diff --git a/libraries/app/application.cpp b/libraries/app/application.cpp
index 09126702..f615fd59 100644
--- a/libraries/app/application.cpp
+++ b/libraries/app/application.cpp
@@ -54,6 +54,35 @@ namespace bpo = boost::program_options;
 
 namespace detail {
 
+   genesis_state_type create_example_genesis() {
+      auto nathan_key = fc::ecc::private_key::regenerate(fc::sha256::hash(string("nathan")));
+      dlog("Allocating all stake to ${key}", ("key", utilities::key_to_wif(nathan_key)));
+      genesis_state_type initial_state;
+      fc::reflector<fee_schedule_type>::visit(
+               fee_schedule_type::fee_set_visitor{initial_state.initial_parameters.current_fees, 0});
+      secret_hash_type::encoder enc;
+      fc::raw::pack(enc, nathan_key);
+      fc::raw::pack(enc, secret_hash_type());
+      auto secret = secret_hash_type::hash(enc.result());
+      initial_state.initial_active_witnesses = 10;
+      for( int i = 0; i < initial_state.initial_active_witnesses; ++i )
+      {
+         auto name = "init"+fc::to_string(i);
+         initial_state.initial_accounts.emplace_back(name,
+                                                     nathan_key.get_public_key(),
+                                                     nathan_key.get_public_key(),
+                                                     true);
+         initial_state.initial_committee_candidates.push_back({name});
+         initial_state.initial_witness_candidates.push_back({name, nathan_key.get_public_key(), secret});
+      }
+
+      initial_state.initial_accounts.emplace_back("nathan", nathan_key.get_public_key());
+      initial_state.initial_balances.push_back({nathan_key.get_public_key(),
+                                                GRAPHENE_SYMBOL,
+                                                GRAPHENE_MAX_SHARE_SUPPLY});
+      return initial_state;
+   }
+
    class application_impl : public net::node_delegate
    {
    public:
@@ -107,7 +136,7 @@ namespace detail {
             wsc->register_api(fc::api<graphene::app::login_api>(login));
             c->set_session_data( wsc );
          });
-         ilog("Configured websocket rpc to listen on ${ip}", ("ip",_options->at("rpc-endpoint").as<string>())); 
+         ilog("Configured websocket rpc to listen on ${ip}", ("ip",_options->at("rpc-endpoint").as<string>()));
          _websocket_server->listen( fc::ip::endpoint::from_string(_options->at("rpc-endpoint").as<string>()) );
          _websocket_server->start_accept();
       } FC_CAPTURE_AND_RETHROW() }
@@ -134,7 +163,7 @@ namespace detail {
             wsc->register_api(fc::api<graphene::app::login_api>(login));
             c->set_session_data( wsc );
          });
-         ilog("Configured websocket TLS rpc to listen on ${ip}", ("ip",_options->at("rpc-tls-endpoint").as<string>())); 
+         ilog("Configured websocket TLS rpc to listen on ${ip}", ("ip",_options->at("rpc-tls-endpoint").as<string>()));
          _websocket_tls_server->listen( fc::ip::endpoint::from_string(_options->at("rpc-tls-endpoint").as<string>()) );
          _websocket_tls_server->start_accept();
       } FC_CAPTURE_AND_RETHROW() }
@@ -155,34 +184,12 @@ namespace detail {
          bool clean = !fc::exists(_data_dir / "blockchain/dblock");
          fc::create_directories(_data_dir / "blockchain/dblock");
 
-         auto nathan_key = fc::ecc::private_key::regenerate(fc::sha256::hash(string("nathan")));
          genesis_state_type initial_state;
-         fc::reflector<fee_schedule_type>::visit(
-                  fee_schedule_type::fee_set_visitor{initial_state.initial_parameters.current_fees, 0});
-         secret_hash_type::encoder enc;
-         fc::raw::pack(enc, nathan_key);
-         fc::raw::pack(enc, secret_hash_type());
-         auto secret = secret_hash_type::hash(enc.result());
-         for( int i = 0; i < 10; ++i )
-         {
-            auto name = "init"+fc::to_string(i);
-            initial_state.initial_accounts.emplace_back(name,
-                                                        nathan_key.get_public_key(),
-                                                        nathan_key.get_public_key(),
-                                                        true);
-            initial_state.initial_committee_candidates.push_back({name});
-            initial_state.initial_witness_candidates.push_back({name, nathan_key.get_public_key(), secret});
-         }
-
-         initial_state.initial_accounts.emplace_back("nathan", nathan_key.get_public_key());
-         initial_state.initial_balances.push_back({nathan_key.get_public_key(),
-                                                   GRAPHENE_SYMBOL,
-                                                   GRAPHENE_MAX_SHARE_SUPPLY});
          if( _options->count("genesis-json") )
             initial_state = fc::json::from_file(_options->at("genesis-json").as<boost::filesystem::path>())
                   .as<genesis_state_type>();
          else
-            dlog("Allocating all stake to ${key}", ("key", utilities::key_to_wif(nathan_key)));
+            initial_state = create_example_genesis();
 
          if( _options->count("resync-blockchain") )
             _chain_db->wipe(_data_dir / "blockchain", true);
@@ -427,13 +434,11 @@ application::~application()
 {
    if( my->_p2p_network )
    {
-      //ilog("Closing p2p node");
       my->_p2p_network->close();
       my->_p2p_network.reset();
    }
    if( my->_chain_db )
    {
-      //ilog("Closing chain database");
       my->_chain_db->close();
    }
 }
@@ -452,6 +457,10 @@ void application::set_program_options(boost::program_options::options_descriptio
          ;
    command_line_options.add(configuration_file_options);
    command_line_options.add_options()
+         ("create-genesis-json", bpo::value<boost::filesystem::path>(),
+          "Path to create a Genesis State at. If a well-formed JSON file exists at the path, it will be parsed and any "
+          "missing fields in a Genesis State will be added, and any unknown fields will be removed. If no file or an "
+          "invalid file is found, it will be replaced with an example Genesis State.")
          ("replay-blockchain", "Rebuild object graph by replaying all blocks")
          ("resync-blockchain", "Delete all blocks and re-sync with network from scratch")
          ;
@@ -463,6 +472,31 @@ void application::initialize(const fc::path& data_dir, const boost::program_opti
 {
    my->_data_dir = data_dir;
    my->_options = &options;
+
+   if( options.count("create-genesis-json") )
+   {
+      fc::path genesis_out = options.at("create-genesis-json").as<boost::filesystem::path>();
+      genesis_state_type genesis_state = detail::create_example_genesis();
+      if( fc::exists(genesis_out) )
+      {
+         try {
+            genesis_state = fc::json::from_file(genesis_out).as<genesis_state_type>();
+         } catch(const fc::exception& e) {
+            std::cerr << "Unable to parse existing genesis file:\n" << e.to_string()
+                      << "\nWould you like to replace it? [y/N] ";
+            char response = std::cin.get();
+            if( toupper(response) != 'Y' )
+               return;
+         }
+
+         std::cerr << "Updating genesis state in file " << genesis_out.generic_string() << "\n";
+      } else {
+         std::cerr << "Creating example genesis state in file " << genesis_out.generic_string() << "\n";
+      }
+      fc::json::save_to_file(genesis_state, genesis_out);
+
+      std::exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
+   }
 }
 
 void application::startup()
diff --git a/libraries/chain/db_init.cpp b/libraries/chain/db_init.cpp
index 603b12d7..8fb62226 100644
--- a/libraries/chain/db_init.cpp
+++ b/libraries/chain/db_init.cpp
@@ -251,24 +251,12 @@ void database::init_genesis(const genesis_state_type& genesis_state)
    // Create initial accounts
    for( const auto& account : genesis_state.initial_accounts )
    {
-      /*
-      key_id_type key_id = apply_operation(genesis_eval_state,
-                                           key_create_operation({asset(),
-                                                                 GRAPHENE_TEMP_ACCOUNT,
-                                                                 account.owner_key})).get<object_id_type>();
-                                                                 */
       account_create_operation cop;
       cop.name = account.name;
       cop.registrar = GRAPHENE_TEMP_ACCOUNT;
       cop.owner = authority(1, account.owner_key, 1);
       if( account.owner_key != account.active_key )
       {
-         /*
-         key_id = apply_operation(genesis_eval_state,
-                                  key_create_operation({asset(),
-                                                        GRAPHENE_TEMP_ACCOUNT,
-                                                        account.owner_key})).get<object_id_type>();
-                                                        */
          cop.active = authority(1, account.owner_key, 1);
       } else {
          cop.active = cop.owner;
@@ -288,7 +276,9 @@ void database::init_genesis(const genesis_state_type& genesis_state)
    const auto& accounts_by_name = get_index_type<account_index>().indices().get<by_name>();
    auto get_account_id = [&accounts_by_name](const string& name) {
       auto itr = accounts_by_name.find(name);
-      FC_ASSERT(itr != accounts_by_name.end());
+      FC_ASSERT(itr != accounts_by_name.end(),
+                "Unable to find account '${acct}'. Did you forget to add a record for it to initial_accounts?",
+                ("acct", name));
       return itr->get_id();
    };
 
@@ -296,7 +286,9 @@ void database::init_genesis(const genesis_state_type& genesis_state)
    const auto& assets_by_symbol = get_index_type<asset_index>().indices().get<by_symbol>();
    auto get_asset_id = [&assets_by_symbol](const string& symbol) {
       auto itr = assets_by_symbol.find(symbol);
-      FC_ASSERT(itr != assets_by_symbol.end());
+      FC_ASSERT(itr != assets_by_symbol.end(),
+                "Unable to find asset '${sym}'. Did you forget to add a record for it to initial_assets?",
+                ("sym", symbol));
       return itr->get_id();
    };
 
@@ -313,12 +305,6 @@ void database::init_genesis(const genesis_state_type& genesis_state)
          int collateral_holder_number = 0;
          for( const auto& collateral_rec : asset.bitasset_options->collateral_records )
          {
-            /*
-            key_id_type key_id = apply_operation(genesis_eval_state,
-                                                 key_create_operation{{},
-                                                                      GRAPHENE_TEMP_ACCOUNT,
-                                                                      collateral_rec.owner}).get<object_id_type>();
-                                                                      */
             account_create_operation cop;
             cop.name = asset.symbol + "-collateral-holder-" + std::to_string(collateral_holder_number);
             boost::algorithm::to_lower(cop.name);
@@ -414,11 +400,6 @@ void database::init_genesis(const genesis_state_type& genesis_state)
    // Create initial witnesses and delegates
    std::for_each(genesis_state.initial_witness_candidates.begin(), genesis_state.initial_witness_candidates.end(),
                  [&](const genesis_state_type::initial_witness_type& witness) {
-                 /*
-      const key_object& signing_key = create<key_object>([&witness](key_object& k) {
-         k.key_data = witness.block_signing_key;
-      });
-      */
 
       witness_create_operation op;
       op.block_signing_key = witness.block_signing_key;
diff --git a/libraries/plugins/witness/witness.cpp b/libraries/plugins/witness/witness.cpp
index eca76d97..05593da4 100644
--- a/libraries/plugins/witness/witness.cpp
+++ b/libraries/plugins/witness/witness.cpp
@@ -36,10 +36,11 @@ void witness_plugin::plugin_set_program_options(
    boost::program_options::options_description& config_file_options)
 {
    auto default_priv_key = fc::ecc::private_key::regenerate(fc::sha256::hash(std::string("nathan")));
+   string witness_id_example = fc::json::to_string(chain::witness_id_type());
    command_line_options.add_options()
          ("enable-stale-production", bpo::bool_switch()->notifier([this](bool e){_production_enabled = e;}), "Enable block production, even if the chain is stale")
          ("witness-id,w", bpo::value<vector<string>>()->composing()->multitoken(),
-          "ID of witness controlled by this node (e.g. \"1.7.0\", quotes are required, may specify multiple times)")
+          ("ID of witness controlled by this node (e.g. " + witness_id_example + ", quotes are required, may specify multiple times)").c_str())
          ("private-key", bpo::value<vector<string>>()->composing()->multitoken()->
           DEFAULT_VALUE_VECTOR(std::make_pair(chain::public_key_type(default_priv_key.get_public_key()), graphene::utilities::key_to_wif(default_priv_key))),
           "Tuple of [PublicKey, WIF private key] (may specify multiple times)")
@@ -56,9 +57,9 @@ void witness_plugin::plugin_initialize(const boost::program_options::variables_m
 { try {
    _options = &options;
    LOAD_VALUE_SET(options, "witness-id", _witnesses, chain::witness_id_type)
-   
-   if( options.count("private-key") ) 
-   { 
+
+   if( options.count("private-key") )
+   {
       const std::vector<std::string> key_id_to_wif_pair_strings = options["private-key"].as<std::vector<std::string>>();
       for (const std::string& key_id_to_wif_pair_string : key_id_to_wif_pair_strings)
       {
diff --git a/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp b/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp
index 9e48dff7..b72688ed 100644
--- a/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/operation_tests2.cpp
@@ -981,6 +981,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE( balance_object_test )
    fc::temp_directory td;
    genesis_state.initial_balances.push_back({generate_private_key("n").get_public_key(), GRAPHENE_SYMBOL, 1});
    genesis_state.initial_balances.push_back({generate_private_key("x").get_public_key(), GRAPHENE_SYMBOL, 1});
+//   genesis_state.initial_vesting_balances.push_back({generate_private_key("v").get_public_key(), GRAPHENE_SYMBOL, 1});
    // TODO: vesting genesis balances
    genesis_state.initial_accounts.emplace_back("n", generate_private_key("n").get_public_key());