diff --git a/demo/spec/contracts/simple_storage_spec.js b/demo/spec/contracts/simple_storage_spec.js
index 359d9d15..343612c2 100644
--- a/demo/spec/contracts/simple_storage_spec.js
+++ b/demo/spec/contracts/simple_storage_spec.js
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 var Embark = require('embark-framework');
+var ethersim = require('ethersim');
+var web3 = require('web3');
 Embark.init();
 Embark.blockchainConfig.loadConfigFile('config/blockchain.yml');
 Embark.contractsConfig.loadConfigFile('config/contracts.yml');
@@ -6,7 +8,17 @@ Embark.contractsConfig.loadConfigFile('config/contracts.yml');
 var files = ["app/contracts/simple_storage.sol"];
 
 Embark.contractsConfig.init(files, 'development');
-var EmbarkSpec = Embark.tests(files);
+
+var Manager = ethersim.Manager;
+var Provider = ethersim.Provider;
+
+console.log("initializing");
+var manager = new Manager();
+
+web3.setProvider(new Provider(manager));
+abi = Embark.deployContracts('development', files, "/tmp/abi.js", "chains.json", web3);
+console.log(abi);
+eval(abi);
 
 describe("SimpleStorage", function() {
   beforeAll(function() {
diff --git a/lib/blockchain.js b/lib/blockchain.js
index c4687831..9ab5deaf 100644
--- a/lib/blockchain.js
+++ b/lib/blockchain.js
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ Blockchain.prototype.run_command = function(address, use_tmp) {
     cmd += "--unlock " + address + " ";
   }
 
-  if (config.bootNodes.boot == true){
+  if (config.bootNodes !== undefined && config.bootNodes.boot == true){
     cmd += "--bootnodes ";
     for (var i = 0; i < config.bootNodes.enodes.length; i++){
       cmd += config.bootNodes.enodes[i] + " ";
diff --git a/lib/compiler.js b/lib/compiler.js
index 7593f0e1..253bbc13 100644
--- a/lib/compiler.js
+++ b/lib/compiler.js
@@ -10,15 +10,6 @@ Compiler = function(blockchainConfig) {
 
 Compiler.prototype.init = function(env) {
   var config = this.blockchainConfig.config(env);
-
-  try {
-    web3.setProvider(new web3.providers.HttpProvider("http://" + config.rpcHost + ":" + config.rpcPort));
-    primaryAddress = web3.eth.coinbase;
-    web3.eth.defaultAccount = primaryAddress;
-  } catch (e) {
-    throw new Error("can't connect to " + config.rpcHost + ":" + config.rpcPort + " check if an ethereum node is running");
-  }
-
   console.log("address is : " + primaryAddress);
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/deploy.js b/lib/deploy.js
index d75f7e31..9cabca33 100644
--- a/lib/deploy.js
+++ b/lib/deploy.js
@@ -32,35 +32,68 @@ Deploy = function(env, contractFiles, blockchainConfig, contractsConfig, chainMa
   console.log("primary account address is : " + primaryAddress);
 };
 
-Deploy.prototype.deploy_contract = function(contractObject, contractParams) {
-  var transactionHash = contractObject["new"].apply(contractObject, contractParams).transactionHash;
-  var receipt = null;
-  var time = 0;
-  while ((receipt = web3.eth.getTransactionReceipt(transactionHash)) === null || receipt.contractAddress === null) {
-    sleep(1000);
-    time += 1;
-    if (time >= this.blockchainConfig.deployTimeout) {
-      return false;
+Deploy.prototype.deploy_contract = function(contractObject, contractParams, cb) {
+  console.log("called deploy_contract");
+  var callback = function(e, contract) {
+    console.log("got receipt");
+    console.log(arguments);
+    if(!e && contract.address !== undefined) {
+      console.log("Contract mined! Address: " + contract.address);
+      cb(contract.address);
     }
-  }
-  return receipt;
+    else {
+      console.log("error deploying");
+      exit();
+    }
+  };
+
+  contractParams.push(callback);
+
+  contractObject["new"].apply(contractObject, contractParams);
+
+  //var transactionHash = contractObject["new"].apply(contractObject, contractParams).transactionHash;
+  //var receipt = null;
+  //var time = 0;
+  //while ((receipt = web3.eth.getTransactionReceipt(transactionHash)) === null || receipt.contractAddress === null) {
+  //  sleep(1000);
+  //  time += 1;
+  //  if (time >= this.blockchainConfig.deployTimeout) {
+  //    return false;
+  //  }
+  //}
+  //return receipt;
 }
 
-Deploy.prototype.deploy_contracts = function(env) {
+Deploy.prototype.deploy_contracts = function(env, cb) {
   this.contractsManager.compileContracts(env);
-  all_contracts = this.contractsManager.all_contracts;
+  var all_contracts = this.contractsManager.all_contracts;
   this.contractDB = this.contractsManager.contractDB;
-  contractDependencies = this.contractsManager.contractDependencies;
-
   this.deployedContracts = {};
 
-  for (k = 0; k < all_contracts.length; k++) {
-    className = all_contracts[k];
-    contract = this.contractDB[className];
+  this.deploy_contract_list(all_contracts.length, env, all_contracts, cb);
+}
+
+Deploy.prototype.deploy_contract_list = function(index, env, all_contracts, cb) {
+  if(index === 0) {
+    cb();
+  }
+  else {
+    var _this = this;
+    this.deploy_contract_list(index - 1, env, all_contracts, function() {
+      var className = all_contracts[index - 1];
+      _this.deploy_a_contract(env, className, cb);
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+Deploy.prototype.deploy_a_contract = function(env, className, cb) {
+    var contractDependencies = this.contractsManager.contractDependencies;
+    var contract = this.contractDB[className];
 
     if (contract.deploy === false) {
       console.log("skipping " + className);
-      continue;
+      cb();
+      return;
     }
 
     var realArgs = [];
@@ -78,6 +111,7 @@ Deploy.prototype.deploy_contracts = function(env) {
 
       //console.log("contract " + className + " at " + contractAddress);
       console.log("contract " + className + " at " + contract.address);
+      cb();
     }
     else {
       var chainContract = this.chainManager.getContract(className, contract.compiled.code, realArgs);
@@ -86,6 +120,7 @@ Deploy.prototype.deploy_contracts = function(env) {
         console.log("contract " + className + " is unchanged and already deployed at " + chainContract.address);
         this.deployedContracts[className] = chainContract.address;
         this.execute_cmds(contract.onDeploy);
+        cb();
       }
       else {
 
@@ -101,31 +136,34 @@ Deploy.prototype.deploy_contracts = function(env) {
 
         console.log('trying to obtain ' + className + ' address...');
 
-        while((receipt = this.deploy_contract(contractObject, contractParams)) === false) {
-          console.log("timeout... failed to deploy contract.. retrying...");
-        }
+        var _this = this;
+        this.deploy_contract(contractObject, contractParams, function(contractAddress) {
+          console.log("response!");
 
-        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.chainManager.addContract(className, contract.compiled.code, realArgs, contractAddress);
+            _this.chainManager.save();
+          }
 
-        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.chainManager.addContract(className, contract.compiled.code, realArgs, contractAddress);
-          this.chainManager.save();
-        }
+          _this.deployedContracts[className] = contractAddress;
 
-        this.deployedContracts[className] = contractAddress;
+          _this.execute_cmds(contract.onDeploy);
 
-        this.execute_cmds(contract.onDeploy);
+          cb();
+        });
+
+        //while((receipt = this.deploy_contract(contractObject, contractParams)) === false) {
+        //  console.log("timeout... failed to deploy contract.. retrying...");
+        //}
       }
     }
-  }
-
 };
 
 Deploy.prototype.execute_cmds = function(cmds) {
@@ -147,11 +185,14 @@ Deploy.prototype.execute_cmds = function(cmds) {
   }
 }
 
-Deploy.prototype.generate_abi_file = function() {
+Deploy.prototype.generate_abi_file = function(web3) {
   var result;
 
-  result = "web3.setProvider(new web3.providers.HttpProvider('http://" + this.blockchainConfig.rpcHost + ":" + this.blockchainConfig.rpcPort + "'));";
-  result += "web3.eth.defaultAccount = web3.eth.accounts[0];";
+  result = "";
+  if (web3 === undefined) {
+    result = "web3.setProvider(new web3.providers.HttpProvider('http://" + this.blockchainConfig.rpcHost + ":" + this.blockchainConfig.rpcPort + "'));";
+    result += "web3.eth.defaultAccount = web3.eth.accounts[0];";
+  }
 
   for(className in this.deployedContracts) {
     var deployedContract = this.deployedContracts[className];
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index fcc82d3b..b41ba260 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ var syncMe = require('sync-me');
 var methodmissing = require('methodmissing');
 var jasmine = require('jasmine');
 
-var Tests = require('./test.js');
+//var Tests = require('./test.js');
 var Blockchain = require('./blockchain.js');
 var Deploy = require('./deploy.js');
 var Release = require('./ipfs.js');
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ Embark = {
     this.chainManager     = (new ChainManager());
   },
 
-  tests: function(contractFiles) {
-    return new Tests(this.contractsConfig, contractFiles);
-  },
+  //tests: function() {
+  //  return new Tests();
+  //},
 
   startBlockchain: function(env, use_tmp) {
     var chain = new Blockchain(this.blockchainConfig.config(env));
@@ -45,13 +45,16 @@ Embark = {
     return chain.getStartChainCommand(use_tmp);
   },
 
-  deployContracts: function(env, contractFiles, destFile, chainFile) {
+  deployContracts: function(env, contractFiles, destFile, chainFile, cb) {
     this.contractsConfig.init(contractFiles, env);
 
     this.chainManager.loadConfigFile(chainFile)
     var deploy = new Deploy(env, contractFiles, this.blockchainConfig.config(env), this.contractsConfig, this.chainManager);
-    deploy.deploy_contracts(env);
-    return deploy.generate_abi_file(destFile);
+    deploy.deploy_contracts(env, function() {
+      console.log("contracts deployed; generating abi file");
+      var result = deploy.generate_abi_file();
+      cb(result);
+    });
   },
 
   geth: function(env, args) {
diff --git a/lib/test.js b/lib/test.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 6c957256..00000000
--- a/lib/test.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,73 +0,0 @@
-var python = require('python').shell;
-var mm = require('methodmissing');
-var sync = require('sync-me');
-
-py_exec = function(cmd) {
-  return sync(python, cmd)[1].trim();
-};
-
-TestContractWrapper = (function() {
-  function TestContractWrapper(contract, className, args) {
-    this.contract = contract.compiled;
-    this.className = className;
-    this.args = args;
-    this.initializeContract();
-  }
-
-  TestContractWrapper.prototype.initializeContract = function() {
-    example_abi = JSON.stringify(this.contract.info.abiDefinition);
-    example_binary = this.contract.code.slice(2);
-
-    py_exec("example_abi = '" + example_abi + "'");
-    py_exec("example_abi");
-    py_exec("example_binary = '" + example_binary + "'.decode('hex')");
-    py_exec("example_binary");
-
-    if (this.args === undefined) {
-      py_exec(this.className + "_contract = EvmContract(example_abi, example_binary, '" + this.className + "')");
-    }
-    else {
-      py_exec(this.className + "_contract = EvmContract(example_abi, example_binary, '" + this.className + "', [" + this.args.join(",") + "])");
-    }
-
-    this.contractVariable = this.className + "_contract";
-  };
-
-  TestContractWrapper.prototype.execCmd = function(method, args) {
-    var arg_list = [];
-    for (var key in args) {
-      var value = args[key];
-      arg_list.push(value);
-    }
-
-    data = py_exec(this.className + "_contract." + method + "(" + arg_list.join(",") + ")");
-    return data;
-  };
-
-  return TestContractWrapper;
-
-})();
-
-TestContract = function(contract, className, args) {
-  var wrapper = new TestContractWrapper(contract, className, args);
-  var Obj = mm(wrapper, function (key, args) {
-    return wrapper.execCmd(key, args);
-  });
-  return Obj;
-}
-
-test = function(contractsConfig, contractFiles) {
-  contractsConfig.init(contractFiles, 'development');
-
-  contractsConfig.compileContracts();
-  this.contractDB = contractsConfig.contractDB;
-}
-
-test.prototype.request = function(className, args) {
-  var contract = this.contractDB[className];
-  py_exec("from ethertdd import EvmContract");
-  return TestContract(contract, className, args);
-}
-
-module.exports = test;
-