vars: off*/
 let Web3 = require('web3');
 let web3;
+let ipfs;
 let __mainContext;
 
 // ======================
@@ -8,9 +9,12 @@ let __mainContext;
 // this should be at least moved to a different process and scope
 // for now it is defined here
 // ======================
-function doEval(code, _web3) {
-  if (_web3) {
-    web3 = _web3;
+function doEval(code, opts) {
+  if (opts && opts.web3) {
+    web3 = opts.web3;
+  }
+  if (opts && opts.ipfs) {
+    ipfs = opts.ipfs;
   }
 
   try {
diff --git a/lib/dashboard/console.js b/lib/dashboard/console.js
index edd3feff3..c78a97821 100644
--- a/lib/dashboard/console.js
+++ b/lib/dashboard/console.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class Console {
         'versions - ' + __('display versions in use for libraries and tools like web3 and solc'),
         // TODO: only if the blockchain is actually active!
         // will need to pass te current embark state here
+        'ipfs - ' + __('instantiated js-ipfs object configured to the current environment (available if ipfs is enabled)'),
         'web3 - ' + __('instantiated web3.js object configured to the current environment'),
         'quit - ' + __('to immediatly exit (alias: exit)'),
         '',
diff --git a/lib/modules/ipfs/index.js b/lib/modules/ipfs/index.js
index d5a310708..9f8507e25 100644
--- a/lib/modules/ipfs/index.js
+++ b/lib/modules/ipfs/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 let UploadIPFS = require('./upload.js');
 let utils = require('../../utils/utils.js');
 let fs = require('../../core/fs.js');
+let RunCode = require('../../core/runCode.js');
+let IpfsApi = require('ipfs-api');
 
 class IPFS {
 
@@ -18,6 +20,7 @@ class IPFS {
     this.setServiceCheck();
     this.addIPFSToEmbarkJS();
     this.addSetProvider();
+    this.addIpfsObjectToConsole();
   }
 
   commandlineDeploy() {
@@ -111,6 +114,12 @@ class IPFS {
 
     this.embark.addProviderInit('storage', code, shouldInit);
   }
+
+  addIpfsObjectToConsole() {
+    let ipfs = IpfsApi(this.storageConfig.host, this.storageConfig.port);
+    RunCode.doEval("", {ipfs: ipfs});
+  }
+
 }
 
 module.exports = IPFS;
diff --git a/lib/tests/test.js b/lib/tests/test.js
index 04877a8fa..1dd2967ea 100644
--- a/lib/tests/test.js
+++ b/lib/tests/test.js
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ Test.prototype.deployAll = function(contractsConfig, cb) {
         throw new Error(err);
       }
       self.web3.eth.defaultAccount = accounts[0];
-      RunCode.doEval(result, self.web3);
+      RunCode.doEval(result, {web3: self.web3});
       //cb();
       cb(accounts);
     });