diff --git a/lib/core/processes/processWrapper.js b/lib/core/processes/processWrapper.js
index 8c90d67a6..26137474d 100644
--- a/lib/core/processes/processWrapper.js
+++ b/lib/core/processes/processWrapper.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-process.on('uncaughtException', function(e) {
+process.on('uncaughtException', function(e){
   process.send({error: e.stack});
 });
 
diff --git a/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/index.js b/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/index.js
index 3eeeed77e..84593ffda 100644
--- a/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/index.js
+++ b/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/index.js
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 const Web3 = require('web3');
 const async = require('async');
 const Provider = require('./provider.js');
-const utils = require('../utils/utils');
+const utils = require('../../utils/utils');
+const constants = require('../../constants');
+const embarkJsUtils = require('embarkjs').Utils;
 
 const WEB3_READY = 'blockchain:ready';
 
-class Blockchain {
-  constructor(options) {
+// TODO: consider another name, this is the blockchain connector
+class BlockchainConnector {
+  constructor(embark, options) {
     const self = this;
     this.plugins = options.plugins;
     this.logger = embark.logger;
@@ -22,6 +25,10 @@ class Blockchain {
       cb(self.isWeb3Ready);
     });
 
+    self.events.setCommandHandler("blockchain:object", (cb) => {
+      cb(self);
+    });
+
     if (!this.web3) {
       this.initWeb3();
     } else {
@@ -32,6 +39,7 @@ class Blockchain {
     this.registerRequests();
     this.registerWeb3Object();
     this.registerEvents();
+    this.subscribeToPendingTransactions();
   }
 
   initWeb3(cb) {
@@ -328,60 +336,14 @@ class Blockchain {
   }
 
   deployContractFromObject(deployContractObject, params, cb) {
-    const self = this;
-    let hash;
-    let calledBacked = false;
-
-    function callback(err, receipt) {
-      if (calledBacked) {
-        return;
-      }
-      if (!err && !receipt.contractAddress) {
-        return; // Not deployed yet. Need to wait
-      }
-      if (interval) {
-        clearInterval(interval);
-      }
-      calledBacked = true;
-      cb(err, receipt);
-    }
-
-    // This interval is there to compensate for the event that sometimes doesn't get triggered when using WebSocket
-    // FIXME The issue somehow only happens when the blockchain node is started in the same terminal
-    const interval = setInterval(() => {
-      if (!hash) {
-        return; // Wait until we receive the hash
-      }
-      self.web3.eth.getTransactionReceipt(hash, (err, receipt) => {
-        if (!err && !receipt) {
-          return; // Transaction is not yet complete
-        }
-        callback(err, receipt);
-      });
-    }, 500);
-
-    deployContractObject.send({
+    embarkJsUtils.secureSend(this.web3, deployContractObject, {
       from: params.from, gas: params.gas, gasPrice: params.gasPrice
-    }, function (err, transactionHash) {
-      if (err) {
-        return callback(err);
-      }
-      hash = transactionHash;
-    }).on('receipt', function (receipt) {
-      if (receipt.contractAddress !== undefined) {
-        callback(null, receipt);
-      }
-    }).then(function (_contract) {
-      if (!hash) {
-        return; // Somehow we didn't get the receipt yet... Interval will catch it
-      }
-      self.web3.eth.getTransactionReceipt(hash, callback);
-    }).catch(callback);
+    }, true, cb);
   }
 
   determineDefaultAccount(cb) {
     const self = this;
-    self.getAccounts(function (err, accounts) {
+    self.getAccounts(function(err, accounts) {
       if (err) {
         self.logger.error(err);
         return cb(new Error(err));
@@ -399,8 +361,21 @@ class Blockchain {
     // can just be a command without a callback
     this.events.emit("runcode:register", "web3", this.web3, false);
   }
+
+  subscribeToPendingTransactions() {
+    const self = this;
+    this.onReady(() => {
+      if (self.logsSubscription) {
+        self.logsSubscription.unsubscribe();
+      }
+      self.logsSubscription = self.web3.eth
+        .subscribe('newBlockHeaders', () => {})
+        .on("data", function (blockHeader) {
+          self.events.emit('block:header', blockHeader);
+        });
+    });
+  }
 }
 
 BlockchainConnector.ACCEPTED_TYPES = ['rpc', 'ws', 'vm'];
-
 module.exports = BlockchainConnector;
diff --git a/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js b/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js
index 43181d6f3..e4fd81cac 100644
--- a/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js
+++ b/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js
@@ -11,17 +11,13 @@ class Provider {
     this.web3Endpoint = options.web3Endpoint;
     this.logger = options.logger;
     this.isDev = options.isDev;
-    this.engine = new ProviderEngine();
-    this.asyncMethods = {};
   }
 
   startWeb3Provider(callback) {
     const self = this;
 
     if (this.type === 'rpc') {
-      self.engine.addProvider(new RpcSubprovider({
-        rpcUrl: self.web3Endpoint
-      }));
+      self.provider = new this.web3.providers.HttpProvider(self.web3Endpoint);
     } else if (this.type === 'ws') {
     // Note: don't pass to the provider things like {headers: {Origin: "embark"}}. Origin header is for browser to fill
     // to protect user, it has no meaning if it is used server-side. See here for more details: https://github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/issues/16608
@@ -36,26 +32,7 @@ class Provider {
       return callback(__("contracts config error: unknown deployment type %s", this.type));
     }
 
-
-    // network connectivity error
-    self.engine.on('error', (err) => {
-      // report connectivity errors
-      self.logger.error(err);
-    });
-
-    self.engine.start();
-    //self.on('error', (err) => {
-    //  console.log('ERR', JSON.stringify(err));
-    //  // report connectivity errors as trace due to polling
-    //  self.logger.trace('web3 provider error: ', err);
-    //  self.logger.trace('stopping web3 provider due to error');
-
-    //  // prevent continuous polling errors
-    //  self.stop();
-    //});
-
-    //self.web3.setProvider(self);
-    //self.start();
+    self.web3.setProvider(self.provider);
 
     self.web3.eth.getAccounts((err, accounts) => {
       if (err) {
@@ -125,36 +102,10 @@ class Provider {
     if (!self.isDev) {
       return callback();
     }
-    async.each(self.accounts, (account, eachCb) => {
+    async.eachLimit(self.accounts, 1, (account, eachCb) => {
       fundAccount(self.web3, account.address, account.hexBalance, eachCb);
     }, callback);
   }
-
-  stop() {
-    this.engine.stop();
-  }
-
-  eth_accounts(payload, cb) {
-    return cb(null, this.addresses);
-  }
-
-  sendAsync(payload, callback) {
-    let method = this.asyncMethods[payload.method];
-    if (method) {
-      return method.call(method, payload, (err, result) => {
-        if (err) {
-          return callback(err);
-        }
-        let response = {'id': payload.id, 'jsonrpc': '2.0', 'result': result};
-        callback(null, response);
-      });
-    }
-    this.engine.sendAsync.apply(this.engine, arguments);
-  }
-
-  send() {
-    return this.engine.send.apply(this.engine, arguments);
-  }
 }
 
 module.exports = Provider;
diff --git a/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js~HEAD b/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js~HEAD
deleted file mode 100644
index 59b1bdb96..000000000
--- a/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/provider.js~HEAD
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,82 +0,0 @@
-const async = require('async');
-const AccountParser = require('../../utils/accountParser');
-const fundAccount = require('./fundAccount');
-
-class Provider {
-  constructor(options) {
-    this.web3 = options.web3;
-    this.accountsConfig = options.accountsConfig;
-    this.blockchainConfig = options.blockchainConfig;
-    this.type = options.type;
-    this.web3Endpoint = options.web3Endpoint;
-    this.logger = options.logger;
-    this.isDev = options.isDev;
-  }
-
-  startWeb3Provider(callback) {
-    const self = this;
-
-    if (this.type === 'rpc') {
-      self.provider = new this.web3.providers.HttpProvider(self.web3Endpoint);
-    } else if (this.type === 'ws') {
-      self.provider = new this.web3.providers.WebsocketProvider(self.web3Endpoint, {headers: {Origin: "embark"}});
-    } else {
-      return callback(__("contracts config error: unknown deployment type %s", this.type));
-    }
-
-    self.web3.setProvider(self.provider);
-
-    self.accounts = AccountParser.parseAccountsConfig(self.accountsConfig, self.web3, self.logger);
-    self.addresses = [];
-
-    if (!self.accounts.length) {
-      return callback();
-    }
-    self.accounts.forEach(account => {
-      self.addresses.push(account.address);
-      self.web3.eth.accounts.wallet.add(account);
-    });
-    self.web3.eth.defaultAccount = self.addresses[0];
-    const realSend = self.provider.send.bind(self.provider);
-    self.provider.send = function (payload, cb) {
-      if (payload.method === 'eth_accounts') {
-        return realSend(payload, function (err, result) {
-          if (err) {
-            return cb(err);
-          }
-          result.result = result.result.concat(self.addresses);
-          cb(null, result);
-        });
-      }
-      realSend(payload, cb);
-    };
-
-    callback();
-  }
-
-  stop() {
-    if (this.provider && this.provider.removeAllListeners) {
-      this.provider.removeAllListeners('connect');
-      this.provider.removeAllListeners('error');
-      this.provider.removeAllListeners('end');
-      this.provider.removeAllListeners('data');
-      this.provider.responseCallbacks = {};
-      this.provider = null;
-    }
-  }
-
-  fundAccounts(callback) {
-    const self = this;
-    if (!self.accounts.length) {
-      return callback();
-    }
-    if (!self.isDev) {
-      return callback();
-    }
-    async.eachLimit(self.accounts, 1, (account, eachCb) => {
-      fundAccount(self.web3, account.address, account.hexBalance, eachCb);
-    }, callback);
-  }
-}
-
-module.exports = Provider;
diff --git a/lib/modules/blockchain_process/blockchain.js b/lib/modules/blockchain_process/blockchain.js
index af851208b..d74f8ff69 100644
--- a/lib/modules/blockchain_process/blockchain.js
+++ b/lib/modules/blockchain_process/blockchain.js
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@ const Ipc = require('../../core/ipc');
 
 const {defaultHost, dockerHostSwap} = require('../../utils/host');
 
-const {defaultHost, dockerHostSwap} = require('../../utils/host');
-
 /*eslint complexity: ["error", 36]*/
 var Blockchain = function(userConfig, clientClass) {
   this.userConfig = userConfig;
diff --git a/lib/modules/graph/index.js b/lib/modules/graph/index.js
index 9f4ff0fce..cc29ee1f5 100644
--- a/lib/modules/graph/index.js
+++ b/lib/modules/graph/index.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ const async = require('async');
 const Viz = require('viz.js');
 const fs = require('fs');
 
-// TODO: refactor this class to use the plugin api and not refeneences directly
 class GraphGenerator {
   constructor(embark, _options) {
     const self = this;
diff --git a/lib/modules/library_manager/npmTimer.js b/lib/modules/library_manager/npmTimer.js
index af37b0edb..95d3a23fe 100644
--- a/lib/modules/library_manager/npmTimer.js
+++ b/lib/modules/library_manager/npmTimer.js
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ class NpmTimer{
         else{
           // otherwise, find our download complete measurement
           entry = utils.last(items.getEntries().filter(entry => entry.name === this._downloadComplete));
-          
           if(entry){
             strDuration = __('Finished downloading and installing {{packageName}} {{version}} in {{duration}}ms', {packageName: this._packageName, version: this._version, duration: entry.duration});
             performance.clearMarks();
diff --git a/lib/modules/storage/embarkjs.js b/lib/modules/storage/embarkjs.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 20cf842ba..000000000
--- a/lib/modules/storage/embarkjs.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-/* global EmbarkJS */
-
-import {detectSeries} from 'async';
-
-let __embarkStorage = {};
-
-__embarkStorage.setProviders = async function (dappConnOptions) {
-    try {
-      await detectSeries(dappConnOptions, async (dappConn, callback) => {
-        if(dappConn === '$BZZ' || dappConn.provider === 'swarm'){
-          let options = dappConn;
-          if(dappConn === '$BZZ') options = {"useOnlyGivenProvider": true};
-          try{
-            await EmbarkJS.Storage.setProvider('swarm', options);
-            let isAvailable = await EmbarkJS.Storage.isAvailable();
-            callback(null, isAvailable);
-          }catch(err){
-            callback(null, false); // catch errors for when bzz object not initialised but config has requested it to be used
-          }
-        }
-        else if(dappConn.provider === 'ipfs') {
-          // set the provider then check the connection, if true, use that provider, else, check next provider
-          try{
-            await EmbarkJS.Storage.setProvider('ipfs', dappConn);
-            let isAvailable =  await EmbarkJS.Storage.isAvailable();
-            callback(null, isAvailable);
-          } catch(err) {
-            callback(null, false); // catch but keep looping by not passing err to callback
-          }
-        }
-      }, function(err, result){
-        if(!result) throw new Error('Could not connect to a storage provider using any of the dappConnections in the storage config');
-      });
-    } catch (err) {
-      throw new Error('Failed to connect to a storage provider: ' + err.message);
-    }
-  };
diff --git a/lib/processes/process_manager.js b/lib/processes/process_manager.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 4da9ddeab..000000000
--- a/lib/processes/process_manager.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,39 +0,0 @@
-
-class ProcessManager {
-  constructor(options) {
-    const self = this;
-    this.logger = options.logger;
-    this.events = options.events;
-    this.plugins = options.plugins;
-    this.processes = {};
-
-    self.events.setCommandHandler('processes:register', (name, cb) => {
-      console.dir("=====> registering " + name);
-      this.processes[name] = {
-        state: 'unstarted',
-        cb: cb
-      }
-    });
-
-    self.events.setCommandHandler('processes:launch', (name, cb) => {
-      let process = self.processes[name];
-      // TODO: should make distinction between starting and running
-      if (process.state != 'unstarted') {
-        console.dir("=====> already started " + name);
-        return cb();
-      }
-      console.dir("=====> launching " + name);
-      process.state = 'starting';
-      //let pry = require('pryjs');
-      //eval(pry.it);
-      process.cb.apply(process.cb, [() => {
-        process.state = 'running';
-        console.dir("=====> launched " + name);
-        cb();
-      }]);
-    });
-  }
-
-}
-
-module.exports = ProcessManager;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7c4672c9e..7a6a40adc 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@
     "eth-ens-namehash": "2.0.8",
     "eth-lib": "0.2.8",
     "babel-plugin-webpack-aliases": "^1.1.3",
-    "embarkjs": "^0.3.4",
     "ethereumjs-wallet": "0.6.0",
     "express": "4.16.3",
     "express-ws": "4.0.0",
diff --git a/test_apps/test_app/config/blockchain.json b/test_apps/test_app/config/blockchain.json
index a3247a56d..fd4f0a514 100644
--- a/test_apps/test_app/config/blockchain.json
+++ b/test_apps/test_app/config/blockchain.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-
+{
   "default": {
     "enabled": true,
     "rpcHost": "localhost",
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
     "networkType": "custom",
     "networkId": "1337",
     "isDev": true,
-    "genesisBlock": "config/development/genesis.json",
     "datadir": ".embark/development/datadir",
     "mineWhenNeeded": true,
     "nodiscover": true,
diff --git a/test_apps/test_app/embark.json b/test_apps/test_app/embark.json
index e4a75559c..a4c2f1d27 100644
--- a/test_apps/test_app/embark.json
+++ b/test_apps/test_app/embark.json
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
   "config": "config/",
   "versions": {
     "solc": "0.4.24",
-    "web3": "1.0.0-beta.34",
+    "web3": "1.0.0-beta",
     "ipfs-api": "17.2.7"
   },
   "plugins": {
diff --git a/test_apps/test_app/test/ens_spec.js b/test_apps/test_app/test/ens_spec.js
index 200f2634f..7c564734f 100644
--- a/test_apps/test_app/test/ens_spec.js
+++ b/test_apps/test_app/test/ens_spec.js
@@ -17,22 +17,28 @@ config({
       "args": ["$ENSRegistry", rootNode],
       "onDeploy": [
         `ENSRegistry.methods.setOwner('${rootNode}', web3.eth.defaultAccount).send().then(() => {
-              ENSRegistry.methods.setResolver('${rootNode}', "$Resolver").send();
-              Resolver.methods.setAddr('${rootNode}', '${address}').send();
-              })`
+          ENSRegistry.methods.setResolver('${rootNode}', "$Resolver").send();
+          Resolver.methods.setAddr('${rootNode}', '${address}').send().then(() => {
+            global.ensTestReady = true;
+          });
+        });`
       ]
     }
   }
 });
 
 contract("ENS", function () {
-  this.timeout(0);
+  this.timeout(1000);
 
   before(function (done) {
   //   Wait for onDeploy to finish
-    setTimeout(function () {
+    const wait = setInterval(() => {
+      if (!global.ensTestReady) {
+        return;
+      }
+      clearInterval(wait);
       done();
-    }, 500);
+    }, 50);
   });
 
   it("should have registered embark.eth", async function () {