diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 21ea102..c7b7cea 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ geth_websocket_port: '{{ geth_rpc_port + 1 | int }}'
 geth_websocket_api: 'eth,net,web3,personal,admin'
 geth_websocket_origins: 'localhost'
 
-# Sync mode: full, fast, light
+# Sync mode: full, fast, light, snap
 geth_sync_mode: 'light'
 # Maximum number of untrusted peers that can connect
 geth_max_peers: 50
@@ -64,6 +64,12 @@ geth_trusted_peers_file: '{{ geth_cont_vol }}/data/trusted-nodes.json'
 # Any additional flags you want to provide
 geth_extra_flags: []
 
+# Some custom testnets require a custom init
+geth_init_enabled: false
+geth_init_genesis_path: '{{ geth_cont_vol }}/genesis.json'
+#geth_init_url: ~
+#geth_init_sha256: ~
+
 # Custom bootnodes
 geth_bootnodes: []
 
diff --git a/tasks/generate.yml b/tasks/generate.yml
index 470ccda..23e3497 100644
--- a/tasks/generate.yml
+++ b/tasks/generate.yml
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
       docker_container:
         name: '{{ geth_cont_name }}'
         image: '{{ geth_cont_image }}'
+        detach: false
         pull: true
         auto_remove: yes
         command: |
diff --git a/tasks/init.yml b/tasks/init.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f3af53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/init.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+---
+- name: Download genesis config file
+  get_url:
+    url: '{{ geth_init_url | mandatory }}'
+    dest: '{{ geth_init_genesis_path | mandatory }}'
+    checksum: 'sha256: {{ geth_init_sha256 | mandatory }}'
+    owner: dockremap
+    group: docker
+    mode: 0644
+
+- name: Check if chaindata was created
+  stat:
+    path: '{{ geth_cont_vol }}/data/geth/chaindata'
+  register: geth_chaindata_dir_before
+
+- name: Initialize network definition
+  when: not geth_chaindata_dir_before.stat.exists
+  block:
+    - name: Run init command with config
+      docker_container:
+        name: '{{ geth_cont_name }}-init'
+        image: '{{ geth_cont_image }}'
+        user: root
+        detach: false
+        auto_remove: true
+        volumes:
+          - '{{ geth_cont_vol }}/keys:/keys:rw'
+          - '{{ geth_cont_vol }}/data:/data:rw'
+          - '{{ geth_init_genesis_path }}:/genesis.json:rw'
+        command: |
+          {{ geth_extra_flags | join(" ") }} --datadir=/data init /genesis.json
+
+    - name: Check if chaindata was created
+      stat:
+        path: '{{ geth_cont_vol }}/data/geth/chaindata'
+      register: geth_chaindata_dir_after
+
+    - name: Verify chaindata folder was created
+      assert:
+        that: '{{ geth_chaindata_dir_after.stat.exists }}'
+        fail_msg: 'Failed to init node genesis state!'
+        quiet: true
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 61350a6..ced5975 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 - import_tasks: checks.yml
 - import_tasks: generate.yml
 - import_tasks: trusted_peers.yml
+- import_tasks: init.yml
+  when: geth_init_enabled
 - import_tasks: container.yml
 - import_tasks: firewall.yml
 - import_tasks: wrappers.yml