diff --git a/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js b/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
index 6cf02ab42..c556ac407 100644
--- a/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
+++ b/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
@@ -188,9 +188,10 @@ Blockchain.prototype.run = function() {
 };
 
 Blockchain.prototype.createFundAndUnlockAccounts = function(cb) {
-  let devFunds = new DevFunds({blockchainConfig: this.config});
-  devFunds.createFundAndUnlockAccounts((err) => {
-    cb(err);
+  DevFunds.new({blockchainConfig: this.config}).then(devFunds => {
+    devFunds.createFundAndUnlockAccounts((err) => {
+      cb(err);
+    });
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/cmds/blockchain/dev_funds.js b/lib/cmds/blockchain/dev_funds.js
index 6b86533ff..13ab4348c 100644
--- a/lib/cmds/blockchain/dev_funds.js
+++ b/lib/cmds/blockchain/dev_funds.js
@@ -18,6 +18,20 @@ class DevFunds {
     }
     this.logger = options.logger || console;
   }
+  
+  static async new(options){
+    const df = new DevFunds(options);
+    await df._init();
+    return df;
+  }
+  
+  async _init () {
+    const accounts = await this.web3.eth.getAccounts();
+    this.web3.eth.defaultAccount = accounts[0];
+    if (accounts.length > 1) {
+      this.accounts = accounts.slice(1);
+    }
+  }
 
   _sendTx() {
     if (this.networkId !== 1337) {
@@ -27,7 +41,7 @@ class DevFunds {
   }
 
   // trigger regular txs due to a bug in geth and stuck transactions in --dev mode
-  regularTxs(cb) {
+  _regularTxs(cb) {
     const self = this;
     self.web3.eth.net.getId().then((networkId) => {
       self.networkId = networkId;
@@ -42,21 +56,11 @@ class DevFunds {
     });
   }
 
-  regularUnlocks() {
+  _regularUnlocks() {
     const self = this;
     setInterval(function () { self.unlockAccounts(self.password, () => { }); }, 20000);
   }
 
-  getCurrentAccounts(cb) {
-    this.web3.eth.getAccounts().then((accounts) => {
-      this.web3.eth.defaultAccount = accounts[0];
-      if (accounts.length > 1) {
-        this.accounts = accounts.slice(1);
-      }
-      cb();
-    });
-  }
-
   createAccounts(numAccounts, password, cb) {
     const numAccountsToCreate = numAccounts - (this.accounts.length + 1);
     if (numAccountsToCreate === 0) return cb();
@@ -95,9 +99,6 @@ class DevFunds {
       return cb();
     }
     async.waterfall([
-      (next) => {
-        this.getCurrentAccounts(next);
-      },
       (next) => {
         this.createAccounts(this.numAccounts, this.password, next);
       },
@@ -105,8 +106,8 @@ class DevFunds {
         this.unlockAccounts(this.password, next);
       },
       (next) => {
-        this.regularTxs();
-        this.regularUnlocks();
+        this._regularTxs();
+        this._regularUnlocks();
         this.fundAccounts(this.balance, next);
       }
     ], cb);
diff --git a/test/devFunds.js b/test/devFunds.js
index 1994c00d2..68b089eb9 100644
--- a/test/devFunds.js
+++ b/test/devFunds.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*global describe, it*/
+/*global describe, it, before*/
 const assert = require('assert');
 let TestLogger = require('../lib/tests/test_logger.js');
 const Web3 = require('web3');
@@ -53,36 +53,43 @@ describe('embark.DevFunds', function () {
 
   describe('#create, fund, and unlock accounts', function () {
     let provider = new FakeIpcProvider();
-    let devFunds = new DevFunds({blockchainConfig: config, provider: provider, logger: new TestLogger({})});
     const web3 = new Web3(provider);
+    let devFunds;
+
+    before(async () => {
+      provider.injectResult(['0x47d33b27bb249a2dbab4c0612bf9caf4c1950855']); // getAccounts: return --dev account
+      devFunds = await DevFunds.new({blockchainConfig: config, provider: provider, logger: new TestLogger({})});
+    });
 
     it('should create correct number of accounts', function (done) {
-      provider.injectResult(['0x47d33b27bb249a2dbab4c0612bf9caf4c1950855']); // getAccounts - return --dev account
-      devFunds.getCurrentAccounts(() => {
+      provider.injectResult('0x11f4d0a3c12e86b4b5f39b213f7e19d048276dae'); // createAccount #1
+      provider.injectResult('0x22f4d0a3c12e86b4b5f39b213f7e19d048276dab'); // createAccount #2
 
-        provider.injectResult('0x11f4d0a3c12e86b4b5f39b213f7e19d048276dae'); // createAccount #1
-        provider.injectResult('0x22f4d0a3c12e86b4b5f39b213f7e19d048276dab'); // createAccount #2
+      devFunds.createAccounts(config.account.numAccounts, 'test_password', (err) => {
+        assert.equal(err, null);
 
-        devFunds.createAccounts(config.account.numAccounts, 'test_password', (err) => {
-          assert.equal(err, null);
+        // TODO: make FakeIpcProvider smart enough to keep track of created accounts
+        provider.injectResult(['0x47d33b27bb249a2dbab4c0612bf9caf4c1950855', '0x11f4d0a3c12e86b4b5f39b213f7e19d048276dae', '0x22f4d0a3c12e86b4b5f39b213f7e19d048276dab']);
 
-          // TODO: make FakeIpcProvider smart enough to keep track of created accounts
-          provider.injectResult(['0x47d33b27bb249a2dbab4c0612bf9caf4c1950855', '0x11f4d0a3c12e86b4b5f39b213f7e19d048276dae', '0x22f4d0a3c12e86b4b5f39b213f7e19d048276dab']);
-
-          web3.eth.getAccounts().then((accts) => {
-            assert.equal(accts.length, config.account.numAccounts);
-            assert.strictEqual(accts[0], '0x47D33b27Bb249a2DBab4C0612BF9CaF4C1950855');
-            assert.strictEqual(accts[1], '0x11f4d0A3c12e86B4b5F39B213F7E19D048276DAe');
-            assert.strictEqual(accts[2], '0x22F4d0A3C12E86b4b5F39B213f7e19D048276DAb');
-            done();
-          });
+        web3.eth.getAccounts().then((accts) => {
+          assert.equal(accts.length, config.account.numAccounts);
+          assert.strictEqual(accts[0], '0x47D33b27Bb249a2DBab4C0612BF9CaF4C1950855'); // --dev acct
+          assert.strictEqual(accts[1], '0x11f4d0A3c12e86B4b5F39B213F7E19D048276DAe'); // created acct #1
+          assert.strictEqual(accts[2], '0x22F4d0A3C12E86b4b5F39B213f7e19D048276DAb'); // created acct #2
+          done();
         });
       });
     });
 
     it('should unlock accounts', function (done) {
-      provider.injectResult(true); // account #1 unlock result
-      provider.injectResult(true); // account #2 unlock result
+      if (devFunds.accounts.length === 0) {
+        assert.equal(true, true, "no accounts to unlock");
+        return done();
+      }
+
+      devFunds.accounts.forEach(_acct => {
+        provider.injectResult(true); // account unlock result
+      });
 
       devFunds.unlockAccounts(devFunds.password, (errUnlock) => {
         assert.equal(errUnlock, null);
@@ -92,13 +99,17 @@ describe('embark.DevFunds', function () {
 
     it('should fund accounts', function (done) {
 
-      provider.injectResult('1234567890'); // account #1 balance
-      provider.injectResult('1234567890'); // account #2 balance
-      // provider.injectResult('0x11f4d0A3c12e86B4b5F39B213F7E19D048276DAe'); // send tx #1
-      // provider.injectResult('0x22F4d0A3C12E86b4b5F39B213f7e19D048276DAb'); // send tx #2
+      if (devFunds.accounts.length === 0) {
+        assert.equal(true, true, "no accounts to fund");
+        return done();
+      }
+      devFunds.accounts.forEach(_acct => {
+        provider.injectResult('1234567890'); // account balance
+        // provider.injectResult('0x11f4d0A3c12e86B4b5F39B213F7E19D048276DAe'); // send tx response
+      });
 
       devFunds.fundAccounts(devFunds.balance, (errFundAccounts) => {
-        
+
         assert.equal(errFundAccounts, null);
 
         // inject response for web3.eth.getAccounts
diff --git a/test/helpers/fakeIpcProvider.js b/test/helpers/fakeIpcProvider.js
index 5adc376f8..083b5026d 100644
--- a/test/helpers/fakeIpcProvider.js
+++ b/test/helpers/fakeIpcProvider.js
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
-var assert = require('assert');
-var _ = require('lodash');
+const assert = require('assert');
+const _ = require('lodash');
 
-
-
-
-var FakeIpcProvider = function IpcProvider() {
+const FakeIpcProvider = function IpcProvider() {
     var _this = this;
     this.countId = 1;
     this.notificationCount = 1;
@@ -32,7 +29,6 @@ var FakeIpcProvider = function IpcProvider() {
     this.notificationCallbacks = [];
 };
 
-
 FakeIpcProvider.prototype.send = function (payload, callback) {
     var _this = this;
 
@@ -106,8 +102,6 @@ FakeIpcProvider.prototype.injectNotification = function (notification) {
 //     this.response = response;
 // };
 
-
-
 FakeIpcProvider.prototype.injectBatchResults = function (results, error) {
     var _this = this;
     this.response.push(results.map(function (r) {