diff --git a/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js b/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
index 45daa575..8226a4a4 100644
--- a/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
+++ b/lib/cmds/blockchain/blockchain.js
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ var Blockchain = function(options) {
     maxpeers: ((this.blockchainConfig.maxpeers === 0) ? 0 : (this.blockchainConfig.maxpeers || 25)),
     bootnodes: this.blockchainConfig.bootnodes || "",
     rpcApi: (this.blockchainConfig.rpcApi || ['eth', 'web3', 'net']),
+    wsHost: this.blockchainConfig.wsHost || 'localhost',
+    wsPort: this.blockchainConfig.wsPort || 8546,
+    wsOrigins: this.blockchainConfig.wsOrigins || false,
+    wsApi: (this.blockchainConfig.wsApi || ['eth', 'web3', 'net', 'shh']),
     vmdebug: this.blockchainConfig.vmdebug || false
   };
 
diff --git a/lib/cmds/blockchain/geth_commands.js b/lib/cmds/blockchain/geth_commands.js
index 8712a30f..57d87dc2 100644
--- a/lib/cmds/blockchain/geth_commands.js
+++ b/lib/cmds/blockchain/geth_commands.js
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ class GethCommands {
     if (config.rpcCorsDomain) {
       if (config.rpcCorsDomain === '*') {
         console.log('==================================');
+        console.log('rpcCorsDomain set to *');
         console.log('make sure you know what you are doing');
         console.log('==================================');
       }
@@ -88,10 +89,34 @@ class GethCommands {
     return cmd;
   }
 
+  determineWsOptions(config) {
+    let cmd = "";
+
+    cmd += "--ws ";
+    cmd += "--wsport " + config.wsPort + " ";
+    cmd += "--wsaddr " + config.wsHost + " ";
+    if (config.wsOrigins) {
+      if (config.wsOrigins === '*') {
+        console.log('==================================');
+        console.log('rpcCorsDomain set to *');
+        console.log('make sure you know what you are doing');
+        console.log('==================================');
+      }
+      cmd += "--wsorigins \"" + config.wsOrigins + "\" ";
+    } else {
+      console.log('==================================');
+      console.log('warning: cors is not set');
+      console.log('==================================');
+    }
+
+    return cmd;
+  }
+
   mainCommand(address, done) {
     let self = this;
     let config = this.config;
     let rpc_api = (this.config.rpcApi || ['eth', 'web3', 'net']);
+    let ws_api = (this.config.wsApi || ['eth', 'web3', 'net']);
 
     async.series([
       function commonOptions(callback) {
@@ -102,6 +127,10 @@ class GethCommands {
         let cmd = self.determineRpcOptions(self.config);
         callback(null, cmd);
       },
+      function wsOptions(callback) {
+        let cmd = self.determineWsOptions(self.config);
+        callback(null, cmd);
+      },
       function dontGetPeers(callback) {
         if (config.nodiscover) {
           return callback(null, "--nodiscover");
@@ -133,6 +162,7 @@ class GethCommands {
       function whisper(callback) {
         if (config.whisper) {
           rpc_api.push('shh');
+          ws_api.push('shh');
           return callback(null, "--shh ");
         }
         callback("");
@@ -140,6 +170,9 @@ class GethCommands {
       function rpcApi(callback) {
         callback(null, '--rpcapi "' + rpc_api.join(',') + '"');
       },
+      function wsApi(callback) {
+        callback(null, '--wsapi "' + ws_api.join(',') + '"');
+      },
       function accountToUnlock(callback) {
         let accountAddress = "";
         if(config.hasOwnProperty('address') && config.account.hasOwnProperty('address')) {
diff --git a/lib/contracts/code_generator.js b/lib/contracts/code_generator.js
index 54850098..16a58a59 100644
--- a/lib/contracts/code_generator.js
+++ b/lib/contracts/code_generator.js
@@ -185,9 +185,11 @@ class CodeGenerator {
 
     if (!useEmbarkJS || self.storageConfig === {}) return "";
 
+    result += Templates.define_when_env_loaded();
+
     if (self.storageConfig.provider === 'ipfs' && self.storageConfig.enabled === true) {
       let block = "\nEmbarkJS.Storage.setProvider('" + self.storageConfig.provider + "', {server: '" + self.storageConfig.host + "', port: '" + self.storageConfig.port + "', getUrl: '" + self.storageConfig.getUrl + "'});";
-      result += Templates.define_when_env_loaded({block: block});
+      result += Templates.exec_when_env_loaded({block: block});
     }
 
     return result;
@@ -203,18 +205,25 @@ class CodeGenerator {
     result += Templates.define_when_env_loaded();
 
     let block;
+    // TODO: refactor this
     if (self.communicationConfig.provider === 'whisper' && self.communicationConfig.enabled === true) {
-      block = "\nEmbarkJS.Messages.setProvider('" + self.communicationConfig.provider + "');";
-      result += Templates.define_when_env_loaded({block: block});
-    } else if (self.communicationConfig.provider === 'orbit' && self.communicationConfig.enabled === true) {
-      if (self.communicationConfig.host === undefined && self.communicationConfig.port === undefined) {
+      if (self.communicationConfig.connection === undefined) {
         block = "\nEmbarkJS.Messages.setProvider('" + self.communicationConfig.provider + "');";
       } else {
-        block = "\nEmbarkJS.Messages.setProvider('" + self.communicationConfig.provider + "', {server: '" + self.communicationConfig.host + "', port: '" + self.communicationConfig.port + "'});";
+        block = "\nEmbarkJS.Messages.setProvider('" + self.communicationConfig.provider + "', {server: '" + self.communicationConfig.connection.host + "', port: '" + self.communicationConfig.connection.port + "', type: '" + self.communicationConfig.connection.type + "'});";
       }
-      result += Templates.define_when_env_loaded({block: block});
+      result += Templates.exec_when_env_loaded({block: block});
+    } else if (self.communicationConfig.provider === 'orbit' && self.communicationConfig.enabled === true) {
+      if (self.communicationConfig.connection === undefined) {
+        block = "\nEmbarkJS.Messages.setProvider('" + self.communicationConfig.provider + "');";
+      } else {
+        block = "\nEmbarkJS.Messages.setProvider('" + self.communicationConfig.provider + "', {server: '" + self.communicationConfig.connection.host + "', port: '" + self.communicationConfig.connection.port + "', type: '" + self.communicationConfig.connection.type + "'});";
+      }
+      result += Templates.exec_when_env_loaded({block: block});
     }
 
+    console.log(result);
+
     return result;
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/core/config.js b/lib/core/config.js
index a4a4f3d3..9ea787ee 100644
--- a/lib/core/config.js
+++ b/lib/core/config.js
@@ -160,7 +160,12 @@ Config.prototype.loadCommunicationConfigFile = function() {
     "default": {
       "enabled": true,
       "provider": "whisper",
-      "available_providers": ["whisper", "orbit"]
+      "available_providers": ["whisper", "orbit"],
+      "connection": {
+        "host": "localhost",
+        "port": 8546,
+        "type": "ws"
+      }
     }
   };
 
diff --git a/test_app/config/blockchain.json b/test_app/config/blockchain.json
index 1dcf4256..816d82c3 100644
--- a/test_app/config/blockchain.json
+++ b/test_app/config/blockchain.json
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
     "rpcCorsDomain": "http://localhost:8000",
     "account": {
       "password": "config/development/password"
-    }
+    },
+    "wsOrigins": "http://localhost:8000"
   },
   "testnet": {
     "networkType": "testnet",
diff --git a/test_app/config/communication.json b/test_app/config/communication.json
index 07c7851a..80ec2f80 100644
--- a/test_app/config/communication.json
+++ b/test_app/config/communication.json
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
   "default": {
     "enabled": true,
     "provider": "whisper",
-    "available_providers": ["whisper", "orbit"]
+    "available_providers": ["whisper", "orbit"],
+    "connection": {
+      "host": "localhost",
+      "port": 8546,
+      "type": "ws"
+    }
   }
 }