diff --git a/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js b/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
index 5ac8981f0..524cba5a8 100644
--- a/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
+++ b/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
@@ -4,12 +4,16 @@ var fs = require('../../core/fs.js');
 
 var GethCommands = require('./geth_commands.js');
 
-/*eslint complexity: ["error", 26]*/
+/*eslint complexity: ["error", 30]*/
 var Blockchain = function(options) {
   this.blockchainConfig = options.blockchainConfig;
   this.env = options.env || 'development';
   this.client = options.client;
 
+  if ((this.blockchainConfig === {} || JSON.stringify(this.blockchainConfig) === '{"enabled":true}') && this.env !== 'development') {
+    console.log("===> warning: running default config on a non-development environment");
+  }
+
   this.config = {
     geth_bin: this.blockchainConfig.geth_bin || 'geth',
     networkType: this.blockchainConfig.networkType || 'custom',
@@ -36,6 +40,13 @@ var Blockchain = function(options) {
     vmdebug: this.blockchainConfig.vmdebug || false
   };
 
+  if (this.blockchainConfig === {} || JSON.stringify(this.blockchainConfig) === '{"enabled":true}') {
+    this.config.account = {};
+    this.config.account.password = fs.embarkPath("boilerplate/config/development/password");
+    this.config.genesisBlock = fs.embarkPath("boilerplate/config/development/genesis.json");
+    this.config.datadir = fs.embarkPath(".embark/development/datadir");
+  }
+
   this.client = new options.client({config: this.config, env: this.env});
 };