diff --git a/packages/plugins/geth/src/index.js b/packages/plugins/geth/src/index.js
index f192e99e5..46894ad1f 100644
--- a/packages/plugins/geth/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/plugins/geth/src/index.js
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { __ } from 'embark-i18n';
-const {normalizeInput} = require('embark-utils');
-import {BlockchainProcessLauncher} from './blockchainProcessLauncher';
-import {BlockchainClient} from './blockchain';
-import {ws, rpc} from './check.js';
+const { normalizeInput } = require('embark-utils');
+import { BlockchainProcessLauncher } from './blockchainProcessLauncher';
+import { BlockchainClient } from './blockchain';
+import { ws, rpc } from './check.js';
 const constants = require('embark-core/constants');
 
 class Geth {
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ class Geth {
     }
 
     this.events.request("blockchain:node:register", constants.blockchain.clients.geth, {
+      isStartedFn: (isStartedCb) => {
+        this._doCheck((state) => {
+          return isStartedCb(null, state.status === "on");
+        });
+      },
       launchFn: (readyCb) => {
         this.events.request('processes:register', 'blockchain', {
           launchFn: (cb) => {
@@ -73,22 +78,30 @@ class Geth {
   }
 
   _getNodeState(err, version, cb) {
-    if (err) return cb({name: "Ethereum node not found", status: 'off'});
+    if (err) return cb({ name: "Ethereum node not found", status: 'off' });
 
     let nodeName = "go-ethereum";
     let versionNumber = version.split("-")[0];
     let name = nodeName + " " + versionNumber + " (Ethereum)";
-    return cb({name, status: 'on'});
+    return cb({ name, status: 'on' });
+  }
+
+  _doCheck(cb) {
+    const { rpcHost, rpcPort, wsRPC, wsHost, wsPort } = this.blockchainConfig;
+    if (wsRPC) {
+      return ws(wsHost, wsPort, (err, version) => this._getNodeState(err, version, cb));
+    }
+    rpc(rpcHost, rpcPort, (err, version) => this._getNodeState(err, version, cb));
   }
 
   // TODO: need to get correct port taking into account the proxy
   registerServiceCheck() {
     this.events.request("services:register", 'Ethereum', (cb) => {
-      const {rpcHost, rpcPort, wsRPC, wsHost, wsPort} = this.blockchainConfig;
+      const { rpcHost, rpcPort, wsRPC, wsHost, wsPort } = this.blockchainConfig;
       if (wsRPC) {
-        return ws(wsHost, wsPort + 10, (err, version) => this._getNodeState(err, version, cb));
+        return ws(wsHost, wsPort, (err, version) => this._getNodeState(err, version, cb));
       }
-      rpc(rpcHost, rpcPort + 10, (err, version) => this._getNodeState(err, version, cb));
+      rpc(rpcHost, rpcPort, (err, version) => this._getNodeState(err, version, cb));
     }, 5000, 'off');
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/plugins/parity/src/index.js b/packages/plugins/parity/src/index.js
index fa02c1eef..71db9cf9c 100644
--- a/packages/plugins/parity/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/plugins/parity/src/index.js
@@ -24,29 +24,33 @@ class Parity {
     }
 
     this.events.request("blockchain:node:register", constants.blockchain.clients.parity, {
+      isStartedFn: (isStartedCb) => {
+        this._doCheck((state) => {
+          return isStartedCb(null, state.status === "on");
+        });
+      },
       launchFn: (readyCb) => {
-      this.events.request('processes:register', 'blockchain', {
-        launchFn: (cb) => {
-          // this.startBlockchainNode(readyCb);
-          this.startBlockchainNode(cb);
-        },
-        stopFn: (cb) => {
-          this.stopBlockchainNode(cb);
-        }
-      });
-      this.events.request("processes:launch", "blockchain", (err) => {
-        if (err) {
-          this.logger.error(`Error launching blockchain process: ${err.message || err}`);
-        }
-        readyCb();
-      });
-      this.registerServiceCheck();
-    },
-    stopFn: async (cb) => {
-      await this.events.request("processes:stop", "blockchain");
-      cb();
-    }
-  });
+        this.events.request('processes:register', 'blockchain', {
+          launchFn: (cb) => {
+            this.startBlockchainNode(cb);
+          },
+          stopFn: (cb) => {
+            this.stopBlockchainNode(cb);
+          }
+        });
+        this.events.request("processes:launch", "blockchain", (err) => {
+          if (err) {
+            this.logger.error(`Error launching blockchain process: ${err.message || err}`);
+          }
+          readyCb();
+        });
+        this.registerServiceCheck();
+      },
+      stopFn: async (cb) => {
+        await this.events.request("processes:stop", "blockchain");
+        cb();
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   shouldInit() {
@@ -57,23 +61,25 @@ class Parity {
   }
 
   _getNodeState(err, version, cb) {
-    if (err) return cb({name: "Ethereum node not found", status: 'off'});
+    if (err) return cb({ name: "Ethereum node not found", status: 'off' });
 
     let nodeName = "parity";
     let versionNumber = version.split("-")[0];
     let name = nodeName + " " + versionNumber + " (Ethereum)";
-    return cb({name, status: 'on'});
+    return cb({ name, status: 'on' });
+  }
+
+  _doCheck(cb) {
+    const { rpcHost, rpcPort, wsRPC, wsHost, wsPort } = this.blockchainConfig;
+    if (wsRPC) {
+      return ws(wsHost, wsPort, (err, version) => this._getNodeState(err, version, cb));
+    }
+    rpc(rpcHost, rpcPort, (err, version) => this._getNodeState(err, version, cb));
   }
 
   // TODO: need to get correct port taking into account the proxy
   registerServiceCheck() {
-    this.events.request("services:register", 'Ethereum', (cb) => {
-      const {rpcHost, rpcPort, wsRPC, wsHost, wsPort} = this.blockchainConfig;
-      if (wsRPC) {
-        return ws(wsHost, wsPort, (err, version) => this._getNodeState(err, version, cb));
-      }
-      rpc(rpcHost, rpcPort, (err, version) => this._getNodeState(err, version, cb));
-    }, 5000, 'off');
+    this.events.request("services:register", 'Ethereum', this._doCheck.bind(this), 5000, 'off');
   }
 
   startBlockchainNode(callback) {
diff --git a/packages/stack/blockchain/src/index.js b/packages/stack/blockchain/src/index.js
index d042689cd..179d5db48 100644
--- a/packages/stack/blockchain/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/stack/blockchain/src/index.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import async from 'async';
-const {__} = require('embark-i18n');
+const { __ } = require('embark-i18n');
 const constants = require('embark-core/constants');
-const Web3RequestManager = require('web3-core-requestmanager');
 
 import BlockchainAPI from "./api";
 class Blockchain {
@@ -22,57 +21,50 @@ class Blockchain {
     embark.registerActionForEvent("pipeline:generateAll:before", this.addArtifactFile.bind(this));
 
     this.blockchainNodes = {};
-    this.events.setCommandHandler("blockchain:node:register", (clientName, startCb) => {
-      this.blockchainNodes[clientName] = startCb;
+    this.events.setCommandHandler("blockchain:node:register", (clientName, { isStartedFn, launchFn, stopFn }) => {
+
+      if (!isStartedFn) {
+        throw new Error(`Blockchain client '${clientName}' must be registered with an 'isStarted' function, client not registered.`);
+      }
+      if (!launchFn) {
+        throw new Error(`Blockchain client '${clientName}' must be registered with a 'launchFn' function, client not registered.`);
+      }
+      if (!stopFn) {
+        throw new Error(`Blockchain client '${clientName}' must be registered with a 'stopFn' function, client not registered.`);
+      }
+
+      this.blockchainNodes[clientName] = { isStartedFn, launchFn, stopFn };
     });
 
-    this.events.setCommandHandler("blockchain:node:start", async (initialBlockchainConfig, cb) => {
-      this.plugins.emitAndRunActionsForEvent("blockchain:config:modify", initialBlockchainConfig, (err, blockchainConfig) => {
+    this.events.setCommandHandler("blockchain:node:start", (blockchainConfig, cb) => {
+      const clientName = blockchainConfig.client;
+      const started = () => {
+        this.startedClient = clientName;
+        this.events.emit("blockchain:started", clientName);
+      };
+      if (clientName === constants.blockchain.vm) {
+        started();
+        return cb();
+      }
+
+      const client = this.blockchainNodes[clientName];
+
+      if (!client) return cb(`Blockchain client '${clientName}' not found, please register this node using 'blockchain:node:register'.`);
+
+      // check if we should should start
+      client.isStartedFn.call(client, (err, isStarted) => {
         if (err) {
-          this.logger.error(__('Error getting modified blockchain config: %s', err.message || err));
-          blockchainConfig = initialBlockchainConfig;
+          return cb(err);
         }
-        const self = this;
-        const clientName = blockchainConfig.client;
-        function started() {
-          self.startedClient = clientName;
-          self.events.emit("blockchain:started", clientName);
-        }
-        if (clientName === constants.blockchain.vm) {
+        if (isStarted) {
+          // Node may already be started
           started();
-          return cb();
+          return cb(null, true);
         }
-        const requestManager = new Web3RequestManager.Manager(blockchainConfig.endpoint);
-
-        const ogConsoleError = console.error;
-        // TODO remove this once we update to web3 2.0
-        // TODO in web3 1.0, it console.errors "connection not open on send()" even if we catch the error
-        console.error = (...args) => {
-          if (args[0].indexOf('connection not open on send()') > -1) {
-            return;
-          }
-          ogConsoleError(...args);
-        };
-        requestManager.send({method: 'eth_accounts'}, (err, _accounts) => {
-          console.error = ogConsoleError;
-          if (!err) {
-            // Node is already started
-            started();
-            return cb(null, true);
-          }
-          const clientFunctions = this.blockchainNodes[clientName];
-          if (!clientFunctions) {
-            return cb(__("Client %s not found in registered plugins", clientName));
-          }
-
-          let onStart = () => {
-            started();
-            cb();
-          };
-
-          this.startedClient = clientName;
-          clientFunctions.launchFn.apply(clientFunctions, [onStart]);
-
+        // start node
+        client.launchFn.call(client, () => {
+          started();
+          cb();
         });
       });
     });