diff --git a/dapps/tests/app/config/communication.json b/dapps/tests/app/config/communication.json
index a6b7f7617..96a2b498a 100644
--- a/dapps/tests/app/config/communication.json
+++ b/dapps/tests/app/config/communication.json
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 {
   "default": {
-    "enabled": true,
+    "client": "geth",
     "provider": "whisper",
+    "enabled": true,
     "available_providers": ["whisper"],
     "connection": {
       "host": "localhost",
-      "port": 8546,
+      "port": 3777,
       "type": "ws"
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/embark-blockchain-process/src/blockchain.js b/packages/embark-blockchain-process/src/blockchain.js
index 731a6d320..e84dd14b3 100644
--- a/packages/embark-blockchain-process/src/blockchain.js
+++ b/packages/embark-blockchain-process/src/blockchain.js
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ Blockchain.prototype.run = function () {
     args = compact(args);
 
     let full_cmd = cmd + " " + args.join(' ');
-    self.logger.info(__("running: %s", full_cmd.underline).green);
+    self.logger.info(__(">>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> running: %s", full_cmd.underline).green);
     self.child = spawn(cmd, args, {cwd: process.cwd()});
 
     self.child.on('error', (err) => {
diff --git a/packages/embark-whisper/src/api.js b/packages/embark-whisper/src/api.js
index 5a74d30cb..d651ed751 100644
--- a/packages/embark-whisper/src/api.js
+++ b/packages/embark-whisper/src/api.js
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ class API {
     this.embark = embark;
     this.logger = embark.logger;
     this.web3 = web3;
-    this.registerAPICalls();
   }
 
   registerAPICalls() {
diff --git a/packages/embark-whisper/src/index.js b/packages/embark-whisper/src/index.js
index f9afad55a..34469f89c 100644
--- a/packages/embark-whisper/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/embark-whisper/src/index.js
@@ -17,37 +17,44 @@ class Whisper {
     this.webSocketsChannels = {};
     this.modulesPath = dappPath(embark.config.embarkConfig.generationDir, constants.dappArtifacts.symlinkDir);
 
-    this.api = new API(embark, this.web3);
-    this.api.registerAPICalls();
+    this.whisperNodes = {};
+
+    this.events.setCommandHandler("whisper:node:register", (clientName, startCb) => {
+      this.whisperNodes[clientName] = startCb;
+    });
+
+    this.events.request("communication:node:register", "whisper", (readyCb) => {
+      let clientName = this.communicationConfig.client;
+      let registerCb = this.whisperNodes[clientName];
+      registerCb.apply(registerCb, [readyCb]);
+    });
 
     this.events.request("runcode:whitelist", 'embarkjs', () => { });
     this.events.request("runcode:whitelist", 'embarkjs-whisper', () => { });
 
-    // TODO: should launch its own whisper node
-    // this.events.on("communication:started", this.connectEmbarkJSProvider.bind(this));
-    this.events.on("blockchain:started", this.connectEmbarkJSProvider.bind(this));
-
-    embark.registerActionForEvent("pipeline:generateAll:before", this.addEmbarkJSWhisperArtifact.bind(this));
-
-    this.events.request("communication:node:register", "whisper", (readyCb) => {
-      // TODO: should launch its own whisper node
-      console.dir("--- whisper readyCb")
-      console.dir('--- registering whisper node')
-      // this.events.request('processes:register', 'communication', {
-        // launchFn: (cb) => {
-          // this.startProcess(cb);
-        // },
-        // stopFn: (cb) => { this.stopProcess(cb); }
-      // });
-      // this.events.request("processes:launch", "communication", (err) => {
-        readyCb()
-      // });
-      // this.registerServiceCheck()
+    this.events.on("communication:started", () => {
+      this.setWhisperProvider();
+      this.api = new API(embark, this.web3);
+      this.api.registerAPICalls();
+      this.connectEmbarkJSProvider.bind(this)
     });
 
+    let plugin = this.plugins.createPlugin('whisperplugin', {});
+    plugin.registerActionForEvent("pipeline:generateAll:before", this.addEmbarkJSWhisperArtifact.bind(this));
     this.registerEmbarkJSCommunication()
   }
 
+  setWhisperProvider() {
+    let {host, port} = this.communicationConfig.connection;
+    let web3Endpoint = 'ws://' + host + ':' + port;
+    // Note: dont'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
+    // Moreover, Parity reject origins that are not urls so if you try to connect with Origin: "embark" it gives the followin error:
+    // << Blocked connection to WebSockets server from untrusted origin: Some("embark") >>
+    // The best choice is to use void origin, BUT Geth rejects void origin, so to keep both clients happy we can use http://embark
+    this.web3.setProvider(new Web3.providers.WebsocketProvider(web3Endpoint, {headers: {Origin: constants.embarkResourceOrigin}}));
+  }
+
   async addEmbarkJSWhisperArtifact(params, cb) {
     let connection = this.communicationConfig.connection || {};
     const config = {
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js b/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js
index 4b1ad3aec..6f79816c0 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/cmd/cmd_controller.js
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ class EmbarkController {
         engine.registerModuleGroup("stackComponents");
 
         // TODO: replace with individual plugins
+        engine.registerModuleGroup("communication");
         engine.registerModuleGroup("blockchain");
         engine.registerModuleGroup("compiler");
         engine.registerModuleGroup("contracts");
@@ -169,7 +170,6 @@ class EmbarkController {
         engine.registerModuleGroup("webserver");
         engine.registerModuleGroup("filewatcher");
         engine.registerModuleGroup("storage");
-        engine.registerModuleGroup("communication");
         engine.registerModuleGroup("cockpit");
         engine.registerModuleGroup("namesystem");
         engine.registerModulePackage('embark-deploy-tracker', {plugins: engine.plugins});
@@ -192,7 +192,6 @@ class EmbarkController {
           } catch (e) {
             return cb(e);
           }
-
           cb();
         });
 
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchain.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchain.js
index 7dba2eecd..f1570572f 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchain.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchain.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ const {spawn, exec} = require('child_process');
 const path = require('path');
 const constants = require('embark-core/constants');
 const GethClient = require('./gethClient.js');
+const WhisperGethClient = require('./whisperClient.js');
 // const ParityClient = require('./parityClient.js');
 import { IPC } from 'embark-core';
 
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ const Logger = require('embark-logger');
 const IPC_CONNECT_INTERVAL = 2000;
 
 /*eslint complexity: ["error", 50]*/
-var Blockchain = function(userConfig, clientClass) {
+var Blockchain = function(userConfig, clientClass, communicationConfig) {
   this.userConfig = userConfig;
   this.env = userConfig.env || 'development';
   this.isDev = userConfig.isDev;
@@ -100,8 +101,7 @@ var Blockchain = function(userConfig, clientClass) {
     this.logger.error(__(spaceMessage, 'genesisBlock'));
     process.exit(1);
   }
-  this.client = new clientClass({config: this.config, env: this.env, isDev: this.isDev});
-
+  this.client = new clientClass({config: this.config, env: this.env, isDev: this.isDev, communicationConfig: communicationConfig});
   this.initStandaloneProcess();
 };
 
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ Blockchain.prototype.run = function () {
     args = compact(args);
 
     let full_cmd = cmd + " " + args.join(' ');
-    self.logger.info(__("running: %s", full_cmd.underline).green);
+    self.logger.info(__(">>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> running: %s", full_cmd.underline).green);
     self.child = spawn(cmd, args, {cwd: process.cwd()});
 
     self.child.on('error', (err) => {
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ Blockchain.prototype.initChainAndGetAddress = function (callback) {
   });
 };
 
-export function BlockchainClient(userConfig, options) {
+export function BlockchainClient(userConfig, options, communicationConfig) {
   if ((userConfig === {} || JSON.stringify(userConfig) === '{"enabled":true}') && options.env !== 'development') {
     options.logger.info("===> " + __("warning: running default config on a non-development environment"));
   }
@@ -423,18 +423,13 @@ export function BlockchainClient(userConfig, options) {
   if (options.clientName) userConfig.client = options.clientName;
   // Choose correct client instance based on clientName
   let clientClass;
-  switch (userConfig.client) {
-    case constants.blockchain.clients.geth:
-      clientClass = GethClient;
-      break;
 
-    // case constants.blockchain.clients.parity:
-      // clientClass = ParityClient;
-      // break;
-    default:
-      console.error(__('Unknown client "%s". Please use one of the following: %s', userConfig.client, Object.keys(constants.blockchain.clients).join(', ')));
-      process.exit(1);
+  if (communicationConfig) {
+    clientClass = WhisperGethClient
+  } else {
+    clientClass = GethClient;
   }
+
   userConfig.isDev = (userConfig.isDev || userConfig.default);
   userConfig.env = options.env;
   userConfig.onReadyCallback = options.onReadyCallback;
@@ -442,5 +437,5 @@ export function BlockchainClient(userConfig, options) {
   userConfig.logger = options.logger;
   userConfig.certOptions = options.certOptions;
   userConfig.isStandalone = options.isStandalone;
-  return new Blockchain(userConfig, clientClass);
+  return new Blockchain(userConfig, clientClass, communicationConfig);
 }
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchainProcess.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchainProcess.js
index 75b82623c..968bb5eb6 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchainProcess.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchainProcess.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ class BlockchainProcess extends ProcessWrapper {
   constructor(options) {
     super();
     this.blockchainConfig = options.blockchainConfig;
+    this.communicationConfig = options.communicationConfig;
     this.client = options.client;
     this.env = options.env;
     this.isDev = options.isDev;
@@ -26,7 +27,8 @@ class BlockchainProcess extends ProcessWrapper {
         onReadyCallback: this.blockchainReady.bind(this),
         onExitCallback: this.blockchainExit.bind(this),
         logger: console
-      }
+      },
+      this.communicationConfig
     );
 
     this.blockchain.run();
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchainProcessLauncher.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchainProcessLauncher.js
index 19ef09afe..8dd631c60 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchainProcessLauncher.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/blockchainProcessLauncher.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ export class BlockchainProcessLauncher {
     this.logger = options.logger;
     this.normalizeInput = options.normalizeInput;
     this.blockchainConfig = options.blockchainConfig;
+    this.communicationConfig = options.communicationConfig;
     this.locale = options.locale;
     this.isDev = options.isDev;
     this.client = options.client;
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ export class BlockchainProcessLauncher {
     this.blockchainProcess.send({
       action: constants.blockchain.init, options: {
         blockchainConfig: this.blockchainConfig,
+        communicationConfig: this.communicationConfig,
         client: this.client,
         env: this.env,
         isDev: this.isDev,
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/index.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/index.js
index 208192fbe..7f0d3ea7e 100644
--- a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/index.js
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/index.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ class Geth {
     this.embark = embark;
     this.embarkConfig = embark.config.embarkConfig;
     this.blockchainConfig = embark.config.blockchainConfig;
+    this.communicationConfig = embark.config.communicationConfig;
     this.locale = options.locale;
     this.logger = embark.logger;
     this.client = options.client;
@@ -23,7 +24,6 @@ class Geth {
     this.events.request("blockchain:node:register", constants.blockchain.clients.geth, (readyCb) => {
       this.events.request('processes:register', 'blockchain', {
         launchFn: (cb) => {
-          // this.startBlockchainNode(readyCb);
           this.startBlockchainNode(cb);
         },
         stopFn: (cb) => {
@@ -38,6 +38,24 @@ class Geth {
       });
       this.registerServiceCheck();
     });
+
+    this.events.request("whisper:node:register", constants.blockchain.clients.geth, readyCb => {
+      this.events.request('processes:register', 'communication', {
+        launchFn: cb => {
+          this.startWhisperNode(cb);
+        },
+        stopFn: cb => {
+          this.stopWhisperNode(cb);
+        }
+      });
+
+      this.events.request("processes:launch", "communication", (err) => {
+        if (err) {
+          this.logger.error(`Error launching whisper process: ${err.message || err}`);
+        }
+        readyCb();
+      });
+    });
   }
 
   shouldInit() {
@@ -82,6 +100,31 @@ class Geth {
     this.blockchainProcess.startBlockchainNode(callback);
   }
 
+  startWhisperNode(callback) {
+    this.whisperProcess = new BlockchainProcessLauncher({
+      events: this.events,
+      logger: this.logger,
+      normalizeInput,
+      blockchainConfig: this.blockchainConfig,
+      communicationConfig: this.communicationConfig,
+      locale: this.locale,
+      client: this.client,
+      isDev: this.isDev,
+      embark: this.embark
+    });
+    this.whisperProcess.startBlockchainNode(callback);
+  }
+
+  stopWhisperNode(cb) {
+    if (!this.whisperProcess) {
+      return cb();
+    }
+    this.whisperProcess.stopBlockchainNode(() => {
+      this.logger.info(`The whisper process has been stopped.`);
+      cb();
+    });
+  }
+
   stopBlockchainNode(cb) {
     const message = __(`The blockchain process has been stopped. It can be restarted by running ${"service blockchain on".bold} in the Embark console.`);
 
diff --git a/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/whisperClient.js b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/whisperClient.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3ec4f9e58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/embark/src/lib/modules/geth/whisperClient.js
@@ -0,0 +1,261 @@
+import { __ } from 'embark-i18n';
+import { dappPath, ipcPath } from 'embark-utils';
+const async = require('async');
+const {exec, spawn} = require('child_process');
+const path = require('path');
+const GethMiner = require('./miner');
+const semver = require('semver');
+const constants = require('embark-core/constants');
+
+const DEFAULTS = {
+  "BIN": "geth",
+  "VERSIONS_SUPPORTED": ">=1.8.14",
+  "NETWORK_TYPE": "custom",
+  "NETWORK_ID": 1337,
+  "RPC_API": ['eth', 'web3', 'net', 'debug', 'personal'],
+  "WS_API": ['eth', 'web3', 'net', 'shh', 'debug', 'pubsub', 'personal'],
+  "DEV_WS_API": ['eth', 'web3', 'net', 'shh', 'debug', 'pubsub', 'personal'],
+  "TARGET_GAS_LIMIT": 8000000
+};
+
+class WhisperGethClient {
+
+  static get DEFAULTS() {
+    return DEFAULTS;
+  }
+
+  constructor(options) {
+    this.config = options && options.hasOwnProperty('config') ? options.config : {};
+    this.communicationConfig = options.communicationConfig;
+    this.env = options && options.hasOwnProperty('env') ? options.env : 'development';
+    this.isDev = options && options.hasOwnProperty('isDev') ? options.isDev : (this.env === 'development');
+    this.name = constants.blockchain.clients.geth;
+    this.prettyName = "Go-Ethereum (https://github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum)";
+    this.bin = this.config.ethereumClientBin || DEFAULTS.BIN;
+    this.versSupported = DEFAULTS.VERSIONS_SUPPORTED;
+    this.httpReady = false;
+    this.wsReady = !this.config.wsRPC;
+  }
+
+  isReady(data) {
+    if (data.indexOf('WebSocket endpoint opened') > -1) {
+      this.wsReady = true;
+    }
+    return this.wsReady;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Check if the client needs some sort of 'keep alive' transactions to avoid freezing by inactivity
+   * @returns {boolean} if keep alive is needed
+   */
+  needKeepAlive() {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  commonOptions() {
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  getMiner() {
+    return new GethMiner({datadir: this.config.datadir});
+  }
+
+  getBinaryPath() {
+    return this.bin;
+  }
+
+  determineVersionCommand() {
+    return this.bin + " version";
+  }
+
+  parseVersion(rawVersionOutput) {
+    let parsed;
+    const match = rawVersionOutput.match(/Version: (.*)/);
+    if (match) {
+      parsed = match[1].trim();
+    }
+    return parsed;
+  }
+
+  isSupportedVersion(parsedVersion) {
+    let test;
+    try {
+      let v = semver(parsedVersion);
+      v = `${v.major}.${v.minor}.${v.patch}`;
+      test = semver.Range(this.versSupported).test(semver(v));
+      if (typeof test !== 'boolean') {
+        test = undefined;
+      }
+    } finally {
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-unsafe-finally
+      return test;
+    }
+  }
+
+  determineNetworkType(config) {
+    let cmd;
+    if (config.networkType === 'testnet') {
+      cmd = "--testnet";
+    } else if (config.networkType === 'rinkeby') {
+      cmd = "--rinkeby";
+    } else if (config.networkType === 'custom') {
+      cmd = "--networkid=" + config.networkId;
+    }
+    return cmd;
+  }
+
+  runAsArchival(config) {
+    return config.networkId === 1337 || config.archivalMode;
+  }
+
+  initGenesisCommmand() {
+    return "";
+  }
+
+  newAccountCommand() {
+    return "";
+  }
+
+  parseNewAccountCommandResultToAddress(data = "") {
+    if (data.match(/{(\w+)}/)) return "0x" + data.match(/{(\w+)}/)[1];
+    return "";
+  }
+
+  listAccountsCommand() {
+    return "";
+  }
+
+  parseListAccountsCommandResultToAddress(data = "") {
+    if (data.match(/{(\w+)}/)) return "0x" + data.match(/{(\w+)}/)[1];
+    return "";
+  }
+
+  parseListAccountsCommandResultToAddressList(data = "") {
+    const regex = RegExp(/{(\w+)}/g);
+    let match;
+    const accounts = [];
+    while ((match = regex.exec(data)) !== null) {
+      accounts.push('0x' + match[1]);
+    }
+    return accounts;
+  }
+
+  parseListAccountsCommandResultToAddressCount(data = "") {
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+  determineRpcOptions(config) {
+    let cmd = [];
+    cmd.push("--port=30304");
+    cmd.push("--rpc");
+    cmd.push("--rpcport=9998");
+    cmd.push("--rpcaddr=" + config.rpcHost);
+
+    if (config.rpcCorsDomain) {
+      if (config.rpcCorsDomain === '*') {
+        console.warn('==================================');
+        console.warn(__('rpcCorsDomain set to *'));
+        console.warn(__('make sure you know what you are doing'));
+        console.warn('==================================');
+      }
+      cmd.push("--rpccorsdomain=" + config.rpcCorsDomain);
+    } else {
+      console.warn('==================================');
+      console.warn(__('warning: cors is not set'));
+      console.warn('==================================');
+    }
+    return cmd;
+  }
+
+  determineWsOptions(config, communicationConfig) {
+    let cmd = [];
+    if (config.wsRPC) {
+      cmd.push("--ws");
+
+      cmd.push(`--wsport=${communicationConfig.connection.port || config.wsPost++}`);
+      cmd.push(`--wsaddr=${communicationConfig.connection.host || config.wsHost++}`);
+
+      if (config.wsOrigins) {
+        if (config.wsOrigins === '*') {
+          console.warn('==================================');
+          console.warn(__('wsOrigins set to *'));
+          console.warn(__('make sure you know what you are doing'));
+          console.warn('==================================');
+        }
+        cmd.push("--wsorigins=" + config.wsOrigins);
+      } else {
+        console.warn('==================================');
+        console.warn(__('warning: wsOrigins is not set'));
+        console.warn('==================================');
+      }
+    }
+    return cmd;
+  }
+
+  initDevChain(datadir, callback) {
+    callback();
+  }
+
+  mainCommand(address, done) {
+    let self = this;
+    let config = this.config;
+    let rpc_api = this.config.rpcApi;
+    let ws_api = this.config.wsApi;
+    let args = [];
+    async.series([
+      function commonOptions(callback) {
+        let cmd = self.commonOptions();
+        args = args.concat(cmd);
+        callback(null, cmd);
+      },
+      function wsOptions(callback) {
+        let cmd = self.determineWsOptions(self.config, self.communicationConfig);
+        args = args.concat(cmd);
+        callback(null, cmd);
+      },
+      function dontGetPeers(callback) {
+        if (config.nodiscover) {
+          args.push("--nodiscover");
+          return callback(null, "--nodiscover");
+        }
+        callback(null, "");
+      },
+     function maxPeers(callback) {
+        let cmd = "--maxpeers=" + config.maxpeers;
+        args.push(cmd);
+        callback(null, cmd);
+      },
+      function bootnodes(callback) {
+        if (config.bootnodes && config.bootnodes !== "" && config.bootnodes !== []) {
+          args.push("--bootnodes=" + config.bootnodes);
+          return callback(null, "--bootnodes=" + config.bootnodes);
+        }
+        callback("");
+      },
+      function whisper(callback) {
+        rpc_api.push('shh');
+        if (ws_api.indexOf('shh') === -1) {
+          ws_api.push('shh');
+        }
+        args.push("--shh");
+        return callback(null, "--shh ");
+      },
+      function rpcApi(callback) {
+        args.push('--rpcapi=' + rpc_api.join(','));
+        callback(null, '--rpcapi=' + rpc_api.join(','));
+      },
+      function wsApi(callback) {
+        args.push('--wsapi=' + ws_api.join(','));
+        callback(null, '--wsapi=' + ws_api.join(','));
+      }
+    ], function(err) {
+      if (err) {
+        throw new Error(err.message);
+      }
+      return done(self.bin, args);
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = WhisperGethClient;
+