diff --git a/boilerplate/chains.json b/boilerplate/chains.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0967ef42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boilerplate/chains.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{}
diff --git a/lib/deploy.js b/lib/deploy.js
index 53ddb644..81fcf08a 100644
--- a/lib/deploy.js
+++ b/lib/deploy.js
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ Deploy.prototype.deploy_contracts = function(env) {
     className = all_contracts[k];
     contract = this.contractDB[className];
 
+
     if (contract.address !== undefined) {
       this.deployedContracts[className] = contract.address;
 
@@ -65,48 +66,58 @@ Deploy.prototype.deploy_contracts = function(env) {
       console.log("contract " + className + " at " + contract.address);
     }
     else {
-      contractObject = web3.eth.contract(contract.compiled.info.abiDefinition);
+      var chainContract = this.chainManager.getContract(contract.compiled.code);
 
-      realArgs = [];
-      for (var l = 0; l < contract.args.length; l++) {
-        arg = contract.args[l];
-        if (arg[0] === "$") {
-          realArgs.push(this.deployedContracts[arg.substr(1)]);
-        } else {
-          realArgs.push(arg);
-        }
-      }
-
-      contractParams = realArgs;
-      contractParams.push({
-        from: primaryAddress,
-        data: contract.compiled.code,
-        gas: contract.gasLimit,
-        gasPrice: contract.gasPrice
-      });
-
-      console.log('trying to obtain ' + className + ' address...');
-
-      while((receipt = this.deploy_contract(contractObject, contractParams)) === false) {
-        console.log("timeout... failed to deploy contract.. retrying...");
-      }
-
-      var contractAddress = receipt.contractAddress;
-
-      if (web3.eth.getCode(contractAddress) === "0x") {
-        console.log("=========");
-        console.log("contract was deployed at " + contractAddress + " but doesn't seem to be working");
-        console.log("try adjusting your gas values");
-        console.log("=========");
+      if (chainContract != undefined) {
+        console.log("contract " + className + " is unchanged and already deployed at " + chainContract.address);
       }
       else {
+
+        contractObject = web3.eth.contract(contract.compiled.info.abiDefinition);
+
+        realArgs = [];
+        for (var l = 0; l < contract.args.length; l++) {
+          arg = contract.args[l];
+          if (arg[0] === "$") {
+            realArgs.push(this.deployedContracts[arg.substr(1)]);
+          } else {
+            realArgs.push(arg);
+          }
+        }
+
+        contractParams = realArgs;
+        contractParams.push({
+          from: primaryAddress,
+          data: contract.compiled.code,
+          gas: contract.gasLimit,
+          gasPrice: contract.gasPrice
+        });
+
+        console.log('trying to obtain ' + className + ' address...');
+
+        while((receipt = this.deploy_contract(contractObject, contractParams)) === false) {
+          console.log("timeout... failed to deploy contract.. retrying...");
+        }
+
+        var contractAddress = receipt.contractAddress;
+
+        if (web3.eth.getCode(contractAddress) === "0x") {
+          console.log("=========");
+          console.log("contract was deployed at " + contractAddress + " but doesn't seem to be working");
+          console.log("try adjusting your gas values");
+          console.log("=========");
+        }
+        else {
+          console.log("deployed " + className + " at " + contractAddress);
+        }
+
+        this.deployedContracts[className] = contractAddress;
+        this.chainManager.addContract(className, contract.compiled.code, contractAddress);
+        this.chainManager.save();
+
         console.log("deployed " + className + " at " + contractAddress);
+        this.execute_cmds(contract.onDeploy);
       }
-
-      this.deployedContracts[className] = contractAddress;
-
-      console.log("deployed " + className + " at " + contractAddress);
-      this.execute_cmds(contract.onDeploy);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index b6ce5cc1..95618130 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ var Deploy = require('./deploy.js');
 var Release = require('./ipfs.js');
 var Config = require('./config/config.js');
 var Compiler = require('./compiler.js');
+var ChainManager = require('./chain_manager.js');
 
 Embark = {
   init: function() {