diff --git a/cli/main.go b/cli/main.go
index e58aaf157..6e2817ac9 100644
--- a/cli/main.go
+++ b/cli/main.go
@@ -17,12 +17,10 @@ func main() {
 	ctl.Version = config.Version
 	ctl.Usage = "Official Go client for Neo"
 
-	ctl.Commands = []cli.Command{
-		server.NewCommand(),
-		smartcontract.NewCommand(),
-		wallet.NewCommand(),
-		vm.NewCommand(),
-	}
+	ctl.Commands = append(ctl.Commands, server.NewCommands()...)
+	ctl.Commands = append(ctl.Commands, smartcontract.NewCommands()...)
+	ctl.Commands = append(ctl.Commands, wallet.NewCommands()...)
+	ctl.Commands = append(ctl.Commands, vm.NewCommands()...)
 
 	if err := ctl.Run(os.Args); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
diff --git a/cli/server/server.go b/cli/server/server.go
index 53eb68c43..db5a2a036 100644
--- a/cli/server/server.go
+++ b/cli/server/server.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/CityOfZion/neo-go/config"
 	"github.com/CityOfZion/neo-go/pkg/core"
 	"github.com/CityOfZion/neo-go/pkg/core/storage"
+	"github.com/CityOfZion/neo-go/pkg/io"
 	"github.com/CityOfZion/neo-go/pkg/network"
 	"github.com/CityOfZion/neo-go/pkg/rpc"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -16,18 +17,63 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
-// NewCommand creates a new Node command.
-func NewCommand() cli.Command {
-	return cli.Command{
-		Name:   "node",
-		Usage:  "start a NEO node",
-		Action: startServer,
-		Flags: []cli.Flag{
-			cli.StringFlag{Name: "config-path"},
-			cli.BoolFlag{Name: "privnet, p"},
-			cli.BoolFlag{Name: "mainnet, m"},
-			cli.BoolFlag{Name: "testnet, t"},
-			cli.BoolFlag{Name: "debug, d"},
+// NewCommands returns 'node' command.
+func NewCommands() []cli.Command {
+	var cfgFlags = []cli.Flag{
+		cli.StringFlag{Name: "config-path"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "privnet, p"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "mainnet, m"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "testnet, t"},
+		cli.BoolFlag{Name: "debug, d"},
+	}
+	var cfgWithCountFlags = make([]cli.Flag, len(cfgFlags))
+	copy(cfgWithCountFlags, cfgFlags)
+	cfgWithCountFlags = append(cfgWithCountFlags,
+		cli.UintFlag{
+			Name:  "count, c",
+			Usage: "number of blocks to be processed (default or 0: all chain)",
+		},
+		cli.UintFlag{
+			Name:  "skip, s",
+			Usage: "number of blocks to skip (default: 0)",
+		},
+	)
+	var cfgCountOutFlags = make([]cli.Flag, len(cfgWithCountFlags))
+	copy(cfgCountOutFlags, cfgWithCountFlags)
+	cfgCountOutFlags = append(cfgCountOutFlags, cli.StringFlag{
+		Name:  "out, o",
+		Usage: "Output file (stdout if not given)",
+	})
+	var cfgCountInFlags = make([]cli.Flag, len(cfgWithCountFlags))
+	copy(cfgCountInFlags, cfgWithCountFlags)
+	cfgCountInFlags = append(cfgCountInFlags, cli.StringFlag{
+		Name:  "in, i",
+		Usage: "Input file (stdin if not given)",
+	})
+	return []cli.Command{
+		{
+			Name:   "node",
+			Usage:  "start a NEO node",
+			Action: startServer,
+			Flags:  cfgFlags,
+		},
+		{
+			Name:  "db",
+			Usage: "database manipulations",
+			Subcommands: []cli.Command{
+				{
+					Name:   "dump",
+					Usage:  "dump blocks (starting with block #1) to the file",
+					Action: dumpDB,
+					Flags:  cfgCountOutFlags,
+				},
+				{
+					Name:   "restore",
+					Usage:  "restore blocks from the file",
+					Action: restoreDB,
+					Flags:  cfgCountInFlags,
+				},
+			},
 		},
 	}
 }
@@ -43,26 +89,154 @@ func newGraceContext() context.Context {
 	return ctx
 }
 
-func startServer(ctx *cli.Context) error {
-	net := config.ModePrivNet
+// getConfigFromContext looks at path and mode flags in the given config and
+// returns appropriate config.
+func getConfigFromContext(ctx *cli.Context) (config.Config, error) {
+	var net = config.ModePrivNet
 	if ctx.Bool("testnet") {
 		net = config.ModeTestNet
 	}
 	if ctx.Bool("mainnet") {
 		net = config.ModeMainNet
 	}
-
-	grace, cancel := context.WithCancel(newGraceContext())
-	defer cancel()
-
 	configPath := "./config"
 	if argCp := ctx.String("config-path"); argCp != "" {
 		configPath = argCp
 	}
-	cfg, err := config.Load(configPath, net)
+	return config.Load(configPath, net)
+}
+
+// handleLoggingParams enables debugging output is that's requested by the user.
+func handleLoggingParams(ctx *cli.Context) {
+	if ctx.Bool("debug") {
+		log.SetLevel(log.DebugLevel)
+	}
+}
+
+func getCountAndSkipFromContext(ctx *cli.Context) (uint32, uint32) {
+	count := uint32(ctx.Uint("count"))
+	skip := uint32(ctx.Uint("skip"))
+	return count, skip
+}
+
+func dumpDB(ctx *cli.Context) error {
+	cfg, err := getConfigFromContext(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return cli.NewExitError(err, 1)
 	}
+	handleLoggingParams(ctx)
+	count, skip := getCountAndSkipFromContext(ctx)
+
+	var outStream = os.Stdout
+	if out := ctx.String("out"); out != "" {
+		outStream, err = os.Create(out)
+		if err != nil {
+			return cli.NewExitError(err, 1)
+		}
+	}
+	defer outStream.Close()
+	writer := io.NewBinWriterFromIO(outStream)
+
+	grace, cancel := context.WithCancel(newGraceContext())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	chain, err := initBlockChain(cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return cli.NewExitError(err, 1)
+	}
+	go chain.Run(grace)
+
+	chainHeight := chain.BlockHeight()
+	if skip+count > chainHeight {
+		return cli.NewExitError(fmt.Errorf("chain is not that high (%d) to dump %d blocks starting from %d", chainHeight, count, skip), 1)
+	}
+	if count == 0 {
+		count = chainHeight - skip
+	}
+	writer.WriteLE(count)
+	for i := skip + 1; i <= count; i++ {
+		bh := chain.GetHeaderHash(int(i))
+		b, err := chain.GetBlock(bh)
+		if err != nil {
+			return cli.NewExitError(fmt.Errorf("failed to get block %d: %s", i, err), 1)
+		}
+		b.EncodeBinary(writer)
+		if writer.Err != nil {
+			return cli.NewExitError(err, 1)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+func restoreDB(ctx *cli.Context) error {
+	cfg, err := getConfigFromContext(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	handleLoggingParams(ctx)
+	count, skip := getCountAndSkipFromContext(ctx)
+
+	var inStream = os.Stdin
+	if in := ctx.String("in"); in != "" {
+		inStream, err = os.Open(in)
+		if err != nil {
+			return cli.NewExitError(err, 1)
+		}
+	}
+	defer inStream.Close()
+	reader := io.NewBinReaderFromIO(inStream)
+
+	grace, cancel := context.WithCancel(newGraceContext())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	chain, err := initBlockChain(cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	go chain.Run(grace)
+
+	var allBlocks uint32
+	reader.ReadLE(&allBlocks)
+	if reader.Err != nil {
+		return cli.NewExitError(err, 1)
+	}
+	if skip+count > allBlocks {
+		return cli.NewExitError(fmt.Errorf("input file has only %d blocks, can't read %d starting from %d", allBlocks, count, skip), 1)
+	}
+	if count == 0 {
+		count = allBlocks
+	}
+	i := uint32(0)
+	for ; i < skip; i++ {
+		b := &core.Block{}
+		b.DecodeBinary(reader)
+		if reader.Err != nil {
+			return cli.NewExitError(err, 1)
+		}
+	}
+	for ; i < count; i++ {
+		b := &core.Block{}
+		b.DecodeBinary(reader)
+		if reader.Err != nil {
+			return cli.NewExitError(err, 1)
+		}
+		err := chain.AddBlock(b)
+		if err != nil {
+			return cli.NewExitError(fmt.Errorf("failed to add block %d: %s", i, err), 1)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func startServer(ctx *cli.Context) error {
+	cfg, err := getConfigFromContext(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	handleLoggingParams(ctx)
+
+	grace, cancel := context.WithCancel(newGraceContext())
+	defer cancel()
 
 	serverConfig := network.NewServerConfig(cfg)
 
@@ -71,10 +245,6 @@ func startServer(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if ctx.Bool("debug") {
-		log.SetLevel(log.DebugLevel)
-	}
-
 	server := network.NewServer(serverConfig, chain)
 	rpcServer := rpc.NewServer(chain, cfg.ApplicationConfiguration.RPCPort, server)
 	errChan := make(chan error)
diff --git a/cli/smartcontract/smart_contract.go b/cli/smartcontract/smart_contract.go
index be9b1cbd9..86bc1af41 100644
--- a/cli/smartcontract/smart_contract.go
+++ b/cli/smartcontract/smart_contract.go
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ func Main(op string, args []interface{}) {
 }`
 )
 
-// NewCommand returns a new contract command.
-func NewCommand() cli.Command {
-	return cli.Command{
+// NewCommands returns 'contract' command.
+func NewCommands() []cli.Command {
+	return []cli.Command{{
 		Name:  "contract",
 		Usage: "compile - debug - deploy smart contracts",
 		Subcommands: []cli.Command{
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func NewCommand() cli.Command {
 				},
 			},
 		},
-	}
+	}}
 }
 
 // initSmartContract initializes a given directory with some boiler plate code.
diff --git a/cli/vm/vm.go b/cli/vm/vm.go
index 35a8f92c2..7b3ac447b 100644
--- a/cli/vm/vm.go
+++ b/cli/vm/vm.go
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
-// NewCommand creates a new VM command.
-func NewCommand() cli.Command {
-	return cli.Command{
+// NewCommands returns 'vm' command.
+func NewCommands() []cli.Command {
+	return []cli.Command{{
 		Name:   "vm",
 		Usage:  "start the virtual machine",
 		Action: startVMPrompt,
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func NewCommand() cli.Command {
 				},
 			},
 		},
-	}
+	}}
 }
 
 func startVMPrompt(ctx *cli.Context) error {
diff --git a/cli/wallet/wallet.go b/cli/wallet/wallet.go
index ce500e727..3091d74ed 100644
--- a/cli/wallet/wallet.go
+++ b/cli/wallet/wallet.go
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ var (
 	errPhraseMismatch = errors.New("the entered pass-phrases do not match. Maybe you have misspelled them")
 )
 
-// NewCommand creates a new Wallet command.
-func NewCommand() cli.Command {
-	return cli.Command{
+// NewCommands returns 'wallet' command.
+func NewCommands() []cli.Command {
+	return []cli.Command{{
 		Name:  "wallet",
 		Usage: "create, open and manage a NEO wallet",
 		Subcommands: []cli.Command{
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func NewCommand() cli.Command {
 				},
 			},
 		},
-	}
+	}}
 }
 
 func openWallet(ctx *cli.Context) error {
diff --git a/pkg/core/blockchain.go b/pkg/core/blockchain.go
index a20a6a5f1..3cbf95afa 100644
--- a/pkg/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/pkg/core/blockchain.go
@@ -137,7 +137,16 @@ func (bc *Blockchain) init() error {
 	// that with stored blocks.
 	if currHeaderHeight > bc.storedHeaderCount {
 		hash := currHeaderHash
-		targetHash := bc.headerList.Get(bc.headerList.Len() - 1)
+		var targetHash util.Uint256
+		if bc.headerList.Len() > 0 {
+			targetHash = bc.headerList.Get(bc.headerList.Len() - 1)
+		} else {
+			genesisBlock, err := createGenesisBlock(bc.config)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			targetHash = genesisBlock.Hash()
+		}
 		headers := make([]*Header, 0)
 
 		for hash != targetHash {
@@ -166,7 +175,7 @@ func (bc *Blockchain) Run(ctx context.Context) {
 	persistTimer := time.NewTimer(persistInterval)
 	defer func() {
 		persistTimer.Stop()
-		if err := bc.persist(ctx); err != nil {
+		if err := bc.persist(); err != nil {
 			log.Warnf("failed to persist: %s", err)
 		}
 		if err := bc.store.Close(); err != nil {
@@ -182,7 +191,7 @@ func (bc *Blockchain) Run(ctx context.Context) {
 			bc.headersOpDone <- struct{}{}
 		case <-persistTimer.C:
 			go func() {
-				err := bc.persist(ctx)
+				err := bc.persist()
 				if err != nil {
 					log.Warnf("failed to persist blockchain: %s", err)
 				}
@@ -461,7 +470,7 @@ func (bc *Blockchain) storeBlock(block *Block) error {
 }
 
 // persist flushes current in-memory store contents to the persistent storage.
-func (bc *Blockchain) persist(ctx context.Context) error {
+func (bc *Blockchain) persist() error {
 	var (
 		start     = time.Now()
 		persisted int
@@ -479,13 +488,16 @@ func (bc *Blockchain) persist(ctx context.Context) error {
 	oldHeight := atomic.SwapUint32(&bc.persistedHeight, bHeight)
 	diff := bHeight - oldHeight
 
+	storedHeaderHeight, _, err := storage.CurrentHeaderHeight(bc.store)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	if persisted > 0 {
 		log.WithFields(log.Fields{
 			"persistedBlocks": diff,
 			"persistedKeys":   persisted,
-			"headerHeight":    bc.HeaderHeight(),
-			"blockHeight":     bc.BlockHeight(),
-			"persistedHeight": atomic.LoadUint32(&bc.persistedHeight),
+			"headerHeight":    storedHeaderHeight,
+			"blockHeight":     bHeight,
 			"took":            time.Since(start),
 		}).Info("blockchain persist completed")
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/core/blockchain_test.go b/pkg/core/blockchain_test.go
index 71756941d..f99114893 100644
--- a/pkg/core/blockchain_test.go
+++ b/pkg/core/blockchain_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package core
 
 import (
-	"context"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/CityOfZion/neo-go/pkg/core/storage"
@@ -53,7 +52,7 @@ func TestAddBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, lastBlock.Hash(), bc.CurrentHeaderHash())
 
 	// This one tests persisting blocks, so it does need to persist()
-	require.NoError(t, bc.persist(context.Background()))
+	require.NoError(t, bc.persist())
 
 	for _, block := range blocks {
 		key := storage.AppendPrefix(storage.DataBlock, block.Hash().BytesReverse())
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ func TestGetHeader(t *testing.T) {
 		b2 := newBlock(2)
 		_, err = bc.GetHeader(b2.Hash())
 		assert.Error(t, err)
-		assert.NoError(t, bc.persist(context.Background()))
+		assert.NoError(t, bc.persist())
 	}
 }
 
@@ -106,7 +105,7 @@ func TestGetBlock(t *testing.T) {
 			assert.Equal(t, blocks[i].Index, block.Index)
 			assert.Equal(t, blocks[i].Hash(), block.Hash())
 		}
-		assert.NoError(t, bc.persist(context.Background()))
+		assert.NoError(t, bc.persist())
 	}
 }
 
@@ -127,7 +126,7 @@ func TestHasBlock(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		newBlock := newBlock(51)
 		assert.False(t, bc.HasBlock(newBlock.Hash()))
-		assert.NoError(t, bc.persist(context.Background()))
+		assert.NoError(t, bc.persist())
 	}
 }
 
@@ -135,10 +134,12 @@ func TestGetTransaction(t *testing.T) {
 	b1 := getDecodedBlock(t, 1)
 	block := getDecodedBlock(t, 2)
 	bc := newTestChain(t)
+	// Turn verification off, because these blocks are really from some other chain
+	// and can't be verified, but we don't care about that in this test.
+	bc.config.VerifyBlocks = false
 
-	// These are from some kind of different chain, so can't be added via AddBlock().
-	assert.Nil(t, bc.storeBlock(b1))
-	assert.Nil(t, bc.storeBlock(block))
+	assert.Nil(t, bc.AddBlock(b1))
+	assert.Nil(t, bc.AddBlock(block))
 
 	// Test unpersisted and persisted access
 	for j := 0; j < 2; j++ {
@@ -151,6 +152,6 @@ func TestGetTransaction(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, 1, io.GetVarSize(tx.Inputs))
 		assert.Equal(t, 1, io.GetVarSize(tx.Outputs))
 		assert.Equal(t, 1, io.GetVarSize(tx.Scripts))
-		assert.NoError(t, bc.persist(context.Background()))
+		assert.NoError(t, bc.persist())
 	}
 }