diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2012ec84a1..d0c77c03bc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ BREAKING CHANGES:
   - removed `example-plugin`, put `counter` inside `docs/guide`
 
 ENHANCEMENTS:
+- `basecoin init` support `--chain-id`
 - intergrates tendermint 0.10.0 (not the rc-2, but the real thing)
 - commands return error code (1) on failure for easier script testing
 - add `reset_all` to basecli, and never delete keys on `init`
diff --git a/cmd/basecoin/commands/init.go b/cmd/basecoin/commands/init.go
index 3fb627138e..e9f20247ac 100644
--- a/cmd/basecoin/commands/init.go
+++ b/cmd/basecoin/commands/init.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
@@ -17,6 +18,18 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
+//flags
+var (
+	chainIDFlag string
+)
+
+func init() {
+	flags := []Flag2Register{
+		{&chainIDFlag, "chain-id", "test_chain_id", "Chain ID"},
+	}
+	RegisterFlags(InitCmd, flags)
+}
+
 // returns 1 iff it set a file, otherwise 0 (so we can add them)
 func setupFile(path, data string, perm os.FileMode) (int, error) {
 	_, err := os.Stat(path)
@@ -47,7 +60,7 @@ func initCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	privValFile := cfg.PrivValidatorFile()
 	keyFile := path.Join(cfg.RootDir, "key.json")
 
-	mod1, err := setupFile(genesisFile, GetGenesisJSON(userAddr), 0644)
+	mod1, err := setupFile(genesisFile, GetGenesisJSON(chainIDFlag, userAddr), 0644)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -55,7 +68,7 @@ func initCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	mod3, err := setupFile(key1File, KeyJSON, 0400)
+	mod3, err := setupFile(keyFile, KeyJSON, 0400)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -89,10 +102,10 @@ var PrivValJSON = `{
 // GetGenesisJSON returns a new tendermint genesis with Basecoin app_options
 // that grant a large amount of "mycoin" to a single address
 // TODO: A better UX for generating genesis files
-func GetGenesisJSON(addr string) string {
+func GetGenesisJSON(chainID, addr string) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf(`{
   "app_hash": "",
-  "chain_id": "test_chain_id",
+  "chain_id": "%s",
   "genesis_time": "0001-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
   "validators": [
     {
@@ -115,7 +128,7 @@ func GetGenesisJSON(addr string) string {
       ]
     }]
   }
-}`, addr)
+}`, chainID, addr)
 }
 
 // TODO: remove this once not needed for relay
diff --git a/docs/guide/counter/cmd/counter/main.go b/docs/guide/counter/cmd/counter/main.go
index 0da66c12f6..c877a51eda 100644
--- a/docs/guide/counter/cmd/counter/main.go
+++ b/docs/guide/counter/cmd/counter/main.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli"
 
-	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/cmd/commands"
+	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/cmd/basecoin/commands"
 	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/docs/guide/counter/plugins/counter"
 	"github.com/tendermint/basecoin/types"
 )
diff --git a/tests/cli/common.sh b/tests/cli/common.sh
index 017da897a4..0b507e5969 100644
--- a/tests/cli/common.sh
+++ b/tests/cli/common.sh
@@ -24,13 +24,7 @@ initServer() {
   assertNotNull "no chain" $2
   CHAIN=$2
   SERVER_LOG=$1/${SERVER_EXE}.log
-  ${SERVER_EXE} init --home=$SERVE_DIR >>$SERVER_LOG
-
-  #change the genesis to the first account
-  GENKEY=$(${CLIENT_EXE} keys get ${RICH} -o json | jq .pubkey.data)
-  GENJSON=$(cat $SERVE_DIR/genesis.json)
-  echo $GENJSON | jq '.app_options.accounts[0].pub_key.data='$GENKEY \
-    | jq ".chain_id=\"$2\"" > $SERVE_DIR/genesis.json
+  ${SERVER_EXE} init --chain-id $CHAIN $(${CLIENT_EXE} keys get ${RICH} | awk '{print $2}') --home=$SERVE_DIR >>$SERVER_LOG
 
   # optionally set the port
   if [ -n "$3" ]; then