diff --git a/lib/core/config.js b/lib/core/config.js
index 954f529a..048c7f89 100644
--- a/lib/core/config.js
+++ b/lib/core/config.js
@@ -37,21 +37,24 @@ Config.prototype.loadConfigFiles = function(options) {
   this.plugins = new Plugins({plugins: this.embarkConfig.plugins, logger: this.logger, interceptLogs: interceptLogs});
   this.plugins.loadPlugins();
 
-  this.loadPipelineConfigFile();
+  this.loadEmbarkConfigFile();
   this.loadBlockchainConfigFile();
   this.loadStorageConfigFile();
   this.loadCommunicationConfigFile();
 
+  this.loadPipelineConfigFile();
+
   this.loadContractsConfigFile();
   this.loadChainTrackerFile();
   this.loadPluginContractFiles();
 };
 
 Config.prototype.reloadConfig = function() {
-  this.loadPipelineConfigFile();
+  this.loadEmbarkConfigFile();
   this.loadBlockchainConfigFile();
   this.loadStorageConfigFile();
   this.loadCommunicationConfigFile();
+  this.loadPipelineConfigFile();
   this.loadContractsConfigFile();
   this.loadChainTrackerFile();
 };
@@ -59,6 +62,10 @@ Config.prototype.reloadConfig = function() {
 Config.prototype.loadBlockchainConfigFile = function() {
   var defaultBlockchainConfig = fs.readJSONSync(this.configDir + "blockchain.json");
   this.blockchainConfig = defaultBlockchainConfig[this.env];
+
+  if (this.blockchainConfig.enabled === undefined) {
+    this.blockchainConfig.enabled = true;
+  }
 };
 
 Config.prototype.loadContractsConfigFile = function() {
@@ -103,6 +110,10 @@ Config.prototype.loadStorageConfigFile = function() {
 
   var mergedConfig = utils.recursiveMerge(defaultStorageConfig, envStorageConfig);
   this.storageConfig = mergedConfig;
+
+  if (this.storageConfig.enabled === undefined) {
+    this.storageConfig.enabled = true;
+  }
 };
 
 Config.prototype.loadCommunicationConfigFile = function() {
@@ -124,19 +135,25 @@ Config.prototype.loadCommunicationConfigFile = function() {
 
   var mergedConfig = utils.recursiveMerge(defaultCommunicationConfig, envCommunicationConfig);
   this.communicationConfig = mergedConfig;
+
+  if (this.communicationConfig.enabled === undefined) {
+    this.communicationConfig.enabled = true;
+  }
 };
 
-Config.prototype.loadPipelineConfigFile = function() {
+Config.prototype.loadEmbarkConfigFile = function() {
   var contracts = this.embarkConfig.contracts;
   this.contractsFiles = this.loadFiles(contracts);
 
+  this.buildDir  = this.embarkConfig.buildDir;
+  this.configDir = this.embarkConfig.config;
+};
+
+Config.prototype.loadPipelineConfigFile = function() {
   var assets = this.embarkConfig.app;
   for(var targetFile in assets) {
     this.assetFiles[targetFile] = this.loadFiles(assets[targetFile]);
   }
-
-  this.buildDir  = this.embarkConfig.buildDir;
-  this.configDir = this.embarkConfig.config;
 };
 
 Config.prototype.loadChainTrackerFile = function() {
@@ -163,11 +180,21 @@ Config.prototype.loadFiles = function(files) {
     return file.indexOf('.') >= 0;
   }).filter(function(file) {
     if (file === 'embark.js') {
-      readFiles.push({filename: 'web3.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(fs.embarkPath("js/web3.js")).toString(), path: fs.embarkPath("js/web3.js")});
-      readFiles.push({filename: 'ipfs.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(fs.embarkPath("js/ipfs.js")).toString(), path: fs.embarkPath("js/ipfs.js")});
-      // TODO: remove duplicated files if funcitonality is the same for storage and orbit
-      readFiles.push({filename: 'ipfs-api.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(fs.embarkPath("js/ipfs-api.min.js")).toString(), path: fs.embarkPath("js/ipfs-api.min.js")});
-      readFiles.push({filename: 'orbit.js',  content: fs.readFileSync(fs.embarkPath("js/orbit.min.js")).toString(), path: fs.embarkPath("js/orbit.min.js")});
+
+      if (self.blockchainConfig.enabled || self.communicationConfig.provider === 'whisper') {
+        readFiles.push({filename: 'web3.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(fs.embarkPath("js/web3.js")).toString(), path: fs.embarkPath("js/web3.js")});
+      }
+
+      if (self.storageConfig.enabled && self.storageConfig.provider === 'ipfs') {
+        readFiles.push({filename: 'ipfs.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(fs.embarkPath("js/ipfs.js")).toString(), path: fs.embarkPath("js/ipfs.js")});
+      }
+
+      if (self.communicationConfig.enabled && self.communicationConfig.provider === 'orbit') {
+        // TODO: remove duplicated files if functionality is the same for storage and orbit
+        readFiles.push({filename: 'ipfs-api.js',   content: fs.readFileSync(fs.embarkPath("js/ipfs-api.min.js")).toString(), path: fs.embarkPath("js/ipfs-api.min.js")});
+        readFiles.push({filename: 'orbit.js',  content: fs.readFileSync(fs.embarkPath("js/orbit.min.js")).toString(), path: fs.embarkPath("js/orbit.min.js")});
+      }
+
       readFiles.push({filename: 'embark.js', content: fs.readFileSync(fs.embarkPath("js/build/embark.bundle.js")).toString(), path: fs.embarkPath("js/build/embark.bundle.js")});
     }
   });
diff --git a/test_app/config/communication.json b/test_app/config/communication.json
index bccfad7d..264cc646 100644
--- a/test_app/config/communication.json
+++ b/test_app/config/communication.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "default": {
-    "enabled": false,
+    "enabled": true,
     "provider": "whisper"
   }
 }