diff --git a/packages/embark-core/src/processes/processWrapper.js b/packages/embark-core/src/processes/processWrapper.js
index c21216373..592020b5d 100644
--- a/packages/embark-core/src/processes/processWrapper.js
+++ b/packages/embark-core/src/processes/processWrapper.js
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ export class ProcessWrapper {
     }, 500);
   }
 
+  // TODO: find better way - andre
   interceptLogs() {
     const context = {};
     context.console = console;
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd.js b/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd.js
index a96078d1e..609191142 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class Cmd {
     this.demo();
     this.build();
     this.run();
+    this.run2();
     this.console();
     this.blockchain();
     this.simulator();
@@ -169,6 +170,42 @@ class Cmd {
       });
   }
 
+  run2() {
+    program
+      .command('run2 [environment]')
+      .option('-p, --port [port]', __('port to run the dev webserver (default: %s)', '8000'))
+      .option('-c, --client [client]', __('Use a specific ethereum client [%s] (default: %s)', 'geth, parity', 'geth'))
+      .option('-b, --host [host]', __('host to run the dev webserver (default: %s)', 'localhost'))
+      .option('--noserver', __('disable the development webserver'))
+      .option('--nodashboard', __('simple mode, disables the dashboard'))
+      .option('--nobrowser', __('prevent the development webserver from automatically opening a web browser'))
+      .option('--no-color', __('no colors in case it\'s needed for compatbility purposes'))
+      .option('--logfile [logfile]', __('filename to output logs (default: %s)', 'none'))
+      .option('--loglevel [loglevel]', __('level of logging to display') + ' ["error", "warn", "info", "debug", "trace"]', /^(error|warn|info|debug|trace)$/i, 'debug')
+      .option('--locale [locale]', __('language to use (default: en)'))
+      .option('--pipeline [pipeline]', __('webpack config to use (default: development)'))
+      .option('--no-single-use-auth-token', __('disable the single use of token in cockpit'))
+      .description(__('run dapp (default: %s)', 'development'))
+      .action(function(env, options) {
+        setOrDetectLocale(options.locale);
+        embark.run2({
+          env: env || 'development',
+          serverPort: options.port,
+          serverHost: options.host,
+          client: options.client,
+          locale: options.locale,
+          runWebserver: !options.noserver ? null : false,
+          useDashboard: !options.nodashboard,
+          logFile: options.logfile,
+          logLevel: options.loglevel,
+          webpackConfigName: options.pipeline || 'development',
+          openBrowser: !options.nobrowser ? null : false,
+          singleUseAuthToken: options.singleUseAuthToken
+        });
+      });
+  }
+
+
   console() {
     program
       .command('console [environment]')
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js b/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js
index 8e76bc71e..19906187d 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js
@@ -101,6 +101,139 @@ class EmbarkController {
     templateGenerator.generate(destinationFolder, name);
   }
 
+  run2(options) {
+    let self = this;
+    self.context = options.context || [constants.contexts.run, constants.contexts.build];
+    let Dashboard = require('./dashboard/dashboard.js');
+
+    const webServerConfig = {};
+
+    if (options.runWebserver !== null && options.runWebserver !== undefined) {
+      webServerConfig.enabled = options.runWebserver;
+    }
+
+    if (options.serverHost !== null && options.serverHost !== undefined) {
+      webServerConfig.host = options.serverHost;
+    }
+
+    if (options.serverPort !== null && options.serverPort !== undefined) {
+      webServerConfig.port = options.serverPort;
+    }
+
+    if (options.openBrowser !== null && options.openBrowser !== undefined) {
+      webServerConfig.openBrowser = options.openBrowser;
+    }
+
+    const Engine = require('../lib/core/engine.js');
+    const engine = new Engine({
+      env: options.env,
+      client: options.client,
+      locale: options.locale,
+      version: this.version,
+      embarkConfig: options.embarkConfig || 'embark.json',
+      logFile: options.logFile,
+      logLevel: options.logLevel,
+      context: self.context,
+      useDashboard: options.useDashboard,
+      webServerConfig: webServerConfig,
+      webpackConfigName: options.webpackConfigName,
+      singleUseAuthToken: options.singleUseAuthToken,
+      ipcRole: 'server'
+    });
+
+    async.waterfall([
+      function initEngine(callback) {
+        engine.init({}, () => {
+          // TODO: we can hook up this module to the action engine:start instead
+          // TODO: embark-listener & embark-process-logs-api can probably be merged
+          // engine.startService("embarkListener");
+          if (!options.useDashboard) {
+            engine.logger.info('========================'.bold.green);
+            engine.logger.info((__('Welcome to Embark') + ' ' + engine.version).yellow.bold);
+            engine.logger.info('========================'.bold.green);
+          }
+          callback();
+        });
+      },
+      function (callback) {
+        let pluginList = engine.plugins.listPlugins();
+        if (pluginList.length > 0) {
+          engine.logger.info(__("loaded plugins") + ": " + pluginList.join(", "));
+        }
+
+        engine.registerModuleGroup("coreComponents");
+
+        engine.registerModuleGroup("blockchain");
+
+        // engine.startService("processManager");
+        // engine.startService("web3");
+        // engine.startService("coreProcess");
+        // engine.startService("blockchainListener");
+        // engine.startService("serviceMonitor");
+        // engine.startService("libraryManager");
+        // engine.startService("codeRunner");
+        // engine.startService("pipeline");
+        // engine.startService("deployment");
+        // engine.startService("storage");
+        // engine.startService("codeGenerator");
+        // engine.startService("console");
+        // engine.startService("cockpit");
+        // engine.startService("pluginCommand");
+
+        // engine.events.on('check:backOnline:Ethereum', function () {
+        //   engine.logger.info(__('Ethereum node detected') + '..');
+        //   engine.config.reloadConfig();
+        //   engine.events.request('deploy:contracts', function (err) {
+        //     if (err) {
+        //       return engine.logger.error(err.message || err);
+        //     }
+        //     engine.logger.info(__('Deployment Done'));
+        //   });
+        // });
+
+        // engine.events.on('outputDone', function () {
+        //   engine.logger.info((__("Looking for documentation? You can find it at") + " ").cyan + "http://embark.status.im/docs/".green.underline + ".".cyan);
+          // engine.logger.info(__("Ready").underline);
+        //   engine.events.emit("status", __("Ready").green);
+        // });
+
+        // if (webServerConfig.enabled !== false) {
+        //   engine.startService("webServer");
+        // }
+        // engine.startService("fileWatcher");
+
+        engine.startEngine(() => {
+          callback();
+        });
+      },
+      function startDashboard(callback) {
+        if (!options.useDashboard) {
+          return callback();
+        }
+
+        let dashboard = new Dashboard({
+          events: engine.events,
+          logger: engine.logger,
+          plugins: engine.plugins,
+          version: self.version,
+          env: engine.env,
+          ipc: engine.ipc
+        });
+        dashboard.start(function () {
+          engine.logger.info(__('dashboard start'));
+          callback();
+        });
+      }
+    ], function (err, _result) {
+      if (err) {
+        engine.logger.error(err.message);
+        engine.logger.info(err.stack);
+      } else {
+        // engine.events.emit('firstDeploymentDone');
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
   run(options) {
     let self = this;
     self.context = options.context || [constants.contexts.run, constants.contexts.build];
@@ -173,6 +306,7 @@ class EmbarkController {
         engine.startService("console");
         engine.startService("cockpit");
         engine.startService("pluginCommand");
+        engine.startService("blockchain");
 
         engine.events.on('check:backOnline:Ethereum', function () {
           engine.logger.info(__('Ethereum node detected') + '..');
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/engine.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/engine.js
index 7d224ae67..9551dd9a4 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/engine.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/engine.js
@@ -72,6 +72,62 @@ class Engine {
     this.plugins.loadInternalPlugin(moduleName, options || {}, true);
   }
 
+  registerModuleGroup(groupName, _options) {
+    let options = _options || {};
+
+    let groups = {
+      "blockchain": this.blockchainComponents,
+      "coreComponents": this.coreComponents
+    };
+
+    let group = groups[groupName];
+
+    if (!group) {
+      throw new Error("unknown service: " + groupName);
+    }
+
+    // need to be careful with circular references due to passing the web3 object
+    //this.logger.trace("calling: " + serviceName + "(" + JSON.stringify(options) + ")");
+    return group.apply(this, [options]);
+  }
+
+  coreComponents() {
+    // TODO: should be made into a component
+    this.processManager = new ProcessManager({
+      events: this.events,
+      logger: this.logger,
+      plugins: this.plugins
+    });
+
+    const ServicesMonitor = require('./services_monitor.js');
+    this.servicesMonitor = new ServicesMonitor({events: this.events, logger: this.logger, plugins: this.plugins});
+    this.servicesMonitor.addCheck('Embark', function (cb) {
+      return cb({name: 'Embark ' + this.version, status: 'on'});
+    }, 0);
+
+    let plugin = this.plugins.createPlugin('coreservicesplugin', {});
+    plugin.registerActionForEvent("embark:engine:started", (_params, cb) => {
+      console.dir("----- startMonitor")
+      this.servicesMonitor.startMonitor();
+      cb();
+    });
+    this.registerModulePackage('embark-code-runner', {ipc: this.ipc});
+  }
+
+  blockchainComponents() {
+    // stack component
+    this.registerModule('blockchain', { plugins: this.plugins });
+
+    // plugins
+    this.registerModule('geth', {
+      client: this.client,
+      locale: this.locale,
+      isDev: this.isDev,
+      plugins: this.plugins,
+      ipc: this.ipc
+    })
+  }
+
   startService(serviceName, _options) {
     let options = _options || {};
 
@@ -113,17 +169,6 @@ class Engine {
     return service.apply(this, [options]);
   }
 
-  blockchainComponents() {
-    this.registerModule('blockchain', { plugins: this.plugins });
-    this.registerModule('geth', {
-      client: this.client,
-      locale: this.locale,
-      isDev: this.isDev,
-      plugins: this.plugins,
-      ipc: this.ipc
-    })
-  }
-
   embarkListenerService(_options){
     this.registerModulePackage('embark-listener');
   }
@@ -182,7 +227,6 @@ class Engine {
   }
 
   serviceMonitor() {
-    const self = this;
     const ServicesMonitor = require('./services_monitor.js');
     this.servicesMonitor = new ServicesMonitor({events: this.events, logger: this.logger, plugins: this.plugins});
     this.servicesMonitor.addCheck('Embark', function (cb) {
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/events.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/events.js
index ab7738002..cbaf8518e 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/events.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/events.js
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ EventEmitter.prototype.request = function() {
   warnIfLegacy(requestName);
   if (this._events && !this._events['request:' + requestName]) {
     console.log("made request without listener: " + requestName)
-    // console.trace();
+    console.trace();
   }
   const listenerName = 'request:' + requestName;
 
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/plugins.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/plugins.js
index a0fd934d4..c03103608 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/plugins.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/plugins.js
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ Plugins.prototype.runActionsForEvent = function(eventName, args, cb) {
   let actionPlugins = this.getPluginsProperty('eventActions', 'eventActions', eventName);
 
   if (actionPlugins.length === 0) {
-    return cb(args);
+    return cb(null, args);
   }
 
   async.reduce(actionPlugins, args, function(current_args, plugin, nextEach) {
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/services_monitor.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/services_monitor.js
index f711a737c..437de5bfa 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/core/services_monitor.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/core/services_monitor.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ class ServicesMonitor {
     this.working = false;
 
     self.events.setCommandHandler("services:register", (checkName, checkFn, time, initialStatus) => {
+      console.dir("check added for "+ checkName)
       self.addCheck(checkName, checkFn, time, initialStatus);
     });
   }
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ ServicesMonitor.prototype.addCheck = function (checkName, checkFn, time, initial
   this.logger.trace('add check: ' + checkName);
   this.checkList[checkName] = {fn: checkFn, interval: time || 5000, status: initialState};
 
+  console.dir("this.working")
+  console.dir(this.working)
   if (this.working) {
     this.initCheck(checkName);
   }
@@ -75,6 +78,7 @@ ServicesMonitor.prototype.startMonitor = function () {
   let self = this;
   this.working = true;
   this.logger.trace('startMonitor');
+  console.log('--> monitor started');
 
   let servicePlugins = this.plugins.getPluginsProperty('serviceChecks', 'serviceChecks');
   servicePlugins.forEach(function (pluginCheck) {
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/index.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/index.js
index edff3b268..650f4a75c 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/index.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/index.js
@@ -28,9 +28,51 @@ class Geth {
       this.events.request("processes:launch", "blockchain", (err) => {
         readyCb()
       });
+      this.registerServiceCheck()
     })
   }
 
+  registerServiceCheck() {
+    console.dir("registerServiceCheck")
+    this.events.request("services:register", 'Ethereum', function (cb) {
+      cb({ name: "go-ethereum 1.1", status: 'on' })
+      // async.waterfall([
+      //   function checkNodeConnection(next) {
+      //     if (!self.provider || !self.provider.connected()) {
+      //       return next(NO_NODE, { name: "No Blockchain node found", status: 'off' });
+      //     }
+      //     next();
+      //   },
+      //   function checkVersion(next) {
+      //     // TODO: web3_clientVersion method is currently not implemented in web3.js 1.0
+      //     self.web3._requestManager.send({ method: 'web3_clientVersion', params: [] }, (err, version) => {
+      //       if (err || !version) {
+      //         self.isWeb3Ready = false;
+      //         return next(null, { name: "Ethereum node not found", status: 'off' });
+      //       }
+      //       if (version.indexOf("/") < 0) {
+      //         self.events.emit(WEB3_READY);
+      //         self.isWeb3Ready = true;
+      //         return next(null, { name: version, status: 'on' });
+      //       }
+      //       let nodeName = version.split("/")[0];
+      //       let versionNumber = version.split("/")[1].split("-")[0];
+      //       let name = nodeName + " " + versionNumber + " (Ethereum)";
+
+      //       self.events.emit(WEB3_READY);
+      //       self.isWeb3Ready = true;
+      //       return next(null, { name: name, status: 'on' });
+      //     });
+      //   }
+      // ], (err, statusObj) => {
+      //   if (err && err !== NO_NODE) {
+      //     return cb(err);
+      //   }
+      //   cb(statusObj);
+      // });
+    }, 5000, 'off');
+  }
+
   startBlockchainNode(callback) {
     this.blockchainProcess = new BlockchainProcessLauncher({
       events: this.events,