diff --git a/boilerplate/config/blockchain.yml b/boilerplate/config/blockchain.yml
index 4aa39e7b..e38eea99 100644
--- a/boilerplate/config/blockchain.yml
+++ b/boilerplate/config/blockchain.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ development:
   minerthreads: 1
   datadir: /tmp/embark
   mine_when_needed: true
+  gas_limit: 100000
   console: false
   account:
     init: true
diff --git a/tasks/deploy.coffee b/tasks/deploy.coffee
index f18cd2b6..a6d1bd4a 100644
--- a/tasks/deploy.coffee
+++ b/tasks/deploy.coffee
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ module.exports = (grunt) ->
     blockchainConfig = readYaml.sync("config/blockchain.yml")
     rpcHost   = blockchainConfig[env || "development"].rpc_host
     rpcPort   = blockchainConfig[env || "development"].rpc_port
+    gasLimit  = blockchainConfig[env || "development"].gas_limit || 100000
 
     try
       web3.setProvider(new web3.providers.HttpProvider("http://#{rpcHost}:#{rpcPort}"))
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ module.exports = (grunt) ->
       #TODO: refactor this into a common method
       if compiled_contracts.info is undefined
         for className, contract of compiled_contracts
-          contractAddress = web3.eth.sendTransaction({from: primaryAddress, data: contract.code, gas: 100000})
+          contractAddress = web3.eth.sendTransaction({from: primaryAddress, data: contract.code, gas: gasLimit})
           grunt.log.writeln("deployed #{className} at #{contractAddress}")
 
           abi = JSON.stringify(contract.info.abiDefinition)
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ module.exports = (grunt) ->
       else
         #for geth < 0.9.23
         contract = compiled_contracts
-        contractAddress = web3.eth.sendTransaction({from: primaryAddress, data: contract.code})
+        contractAddress = web3.eth.sendTransaction({from: primaryAddress, data: contract.code, gas: gasLimit})
         grunt.log.writeln("deployed at #{contractAddress}")
 
         abi = JSON.stringify(contract.info.abiDefinition)