diff --git a/beacon_chain/beacon_node.nim b/beacon_chain/beacon_node.nim
index f962b10c1..7a9c41889 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/beacon_node.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/beacon_node.nim
@@ -180,7 +180,11 @@ proc init*(T: type BeaconNode, conf: BeaconNodeConf): Future[BeaconNode] {.async
   var bootNodes: seq[ENode]
   for node in conf.bootstrapNodes: bootNodes.addBootstrapNode(node)
   bootNodes.loadBootstrapFile(string conf.bootstrapNodesFile)
-  bootNodes.loadBootstrapFile(conf.dataDir / "bootstrap_nodes.txt")
+
+  let persistentBootstrapFile = conf.dataDir / "bootstrap_nodes.txt"
+  if fileExists(persistentBootstrapFile):
+    bootNodes.loadBootstrapFile(persistentBootstrapFile)
+
   bootNodes = filterIt(bootNodes, it.pubkey != netKeys.pubkey)
 
   let
@@ -1036,16 +1040,22 @@ when hasPrompt:
       # createThread(t, processPromptCommands, addr p)
 
 when isMainModule:
+  when compiles(defaultChroniclesStream.output.writer):
+    defaultChroniclesStream.output.writer =
+      proc (logLevel: LogLevel, msg: LogOutputStr) {.gcsafe.} =
+        stdout.write(msg)
+
+  debug "Launching beacon node",
+        version = fullVersionStr,
+        cmdParams = commandLineParams()
+
   randomize()
 
   let config = BeaconNodeConf.load(
     version = clientId,
     copyrightBanner = clientId & "\p" & copyrights)
 
-  when compiles(defaultChroniclesStream.output.writer):
-    defaultChroniclesStream.output.writer =
-      proc (logLevel: LogLevel, msg: LogOutputStr) {.gcsafe.} =
-        stdout.write(msg)
+  debug "Configuration loaded", config
 
   if config.logLevel != LogLevel.NONE:
     setLogLevel(config.logLevel)
diff --git a/beacon_chain/conf.nim b/beacon_chain/conf.nim
index c09cbdee7..a8803e0cd 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/conf.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/conf.nim
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import
   os, options, strformat, strutils,
-  chronicles, confutils,
+  chronicles, confutils, json_serialization,
   confutils/defs, chronicles/options as chroniclesOptions,
   spec/[crypto]
 
@@ -289,3 +289,8 @@ iterator validatorKeys*(conf: BeaconNodeConf): ValidatorPrivKey =
         yield ValidatorPrivKey.init(readFile(file).string)
       except CatchableError as err:
         warn "Failed to load a validator private key", file, err = err.msg
+
+template writeValue*(writer: var JsonWriter,
+                     value: TypedInputFile|InputFile|InputDir|OutPath|OutDir|OutFile) =
+  writer.writeValue(string value)
+
diff --git a/beacon_chain/eth2_discovery.nim b/beacon_chain/eth2_discovery.nim
index 8a80c2d91..09ce4dda4 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/eth2_discovery.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/eth2_discovery.nim
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import
   os, net, strutils, strformat, parseutils,
-  chronicles, stew/result, eth/keys, eth/trie/db, eth/p2p/enode,
+  chronicles, stew/[result, objects], eth/keys, eth/trie/db, eth/p2p/enode,
   eth/p2p/discoveryv5/[enr, protocol, node, discovery_db, types],
   libp2p/[multiaddress, multicodec, peer],
   libp2p/crypto/crypto as libp2pCrypto,
@@ -93,18 +93,19 @@ proc parseBootstrapAddress*(address: TaintedString): Result[ENode, cstring] =
       var enrRec: enr.Record
       if enrRec.fromURI(string address):
         try:
+          # TODO: handle IPv6
+          let ipBytes = enrRec.get("ip", seq[byte])
+          if ipBytes.len != 4:
+            return err "Malformed ENR IP address"
           let
             ip = IpAddress(family: IpAddressFamily.IPv4,
-                           address_v4: cast[array[4, uint8]](enrRec.get("ip", int)))
-            tcpPort = Port enrRec.get("tcp", int)
-            udpPort = Port enrRec.get("udp", int)
+                           address_v4: toArray(4, ipBytes))
+            udpPort = Port enrRec.get("udp", uint16)
           var pubKey: keys.PublicKey
           if not enrRec.get(pubKey):
             return err "Failed to read public key from ENR record"
           return ok ENode(pubkey: pubkey,
-                          address: Address(ip: ip,
-                                           tcpPort: tcpPort,
-                                           udpPort: udpPort))
+                          address: Address(ip: ip, udpPort: udpPort))
         except CatchableError:
           # This will continue to the failure path below
           discard
diff --git a/beacon_chain/eth2_network.nim b/beacon_chain/eth2_network.nim
index a62713320..c5d759e5a 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/eth2_network.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/eth2_network.nim
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import
   options, tables, strutils, sequtils,
-  chronos, json_serialization, chronicles, metrics, libp2p/crypto/secp,
+  json_serialization, json_serialization/std/net,
+  metrics, chronos, chronicles, metrics, libp2p/crypto/secp,
   eth/keys, eth/p2p/enode, eth/net/nat, eth/p2p/discoveryv5/enr,
   eth2_discovery, version, conf
 
@@ -229,7 +230,7 @@ when networkBackend in [libp2p, libp2pDaemon]:
       await node.start()
 
       await sleepAsync(10.seconds)
-      if libp2p_peers.get == 0:
+      if libp2p_peers.value == 0:
         fatal "Failed to connect to any bootstrap node. Quitting"
         quit 1
 
diff --git a/beacon_chain/libp2p_backend.nim b/beacon_chain/libp2p_backend.nim
index 95529999b..e54374057 100644
--- a/beacon_chain/libp2p_backend.nim
+++ b/beacon_chain/libp2p_backend.nim
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import
-  algorithm, typetraits, net,
+  algorithm, typetraits, net as stdNet,
   stew/[varints,base58], stew/shims/[macros, tables], chronos, chronicles,
   stint, faststreams/output_stream, serialization,
-  json_serialization/std/options, eth/p2p/p2p_protocol_dsl,
-  eth/p2p/discoveryv5/node,
+  json_serialization/std/[net, options],
+  eth/[keys, async_utils], eth/p2p/[enode, p2p_protocol_dsl],
+  eth/p2p/discoveryv5/[enr, node],
   # TODO: create simpler to use libp2p modules that use re-exports
   libp2p/[switch, multistream, connection,
           multiaddress, peerinfo, peer,
@@ -208,11 +209,11 @@ proc runDiscoveryLoop*(node: Eth2Node) {.async.} =
     await sleepAsync seconds(1)
 
 proc init*(T: type Eth2Node, conf: BeaconNodeConf,
-           switch: Switch, privKey: PrivateKey): T =
+           switch: Switch, privKey: keys.PrivateKey): T =
   new result
   result.switch = switch
   result.peers = initTable[PeerID, Peer]()
-  result.discovery = Eth2DiscoveryProtocol.new(conf, privKey.getBytes)
+  result.discovery = Eth2DiscoveryProtocol.new(conf, privKey.data)
   result.wantedPeers = conf.maxPeers
 
   newSeq result.protocolStates, allProtocols.len