diff --git a/lib/core/config.js b/lib/core/config.js
index 925e77fe8..1ad0c8f2c 100644
--- a/lib/core/config.js
+++ b/lib/core/config.js
@@ -282,10 +282,7 @@ Config.prototype.loadNameSystemConfigFile = function() {
     "default": {
       "available_providers": ["ens"],
       "provider": "ens",
-      "enabled": true,
-      "register": {
-        "rootDomain": "embark"
-      }
+      "enabled": true
     }
   };
 
diff --git a/lib/modules/ens/index.js b/lib/modules/ens/index.js
index f0f036a25..4cc691dc6 100644
--- a/lib/modules/ens/index.js
+++ b/lib/modules/ens/index.js
@@ -8,10 +8,9 @@ class ENS {
     this.logger = embark.logger;
     this.events = embark.events;
     this.namesConfig = embark.config.namesystemConfig;
-    this.registration = this.namesConfig.register;
+    this.registration = this.namesConfig.register || {};
     this.embark = embark;
 
-    // TODO add checks to see if config is ok
     this.addENSToEmbarkJS();
     this.configureContracts();
     this.registerEvents();
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ class ENS {
         };
         self.addSetProvider(config);
 
-        if (!self.registration || !self.registration.domains || !Object.keys(self.registration.domains).length) {
+        if (!self.registration || !self.registration.subdomains || !Object.keys(self.registration.subdomains).length) {
           return cb();
         }
         self.registerConfigDomains(config, cb);
@@ -63,7 +62,7 @@ class ENS {
       self.events.request("blockchain:contract:create",
         {abi: config.registrarAbi, address: config.registrarAddress},
         (registrar) => {
-          async.each(Object.keys(self.registration.domains), (subDomainName, eachCb) => {
+          async.each(Object.keys(self.registration.subdomains), (subDomainName, eachCb) => {
             const toSend = registrar.methods.register(utils.soliditySha3(subDomainName), defaultAccount);
 
             toSend.estimateGas().then(gasEstimated => {
@@ -112,11 +111,11 @@ class ENS {
   }
 
   configureContracts() {
-    let rootNode = namehash.hash(this.registration.rootDomain);
-
-    this.embark.registerContractConfiguration({
+    const config = {
       "default": {
-        "gas": "auto",
+        "gas": "auto"
+      },
+      "development": {
         "contracts": {
           "ENSRegistry": {
             "deploy": true,
@@ -127,17 +126,7 @@ class ENS {
             "args": ["$ENSRegistry"]
           },
           "FIFSRegistrar": {
-            "deploy": true,
-            "args": ["$ENSRegistry", rootNode],
-            "onDeploy": [
-              `ENSRegistry.methods.setOwner('${rootNode}', web3.eth.defaultAccount).send().then(() => {
-              ENSRegistry.methods.setResolver('${rootNode}', "$Resolver").send();
-              var reverseNode = web3.utils.soliditySha3(web3.eth.defaultAccount.toLowerCase().substr(2) + '.addr.reverse');
-              ENSRegistry.methods.setResolver(reverseNode, "$Resolver").send();
-              Resolver.methods.setAddr('${rootNode}', web3.eth.defaultAccount).send();
-              Resolver.methods.setName(reverseNode, '${this.registration.rootDomain}').send();
-              })`
-            ]
+            "deploy": false
           }
         }
       },
@@ -146,6 +135,9 @@ class ENS {
           "ENSRegistry": {
             "address": "0x112234455c3a32fd11230c42e7bccd4a84e02010"
           },
+          "Resolver": {
+            "deploy": false
+          },
           "FIFSRegistrar": {
             "deploy": false
           }
@@ -156,6 +148,9 @@ class ENS {
           "ENSRegistry": {
             "address": "0xe7410170f87102DF0055eB195163A03B7F2Bff4A"
           },
+          "Resolver": {
+            "deploy": false
+          },
           "FIFSRegistrar": {
             "deploy": false
           }
@@ -166,12 +161,35 @@ class ENS {
           "ENSRegistry": {
             "address": "0x314159265dd8dbb310642f98f50c066173c1259b"
           },
+          "Resolver": {
+            "deploy": false
+          },
           "FIFSRegistrar": {
             "deploy": false
           }
         }
       }
-    });
+    };
+
+    if (this.registration && this.registration.rootDomain) {
+      // Register root domain if it is defined
+      const rootNode = namehash.hash(this.registration.rootDomain);
+      config.development.contracts['FIFSRegistrar'] = {
+        "deploy": true,
+        "args": ["$ENSRegistry", rootNode],
+        "onDeploy": [
+          `ENSRegistry.methods.setOwner('${rootNode}', web3.eth.defaultAccount).send().then(() => {
+              ENSRegistry.methods.setResolver('${rootNode}', "$Resolver").send();
+              var reverseNode = web3.utils.soliditySha3(web3.eth.defaultAccount.toLowerCase().substr(2) + '.addr.reverse');
+              ENSRegistry.methods.setResolver(reverseNode, "$Resolver").send();
+              Resolver.methods.setAddr('${rootNode}', web3.eth.defaultAccount).send();
+              Resolver.methods.setName(reverseNode, '${this.registration.rootDomain}').send();
+              })`
+        ]
+      };
+    }
+
+    this.embark.registerContractConfiguration(config);
 
     this.embark.events.request("config:contractsFiles:add", this.embark.pathToFile('./contracts/ENSRegistry.sol'));
     this.embark.events.request("config:contractsFiles:add", this.embark.pathToFile('./contracts/FIFSRegistrar.sol'));
diff --git a/lib/modules/ens/register.js b/lib/modules/ens/register.js
index 6b10d4cea..b7a1d6b06 100644
--- a/lib/modules/ens/register.js
+++ b/lib/modules/ens/register.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 const namehash = require('eth-ens-namehash');
 
 function registerSubDomain(ens, registrar, resolver, defaultAccount, subdomain, rootDomain, reverseNode, address, callback) {
-  console.log('Register', arguments);
   const subnode = namehash.hash(subdomain);
   const node = namehash.hash(`${subdomain}.${rootDomain}`);
   const toSend = registrar.methods.register(subnode, defaultAccount);
diff --git a/templates/demo/config/namesystem.js b/templates/demo/config/namesystem.js
index 1b2958434..62ed62620 100644
--- a/templates/demo/config/namesystem.js
+++ b/templates/demo/config/namesystem.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ module.exports = {
     provider: "ens",
     register: {
       rootDomain: "embark.eth",
-      domains: {
+      subdomains: {
         'status': '0x1a2f3b98e434c02363f3dac3174af93c1d690914'
       }
     }