diff --git a/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js b/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
index 1b7e16d95..4bbb68eb3 100644
--- a/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
+++ b/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ var Blockchain = function(options) {
   this.blockchainConfig = options.blockchainConfig;
   this.env = options.env || 'development';
   this.client = options.client;
+  this.isDev = options.isDev;
 
   if ((this.blockchainConfig === {} || JSON.stringify(this.blockchainConfig) === '{"enabled":true}') && this.env !== 'development') {
     console.log("===> " + __("warning: running default config on a non-development environment"));
@@ -50,21 +51,13 @@ var Blockchain = function(options) {
     this.config.datadir = fs.embarkPath(".embark/development/datadir");
   }
 
-  if (this.blockchainConfig.isDev) {
-    this.isDev = true;
-  } else if (this.blockchainConfig.isDev === false) {
-    this.isDev = false;
-  } else {
-    this.isDev = this.env === 'development';
-  }
-
   this.client = new options.client({config: this.config, env: this.env, isDev: this.isDev});
 };
 
 Blockchain.prototype.runCommand = function(cmd, options) {
   console.log(__("running: %s", cmd.underline).green);
   return shelljs.exec(cmd, options, (err, stdout, _stderr) => {
-    if (err && this.env === 'development' && stdout.indexOf('Failed to unlock developer account') > 0) {
+    if (err && this.env === 'development' && stdout.indexOf('Failed to unlock') > 0) {
       console.warn('\n' + __('Development blockchain has changed to use the --dev option.').yellow);
       console.warn(__('You can reset your workspace to fix the problem with').yellow + ' embark reset'.cyan);
       console.warn(__('Otherwise, you can change your data directory in blockchain.json (datadir)').yellow);
@@ -131,9 +124,9 @@ Blockchain.prototype.initChainAndGetAddress = function() {
   return address;
 };
 
-var BlockchainClient = function(blockchainConfig, client, env) {
+var BlockchainClient = function(blockchainConfig, client, env, isDev) {
   if (client === 'geth') {
-    return new Blockchain({blockchainConfig: blockchainConfig, client: GethCommands, env: env});
+    return new Blockchain({blockchainConfig: blockchainConfig, client: GethCommands, env: env, isDev});
   } else {
     throw new Error('unknown client');
   }
diff --git a/lib/core/engine.js b/lib/core/engine.js
index 6638ee004..7fcaa20fe 100644
--- a/lib/core/engine.js
+++ b/lib/core/engine.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ const Provider = require('./provider');
 class Engine {
   constructor(options) {
     this.env = options.env;
+    this.isDev = options.isDev;
     this.embarkConfig = options.embarkConfig;
     this.interceptLogs = options.interceptLogs;
     this.version = options.version;
@@ -277,6 +278,7 @@ class Engine {
           web3: this.web3,
           accountsConfig: this.config.contractsConfig.deployment.accounts,
           logger: this.logger,
+          isDev: this.isDev,
           web3Endpoint
         };
         this.web3.setProvider(new Provider(providerOptions));
diff --git a/lib/core/provider.js b/lib/core/provider.js
index f4544cca0..444290407 100644
--- a/lib/core/provider.js
+++ b/lib/core/provider.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ class Provider {
     this.web3 = options.web3;
     this.accountsConfig = options.accountsConfig;
     this.logger = options.logger;
+    this.isDev = options.isDev;
     this.engine = new ProviderEngine();
     this.asyncMethods = {};
 
@@ -43,6 +44,9 @@ class Provider {
         this.asyncMethods = {
             eth_accounts: self.eth_accounts.bind(this)
         };
+        if (this.isDev) {
+          this.logger.warn('You are using your own account in the develop environment. It might not be funded.');
+        }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/i18n/locales/en.json b/lib/i18n/locales/en.json
index 6d5b161e9..39808b2a3 100644
--- a/lib/i18n/locales/en.json
+++ b/lib/i18n/locales/en.json
@@ -88,5 +88,9 @@
 	"deployed at": "deployed at",
 	"executing onDeploy commands": "executing onDeploy commands",
 	"executing: ": "executing: ",
-	"no config file found at %s using default config": "no config file found at %s using default config"
+	"no config file found at %s using default config": "no config file found at %s using default config",
+	"Development blockchain has changed to use the --dev option.": "Development blockchain has changed to use the --dev option.",
+	"You can reset your workspace to fix the problem with": "You can reset your workspace to fix the problem with",
+	"Otherwise, you can change your data directory in blockchain.json (datadir)": "Otherwise, you can change your data directory in blockchain.json (datadir)",
+	"tip: you can resize the terminal or disable the dashboard with": "tip: you can resize the terminal or disable the dashboard with"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index a55fc1a00..3ee5d90f0 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -38,6 +38,15 @@ class Embark {
     this.plugins = this.config.plugins;
   }
 
+  isDev(env) {
+    if (this.config && this.config.blockchainConfig && this.config.blockchainConfig.isDev) {
+      return true;
+    } else if (this.config && this.config.blockchainConfig && this.config.blockchainConfig.isDev === false) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    return (env === 'development');
+  }
+
   blockchain(env, client) {
     this.context = [constants.contexts.blockchain];
     let blockchainConfig = this.config.blockchainConfig;
@@ -52,7 +61,7 @@ class Embark {
       if(webServerConfig) blockchainConfig.wsOrigins = `http://${webServerConfig.host}:${webServerConfig.port}`;
       if(storageConfig) blockchainConfig.wsOrigins += `${blockchainConfig.wsOrigins.length ? ',' : ''}${storageConfig.protocol}://${storageConfig.host}:${storageConfig.port}`;
     }
-    return require('./cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js')(blockchainConfig, client, env).run();
+    return require('./cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js')(blockchainConfig, client, env, this.isDev(env)).run();
   }
 
   simulator(options) {
@@ -77,6 +86,7 @@ class Embark {
 
     let engine = new Engine({
       env: options.env,
+      isDev: this.isDev(options.env),
       version: this.version,
       embarkConfig: options.embarkConfig || 'embark.json',
       logFile: options.logFile,
@@ -169,6 +179,7 @@ class Embark {
 
     let engine = new Engine({
       env: options.env,
+      isDev: this.isDev(options.env),
       version: this.version,
       embarkConfig: 'embark.json',
       interceptLogs: false,
@@ -228,6 +239,7 @@ class Embark {
     
     let engine = new Engine({
       env: options.env,
+      isDev: this.isDev(options.env),
       version: this.version,
       embarkConfig: options.embarkConfig || 'embark.json',
       logFile: options.logFile,
@@ -282,6 +294,7 @@ class Embark {
 
     let engine = new Engine({
       env: options.env,
+      isDev: this.isDev(options.env),
       version: this.version,
       embarkConfig: 'embark.json',
       interceptLogs: false,