diff --git a/lib/contracts/deploy.js b/lib/contracts/deploy.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..38df563a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/contracts/deploy.js
@@ -0,0 +1,380 @@
+let async = require('async');
+//require("../utils/debug_util.js")(__filename, async);
+
+let RunCode = require('../core/runCode.js');
+
+let DeployTracker = require('./deploy_tracker.js');
+let CodeGenerator = require('./code_generator.js');
+
+class Deploy {
+  constructor(options) {
+    this.web3 = options.web3;
+    this.contractsManager = options.contractsManager;
+    this.logger = options.logger;
+    this.events = options.events;
+    this.env = options.env;
+    this.chainConfig = options.chainConfig;
+    this.plugins = options.plugins;
+    this.gasLimit = options.gasLimit;
+
+    const self = this;
+    this.events.setCommandHandler('setDashboardState', () => {
+      self.events.emit('contractsState', self.contractsManager.contractsState());
+    });
+  }
+
+  initTracker(cb) {
+    this.deployTracker = new DeployTracker({
+      logger: this.logger, chainConfig: this.chainConfig, web3: this.web3, env: this.env
+    }, cb);
+  }
+
+  determineArguments(suppliedArgs, contract) {
+    let realArgs = [], l, arg, contractName, referedContract;
+
+    let args = suppliedArgs;
+
+    if (!Array.isArray(args)) {
+      args = [];
+      let abi = contract.abiDefinition.find((abi) => abi.type === 'constructor');
+
+      for (let input of abi.inputs) {
+        let inputValue = suppliedArgs[input.name];
+        if (!inputValue) {
+          this.logger.error(input.name + " has not been defined for " + contract.className + " constructor");
+        }
+        args.push(inputValue || "");
+      }
+    }
+
+    for (l = 0; l < args.length; l++) {
+      arg = args[l];
+      if (arg[0] === "$") {
+        contractName = arg.substr(1);
+        referedContract = this.contractsManager.getContract(contractName);
+        realArgs.push(referedContract.deployedAddress);
+      } else if (Array.isArray(arg)) {
+        let subRealArgs = [];
+        for (let sub_arg of arg) {
+          if (sub_arg[0] === "$") {
+            contractName = sub_arg.substr(1);
+            referedContract = this.contractsManager.getContract(contractName);
+            subRealArgs.push(referedContract.deployedAddress);
+          } else {
+            subRealArgs.push(sub_arg);
+          }
+        }
+        realArgs.push(subRealArgs);
+      } else {
+        realArgs.push(arg);
+      }
+    }
+
+    return realArgs;
+  }
+
+  checkAndDeployContract(contract, params, callback) {
+    let self = this;
+    let realArgs;
+    contract.error = false;
+
+    if (contract.deploy === false) {
+      self.events.emit('contractsState', self.contractsManager.contractsState());
+      return callback();
+    }
+
+    realArgs = self.determineArguments(params || contract.args, contract);
+
+    if (contract.address !== undefined) {
+      try {
+        this.web3.utils.toChecksumAddress(contract.address);
+      } catch(e) {
+        self.logger.error("error deploying " + contract.className);
+        self.logger.error(e.message);
+        contract.error = e.message;
+        self.events.emit('contractsState', self.contractsManager.contractsState());
+        return callback(e.message);
+      }
+      contract.deployedAddress = contract.address;
+      self.logger.info(contract.className.bold.cyan + " already deployed at ".green + contract.address.bold.cyan);
+      if (this.deployTracker) {
+        self.deployTracker.trackContract(contract.className, contract.realRuntimeBytecode, realArgs, contract.address);
+        self.deployTracker.save();
+      }
+      self.events.emit('contractsState', self.contractsManager.contractsState());
+      return callback();
+    }
+
+    if (!this.deployTracker) {
+        return self.contractToDeploy(contract, params, callback);
+    }
+
+    let trackedContract = self.deployTracker.getContract(contract.className, contract.realRuntimeBytecode, realArgs);
+    if (!trackedContract) {
+        return self.contractToDeploy(contract, params, callback);
+    }
+
+    this.web3.eth.getCode(trackedContract.address, function(_getCodeErr, codeInChain) {
+      if (codeInChain !== "0x") {
+        self.contractAlreadyDeployed(contract, trackedContract, callback);
+      } else {
+        self.contractToDeploy(contract, params, callback);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  contractAlreadyDeployed(contract, trackedContract, callback) {
+    const self = this;
+    self.logger.info(contract.className.bold.cyan + " already deployed at ".green + trackedContract.address.bold.cyan);
+    contract.deployedAddress = trackedContract.address;
+    self.events.emit('contractsState', self.contractsManager.contractsState());
+
+    // always run contractCode so other functionality like 'afterDeploy' can also work
+    let codeGenerator = new CodeGenerator({contractsManager: self.contractsManager});
+    let contractCode = codeGenerator.generateContractCode(contract, self.gasLimit);
+    RunCode.doEval(contractCode, self.web3);
+
+    return callback();
+  }
+
+  contractToDeploy(contract, params, callback) {
+    const self = this;
+    let realArgs = self.determineArguments(params || contract.args, contract);
+
+    this.deployContract(contract, realArgs, function (err, address) {
+      if (err) {
+        return callback(new Error(err));
+      }
+      self.deployTracker.trackContract(contract.className, contract.realRuntimeBytecode, realArgs, address);
+      self.deployTracker.save();
+      self.events.emit('contractsState', self.contractsManager.contractsState());
+
+      // always run contractCode so other functionality like 'afterDeploy' can also work
+      let codeGenerator = new CodeGenerator({contractsManager: self.contractsManager});
+      let contractCode = codeGenerator.generateContractCode(contract, self.gasLimit);
+      RunCode.doEval(contractCode, self.web3);
+
+      if (contract.onDeploy !== undefined) {
+        self.logger.info('executing onDeploy commands');
+
+        let contractCode = codeGenerator.generateContractCode(contract, self.gasLimit);
+        RunCode.doEval(contractCode, self.web3);
+
+        let withErrors = false;
+        let regex = /\$\w+/g;
+        let onDeployCode = contract.onDeploy.map((cmd) => {
+          let realCmd = cmd.replace(regex, (match) => {
+            let referedContractName = match.slice(1);
+            let referedContract = self.contractsManager.getContract(referedContractName);
+            if (!referedContract) {
+              self.logger.error('error executing onDeploy for ' + contract.className);
+              self.logger.error(referedContractName + ' does not exist');
+              self.logger.error("error running onDeploy: " + cmd);
+              withErrors = true;
+              return;
+            }
+            if (referedContract && referedContract.deploy === false) {
+              self.logger.error('error executing onDeploy for ' + contract.className);
+              self.logger.error(referedContractName + " exists but has been set to not deploy");
+              self.logger.error("error running onDeploy: " + cmd);
+              withErrors = true;
+              return;
+            }
+            if (referedContract && !referedContract.deployedAddress) {
+              self.logger.error('error executing onDeploy for ' + contract.className);
+              self.logger.error("couldn't find a valid address for " + referedContractName + ". has it been deployed?");
+              self.logger.error("error running onDeploy: " + cmd);
+              withErrors = true;
+              return;
+            }
+            return referedContract.deployedAddress;
+          });
+          return realCmd;
+        });
+
+        if (withErrors) {
+          contract.error = "onDeployCmdError";
+          return callback(new Error("error running onDeploy"));
+        }
+
+        // TODO: convert to for to avoid repeated callback
+        for(let cmd of onDeployCode) {
+          self.logger.info("executing: " + cmd);
+          try {
+            RunCode.doEval(cmd, self.web3);
+          } catch(e) {
+            if (e.message.indexOf("invalid opcode") >= 0) {
+              self.logger.error('the transaction was rejected; this usually happens due to a throw or a require, it can also happen due to an invalid operation');
+            }
+            return callback(new Error(e));
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      callback();
+    });
+  }
+
+  deployContract(contract, params, callback) {
+    let self = this;
+    let accounts = [];
+    let contractParams = (params || contract.args).slice();
+    let contractCode = contract.code;
+    let deploymentAccount = self.web3.eth.defaultAccount;
+    let deployObject;
+
+    async.waterfall([
+      function getAccounts(next) {
+        self.web3.eth.getAccounts(function (err, _accounts) {
+          if (err) {
+            return next(new Error(err));
+          }
+          accounts = _accounts;
+
+          // applying deployer account configuration, if any
+          if (typeof contract.fromIndex == 'number') {
+            deploymentAccount = accounts[contract.fromIndex];
+            if (deploymentAccount === undefined) {
+              return next("error deploying " + contract.className + ": no account found at index " + contract.fromIndex + " check the config");
+            }
+          }
+          if (typeof contract.from == 'string' && typeof contract.fromIndex != 'undefined') {
+            self.logger.warn('Both "from" and "fromIndex" are defined for contract "'+contract.className+'". Using "from" as deployer account.');
+          }
+          if (typeof contract.from == 'string') {
+            deploymentAccount = contract.from;
+          }
+
+          deploymentAccount = deploymentAccount || accounts[0];
+          next();
+        });
+      },
+      function doLinking(next) {
+        // Applying linked contracts
+        let contractsList = self.contractsManager.listContracts();
+        for (let contractObj of contractsList) {
+          let filename = contractObj.filename;
+          let deployedAddress = contractObj.deployedAddress;
+          if (deployedAddress) {
+            deployedAddress = deployedAddress.substr(2);
+          }
+          let linkReference = '__' + filename + ":" + contractObj.className;
+          if (contractCode.indexOf(linkReference) < 0) {
+            continue;
+          }
+          if (linkReference.length > 40) {
+            return next(new Error(linkReference + " is too long, try reducing the path of the contract (" + filename + ") and/or its name " + contractObj.className));
+          }
+          let toReplace = linkReference + "_".repeat(40 - linkReference.length);
+          if (deployedAddress === undefined) {
+            let libraryName = contractObj.className;
+            return next(new Error(contract.className + " needs " + libraryName + " but an address was not found, did you deploy it or configured an address?"));
+          }
+          contractCode = contractCode.replace(new RegExp(toReplace, "g"), deployedAddress);
+        }
+        // saving code changes back to contract object
+        contract.code = contractCode;
+        next();
+      },
+      function applyBeforeDeploy(next) {
+        let beforeDeployPlugins = self.plugins.getPluginsFor('beforeDeploy');
+
+        //self.logger.info("applying beforeDeploy plugins...", beforeDeployPlugins.length);
+        async.eachSeries(beforeDeployPlugins, (plugin, eachPluginCb) => {
+          self.logger.info("running beforeDeploy plugin " + plugin.name + " .");
+
+          // calling each beforeDeploy handler declared by the plugin
+          async.eachSeries(plugin.beforeDeploy, (beforeDeployFn, eachCb) => {
+            beforeDeployFn({
+              embarkDeploy:       self,
+              pluginConfig:       plugin.pluginConfig,
+              deploymentAccount:  deploymentAccount,
+              contract:           contract,
+              callback:
+              (function(resObj){
+                contract.code = resObj.contractCode;
+                eachCb();
+              })
+            });
+          }, () => {
+            //self.logger.info('All beforeDeploy handlers of the plugin has processed.');
+            eachPluginCb();
+          });
+        }, () => {
+          //self.logger.info('All beforeDeploy plugins has been processed.');
+          contractCode = contract.code;
+          next();
+        });
+      },
+      function createDeployObject(next) {
+        let contractObject = new self.web3.eth.Contract(contract.abiDefinition);
+
+        try {
+          deployObject = contractObject.deploy({arguments: contractParams, data: "0x" + contractCode});
+        } catch(e) {
+          if (e.message.indexOf('Invalid number of parameters for "undefined"') >= 0) {
+            return next(new Error("attempted to deploy " + contract.className + " without specifying parameters"));
+          } else {
+            return next(new Error(e));
+          }
+        }
+        next();
+      },
+      function estimateCorrectGas(next) {
+        if (contract.gas === 'auto') {
+          return deployObject.estimateGas().then((gasValue) => {
+            contract.gas = gasValue;
+            next();
+          }).catch(next);
+        }
+        next();
+      },
+      function deployTheContract(next) {
+        self.logger.info("deploying " + contract.className.bold.cyan + " with ".green + contract.gas + " gas".green);
+
+        deployObject.send({
+          from: deploymentAccount,
+          gas: contract.gas,
+          gasPrice: contract.gasPrice
+        }).on('receipt', function(receipt) {
+          if (receipt.contractAddress !== undefined) {
+            self.logger.info(contract.className.bold.cyan + " deployed at ".green + receipt.contractAddress.bold.cyan);
+            contract.deployedAddress = receipt.contractAddress;
+            contract.transactionHash = receipt.transactionHash;
+            self.events.emit('contractsState', self.contractsManager.contractsState());
+            return next(null, receipt.contractAddress);
+          }
+          self.events.emit('contractsState', self.contractsManager.contractsState());
+        }).on('error', function(error) {
+          self.events.emit('contractsState', self.contractsManager.contractsState());
+          return next(new Error("error deploying =" + contract.className + "= due to error: " + error.message));
+        });
+      }
+    ], callback);
+  }
+
+  deployAll(done) {
+    let self = this;
+    this.logger.info("deploying contracts");
+
+    async.eachOfSeries(this.contractsManager.listContracts(),
+      function (contract, key, callback) {
+        self.logger.trace(arguments);
+        self.checkAndDeployContract(contract, null, callback);
+      },
+      function (err, _results) {
+        if (err) {
+          self.logger.error("error deploying contracts");
+          self.logger.error(err.message);
+          self.logger.debug(err.stack);
+        }
+        self.logger.info("finished deploying contracts");
+        self.logger.trace(arguments);
+        done(err);
+      }
+    );
+
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = Deploy;
diff --git a/lib/modules/webserver/server.js b/lib/modules/webserver/server.js
index dc2f0cfb..5871479e 100644
--- a/lib/modules/webserver/server.js
+++ b/lib/modules/webserver/server.js
@@ -73,24 +73,28 @@ class Server {
       });
     });
 
-    app.ws('/dashboard', function(ws, req) {
+    app.ws('/embark/dashboard', function(ws, req) {
       let dashboardState = { contractsState: [], environment: "", status: "", availableServices: [] };
 
+      // TODO: doesn't feel quite right, should be refactored into a shared
+      // dashboard state
+      self.events.request('setDashboardState');
+
       self.events.on('contractsState', (contracts) => {
         dashboardState.contractsState = [];
 
         contracts.forEach(function (row) {
           dashboardState.contractsState.push({contractName: row[0], address: row[1], status: row[2]});
         });
-        ws.send(dashboardState);
+        ws.send(JSON.stringify(dashboardState));
       });
       self.events.on('status', (status) => {
         dashboardState.status = status;
-        ws.send(dashboardState);
+        ws.send(JSON.stringify(dashboardState));
       });
       self.events.on('servicesState', (servicesState) => {
         dashboardState.availableServices = servicesState;
-        ws.send(dashboardState);
+        ws.send(JSON.stringify(dashboardState));
       });
     });
 
diff --git a/test_apps/contracts_app/contracts/another_storage.sol b/test_apps/contracts_app/contracts/another_storage.sol
index c3140a92..e84d2e35 100644
--- a/test_apps/contracts_app/contracts/another_storage.sol
+++ b/test_apps/contracts_app/contracts/another_storage.sol
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 pragma solidity ^0.4.24;
 contract AnotherStorage {
+
   address public simpleStorageAddress;
   address simpleStorageAddress2;
   address ens;