diff --git a/embark-ui/src/actions/index.js b/embark-ui/src/actions/index.js
index 068316da..b540a998 100644
--- a/embark-ui/src/actions/index.js
+++ b/embark-ui/src/actions/index.js
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ export const RECEIVE_BLOCKS_ERROR = 'RECEIVE_BLOCKS_ERROR';
 export const FETCH_TRANSACTIONS = 'FETCH_TRANSACTIONS';
 export const RECEIVE_TRANSACTIONS = 'RECEIVE_TRANSACTIONS';
 export const RECEIVE_TRANSACTIONS_ERROR = 'RECEIVE_TRANSACTIONS_ERROR';
+// BlockHeader
+export const INIT_BLOCK_HEADER = 'INIT_BLOCK_HEADER';
 
 export function fetchAccounts() {
   return {
@@ -119,3 +121,9 @@ export function receiveTransactionsError() {
     type: RECEIVE_TRANSACTIONS_ERROR
   };
 }
+
+export function initBlockHeader(){
+  return {
+    type: INIT_BLOCK_HEADER
+  };
+}
diff --git a/embark-ui/src/api/index.js b/embark-ui/src/api/index.js
index 4ab0c14d..ab46e38f 100644
--- a/embark-ui/src/api/index.js
+++ b/embark-ui/src/api/index.js
@@ -1,24 +1,26 @@
 import axios from "axios";
 import constants from '../constants';
 
-const BASE_URL = 'http://localhost:8000/embark-api';
-
 export function fetchAccounts() {
-  return axios.get(constants.httpEndpoint + '/blockchain/accounts');
+  return axios.get(`${constants.httpEndpoint}/blockchain/accounts`);
 }
 
 export function fetchBlocks(from) {
-  return axios.get(`${BASE_URL}/blockchain/blocks`, {params: {from}});
+  return axios.get(`${constants.httpEndpoint}/blockchain/blocks`, {params: {from}});
 }
 
 export function fetchTransactions(blockFrom) {
-  return axios.get(`${BASE_URL}/blockchain/transactions`, {params: {blockFrom}});
+  return axios.get(`${constants.httpEndpoint}/blockchain/transactions`, {params: {blockFrom}});
 }
 
 export function fetchProcesses() {
-  return axios.get(constants.httpEndpoint + '/processes');
+  return axios.get(`${constants.httpEndpoint}/processes`);
 }
 
 export function fetchProcessLogs(processName) {
   return axios.get(`${constants.httpEndpoint}/process-logs/${processName}`);
 }
+
+export function webSocketBlockHeader() {
+  return new WebSocket(`${constants.wsEndpoint}/blockchain/blockHeader`);
+}
diff --git a/embark-ui/src/containers/AppContainer.js b/embark-ui/src/containers/AppContainer.js
index 55f1c1e2..94c83767 100644
--- a/embark-ui/src/containers/AppContainer.js
+++ b/embark-ui/src/containers/AppContainer.js
@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
 import {ConnectedRouter} from "connected-react-router";
+import PropTypes from "prop-types";
+import {connect} from 'react-redux';
 import React, {Component} from 'react';
 
 import history from '../history';
 import Layout from '../components/Layout';
 import routes from '../routes';
+import {initBlockHeader} from '../actions';
 
 class AppContainer extends Component {
+  componentDidMount() {
+    this.props.initBlockHeader();
+  }
+
   render() {
     return (
       <ConnectedRouter history={history}>
@@ -17,4 +24,13 @@ class AppContainer extends Component {
   }
 }
 
-export default AppContainer;
+AppContainer.propTypes = {
+  initBlockHeader: PropTypes.func
+};
+
+export default connect(
+  null,
+  {
+    initBlockHeader
+  },
+)(AppContainer);
diff --git a/embark-ui/src/containers/BlocksContainer.js b/embark-ui/src/containers/BlocksContainer.js
index c939dbd7..985990a8 100644
--- a/embark-ui/src/containers/BlocksContainer.js
+++ b/embark-ui/src/containers/BlocksContainer.js
@@ -9,9 +9,7 @@ import LoadMore from '../components/LoadMore';
 
 class BlocksContainer extends Component {
   componentDidMount() {
-    if (!this.props.blocks.data) {
-      this.props.fetchBlocks();
-    }
+    this.props.fetchBlocks();
   }
 
   loadMore() {
diff --git a/embark-ui/src/containers/TransactionsContainer.js b/embark-ui/src/containers/TransactionsContainer.js
index 9298fc9f..7e7edc81 100644
--- a/embark-ui/src/containers/TransactionsContainer.js
+++ b/embark-ui/src/containers/TransactionsContainer.js
@@ -9,9 +9,7 @@ import LoadMore from '../components/LoadMore';
 
 class TransactionsContainer extends Component {
   componentDidMount() {
-    if (!this.props.transactions.data) {
-      this.props.fetchTransactions();
-    }
+    this.props.fetchTransactions();
   }
 
   loadMore() {
diff --git a/embark-ui/src/reducers/accountsReducer.js b/embark-ui/src/reducers/accountsReducer.js
index c1f76a73..a89cde48 100644
--- a/embark-ui/src/reducers/accountsReducer.js
+++ b/embark-ui/src/reducers/accountsReducer.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {RECEIVE_ACCOUNTS, RECEIVE_ACCOUNTS_ERROR} from "../actions";
 export default function accounts(state = {}, action) {
   switch (action.type) {
     case RECEIVE_ACCOUNTS:
-      return {...state, data: [...state.data || [], ...action.accounts.data]};
+      return Object.assign({}, state, {data: action.accounts.data});
     case RECEIVE_ACCOUNTS_ERROR:
       return Object.assign({}, state, {error: true});
     default:
diff --git a/embark-ui/src/reducers/blocksReducer.js b/embark-ui/src/reducers/blocksReducer.js
index 5ffac690..9b4c8de2 100644
--- a/embark-ui/src/reducers/blocksReducer.js
+++ b/embark-ui/src/reducers/blocksReducer.js
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@ import {RECEIVE_BLOCKS, RECEIVE_BLOCKS_ERROR} from "../actions";
 export default function blocks(state = {}, action) {
   switch (action.type) {
     case RECEIVE_BLOCKS:
-      return {...state, data: [...state.data || [], ...action.blocks.data]};
+      return {
+        ...state, data: [...state.data || [], ...action.blocks.data]
+          .filter((block, index, self) => index === self.findIndex((t) => t.number === block.number))
+          .sort((a, b) => b.number - a.number)
+      };
     case RECEIVE_BLOCKS_ERROR:
       return Object.assign({}, state, {error: true});
     default:
diff --git a/embark-ui/src/reducers/transactionsReducer.js b/embark-ui/src/reducers/transactionsReducer.js
index 36b6a4b7..e2f3b290 100644
--- a/embark-ui/src/reducers/transactionsReducer.js
+++ b/embark-ui/src/reducers/transactionsReducer.js
@@ -1,9 +1,19 @@
 import {RECEIVE_TRANSACTIONS, RECEIVE_TRANSACTIONS_ERROR} from "../actions";
 
+const BN_FACTOR = 10000;
+
 export default function transactions(state = {}, action) {
   switch (action.type) {
     case RECEIVE_TRANSACTIONS:
-      return {...state, data: [...state.data || [], ...action.transactions.data]};
+      return {
+        ...state, data: [...state.data || [], ...action.transactions.data]
+          .filter((tx, index, self) => index === self.findIndex((t) => (
+            t.blockNumber === tx.blockNumber && t.transactionIndex === tx.transactionIndex
+          )))
+          .sort((a, b) => (
+            ((BN_FACTOR * b.blockNumber) + b.transactionIndex) - ((BN_FACTOR * a.blockNumber) + a.transactionIndex))
+          )
+      };
     case RECEIVE_TRANSACTIONS_ERROR:
       return Object.assign({}, state, {error: true});
     default:
diff --git a/embark-ui/src/sagas/index.js b/embark-ui/src/sagas/index.js
index e242bf3a..b1868d72 100644
--- a/embark-ui/src/sagas/index.js
+++ b/embark-ui/src/sagas/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as actions from '../actions';
 import * as api from '../api';
-import {all, call, fork, put, takeEvery} from 'redux-saga/effects';
+import {eventChannel} from 'redux-saga';
+import {all, call, fork, put, takeEvery, take} from 'redux-saga/effects';
 
 export function *fetchTransactions(payload) {
   try {
@@ -67,8 +68,34 @@ export function *watchFetchProcessLogs() {
   yield takeEvery(actions.FETCH_PROCESS_LOGS, fetchProcessLogs);
 }
 
+function createChannel(socket) {
+  return eventChannel(emit => {
+    socket.onmessage = ((message) => {
+      emit(JSON.parse(message.data));
+    });
+    return () => {
+      socket.close();
+    };
+  });
+}
+
+export function *initBlockHeader() {
+  const socket = api.webSocketBlockHeader();
+  const channel = yield call(createChannel, socket);
+  while (true) {
+    yield take(channel);
+    yield put({type: actions.FETCH_BLOCKS});
+    yield put({type: actions.FETCH_TRANSACTIONS});
+  }
+}
+
+export function *watchInitBlockHeader() {
+  yield takeEvery(actions.INIT_BLOCK_HEADER, initBlockHeader);
+}
+
 export default function *root() {
   yield all([
+    fork(watchInitBlockHeader),
     fork(watchFetchAccounts),
     fork(watchFetchProcesses),
     fork(watchFetchProcessLogs),
diff --git a/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/index.js b/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/index.js
index e44da745..0d6eff59 100644
--- a/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/index.js
+++ b/lib/modules/blockchain_connector/index.js
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class BlockchainConnector {
           self.isWeb3Ready = true;
           self.events.emit(WEB3_READY);
           self.registerWeb3Object();
+          self.subscribeToNewBlockHeaders();
         });
       });
     });
@@ -204,9 +205,7 @@ class BlockchainConnector {
                   callback();
                 });
               }
-            ], function () {
-              eachCb();
-            });
+            ], eachCb);
           }, function () {
             res.send(results);
           });
@@ -233,6 +232,17 @@ class BlockchainConnector {
         self.getTransactions(blockFrom, blockLimit, res.send.bind(res));
       }
     );
+
+
+    plugin.registerAPICall(
+      'ws',
+      '/embark-api/blockchain/blockHeader',
+      (ws) => {
+        self.events.on('blockchain:newBlockHeaders', (block) => {
+          ws.send(JSON.stringify({block: block}), () => {});
+        });
+      }
+    );
   }
 
   getTransactions(blockFrom, blockLimit, callback) {
@@ -277,6 +287,17 @@ class BlockchainConnector {
     });
   }
 
+  subscribeToNewBlockHeaders() {
+    let self = this;
+    self.web3.eth.subscribe("newBlockHeaders", (err) => {
+      if (err) {
+        self.logger.error(err.message);
+      }
+    }).on("data", (block) => {
+      self.events.emit("blockchain:newBlockHeaders", block);
+    });
+  }
+
 
   defaultAccount() {
     return this.web3.eth.defaultAccount;
diff --git a/templates/demo/config/contracts.js b/templates/demo/config/contracts.js
index bf2164b3..00844146 100644
--- a/templates/demo/config/contracts.js
+++ b/templates/demo/config/contracts.js
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ module.exports = {
     // Blockchain node to deploy the contracts
     deployment: {
       host: "localhost", // Host of the blockchain node
-      port: 8545, // Port of the blockchain node
-      type: "rpc" // Type of connection (ws or rpc),
+      port: 8546, // Port of the blockchain node
+      type: "ws" // Type of connection (ws or rpc),
       // Accounts to use instead of the default account to populate your wallet
       /*,accounts: [
         {