diff --git a/lib/contracts/deploy_manager.js b/lib/contracts/deploy_manager.js
index 0293b97c2..04ce315f2 100644
--- a/lib/contracts/deploy_manager.js
+++ b/lib/contracts/deploy_manager.js
@@ -33,21 +33,25 @@ DeployManager.prototype.deployContracts = function(done) {
     });
     contractsManager.build(callback);
   },
-  function connectWithWeb3(contractsManager, callback) {
-    var web3;
-    if (self.web3) {
-      web3 = self.web3;
-    } else {
-      web3 = new Web3();
-      var web3Endpoint = 'http://' + self.config.blockchainConfig.rpcHost + ':' + self.config.blockchainConfig.rpcPort;
-      web3.setProvider(new web3.providers.HttpProvider(web3Endpoint));
-      if (!web3.isConnected()) {
-        self.logger.error(("Couldn't connect to " + web3Endpoint.underline + " are you sure it's on?").red);
-        self.logger.info("make sure you have an ethereum node or simulator running. e.g 'embark blockchain'".magenta);
-        return callback(Error("error connecting to blockchain node"));
-      }
+  function checkWeb3IsConnected(contractsManager, callback) {
+    if (!self.web3) {
+      return callback(Error("no web3 instance found"));
+    }
+    if (self.web3.currentProvider.isConnected !== undefined && !self.web3.isConnected()) {
+      self.logger.error(("Couldn't connect to an Ethereum node are you sure it's on?").red);
+      self.logger.info("make sure you have an Ethereum node or simulator running. e.g 'embark blockchain'".magenta);
+      return callback(Error("error connecting to blockchain node"));
+    }
+    if (self.web3.currentProvider.isConnected === undefined) {
+      self.web3.version.getNode(function(err, version) {
+        if (err) {
+          return callback(Error("error connecting to blockchain node"));
+        }
+        return callback(null, contractsManager, self.web3);
+      });
+    } else {
+      return callback(null, contractsManager, self.web3);
     }
-    callback(null, contractsManager, web3);
   },
   function setDefaultAccount(contractsManager, web3, callback) {
     web3.eth.getAccounts(function(err, accounts) {
diff --git a/lib/core/engine.js b/lib/core/engine.js
index eee754a42..3a821ea97 100644
--- a/lib/core/engine.js
+++ b/lib/core/engine.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 var http = require('http');
+var Web3 = require('web3');
 var utils = require('./utils.js');
 
 var Events = require('./events.js');
@@ -48,7 +49,8 @@ Engine.prototype.startService = function(serviceName, _options) {
     "deployment":  this.deploymentService,
     "fileWatcher": this.fileWatchService,
     "webServer":   this.webServerService,
-    "ipfs":        this.ipfsService
+    "ipfs":        this.ipfsService,
+    "web3":        this.web3Service
   };
 
   var service = services[serviceName];
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ Engine.prototype.abiService = function(options) {
 Engine.prototype.deploymentService = function(options) {
   var self = this;
   this.deployManager = new DeployManager({
-    web3: options.web3,
+    web3: options.web3 || self.web3,
     trackContracts: options.trackContracts,
     config: this.config,
     logger: this.logger,
@@ -197,4 +199,33 @@ Engine.prototype.ipfsService = function(options) {
   });
 };
 
+Engine.prototype.web3Service = function(options) {
+  var self = this;
+  this.web3 = options.web3;
+  if (this.web3 === undefined) {
+    this.web3 = new Web3();
+    var web3Endpoint = 'http://' + this.config.blockchainConfig.rpcHost + ':' + this.config.blockchainConfig.rpcPort;
+    this.web3.setProvider(new this.web3.providers.HttpProvider(web3Endpoint));
+  }
+
+  self.servicesMonitor.addCheck('Ethereum', function(cb) {
+    if (self.web3.isConnected()) {
+      return cb({name: (self.web3.version.node.split("/")[0] + " " + self.web3.version.node.split("/")[1].split("-")[0] + " (Ethereum)"), status: 'green'});
+    } else {
+      return cb({name: "No Blockchain node found", status: 'red'});
+    }
+  });
+
+  self.servicesMonitor.addCheck('Whisper', function(cb) {
+    self.web3.version.getWhisper(function(err, res) {
+      if (err) {
+        return cb({name: 'Whisper', status: 'red'});
+      } else {
+        return cb({name: 'Whisper', status: 'green'});
+      }
+    });
+  });
+};
+
+
 module.exports = Engine;
diff --git a/lib/core/services_monitor.js b/lib/core/services_monitor.js
index 25e24c62f..f0f61b769 100644
--- a/lib/core/services_monitor.js
+++ b/lib/core/services_monitor.js
@@ -55,46 +55,6 @@ ServicesMonitor.prototype.startMonitor = function() {
     });
   }, function(err) {
   });
-  this.logger.info(JSON.stringify(this.checkState));
-};
-
-// TODO: old checks to be moved
-ServicesMonitor.prototype.check = function() {
-  var self = this;
-  async.waterfall([
-    function connectWeb3(callback) {
-      self.logger.trace('connectWeb3');
-      var web3 = new Web3();
-      var web3Endpoint = 'http://' + self.config.blockchainConfig.rpcHost + ':' + self.config.blockchainConfig.rpcPort;
-      web3.setProvider(new web3.providers.HttpProvider(web3Endpoint));
-      callback(null, web3, []);
-    },
-    function checkEthereum(web3, result, callback) {
-      self.logger.trace('checkEthereum');
-      var service;
-      if (web3.isConnected()) {
-        service = (web3.version.node.split("/")[0] + " " + web3.version.node.split("/")[1].split("-")[0] + " (Ethereum)").green;
-      } else {
-        service = "No Blockchain node found".red;
-      }
-      result.push(service);
-      callback(null, web3, result);
-    },
-    function checkWhisper(web3, result, callback) {
-      self.logger.trace('checkWhisper');
-      web3.version.getWhisper(function(err, res) {
-        var service = 'Whisper';
-        result.push(err ? service.red : service.green);
-        callback(null, result);
-      });
-    }
-  ], function(err, result) {
-    if (err) {
-      self.logger.error(err.message);
-    } else {
-      self.logger.availableServices(result);
-    }
-  });
 };
 
 module.exports = ServicesMonitor;
diff --git a/lib/dashboard/monitor.js b/lib/dashboard/monitor.js
index c1ce4c8de..b1a243c48 100644
--- a/lib/dashboard/monitor.js
+++ b/lib/dashboard/monitor.js
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ Dashboard.prototype.availableServices = function(_services) {
     services.push(_services[checkName]);
   }
 
-  console.log(services);
-
   this.progress.setContent(services.join('\n'));
   this.screen.render();
 };
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 926dc6e1d..91b671af3 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ var Embark = {
 
           engine.logger.info('dashboard start');
           engine.events.on('servicesState', function(servicesState) {
-            engine.logger.info('servicesState event');
             dashboard.monitor.availableServices(servicesState);
           });
 
@@ -105,6 +104,7 @@ var Embark = {
           engine.logger.info("loaded plugins: " + pluginList.join(", "));
         }
 
+        engine.startService("web3");
         engine.startService("pipeline");
         engine.startService("abi");
         engine.startService("deployment");