diff --git a/cmd/lotus/daemon.go b/cmd/lotus/daemon.go
index 6921a8bac..2fc4e38b4 100644
--- a/cmd/lotus/daemon.go
+++ b/cmd/lotus/daemon.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"io/ioutil"
 
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/api"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/node/modules"
@@ -55,7 +56,12 @@ var DaemonCmd = &cli.Command{
 			genesis = node.Override(new(modules.Genesis), testing.MakeGenesis(cctx.String(makeGenFlag)))
 		}
 		if cctx.String("genesis") != "" {
-			genesis = node.Override(new(modules.Genesis), modules.LoadGenesis(cctx.String("genesis")))
+			genBytes, err := ioutil.ReadFile(cctx.String("genesis"))
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			genesis = node.Override(new(modules.Genesis), modules.LoadGenesis(genBytes))
 		}
 
 		var api api.FullNode
diff --git a/node/modules/core.go b/node/modules/core.go
index e3fe93f5d..a546fd817 100644
--- a/node/modules/core.go
+++ b/node/modules/core.go
@@ -195,14 +195,9 @@ func ErrorGenesis() Genesis {
 	}
 }
 
-func LoadGenesis(f string) func() Genesis {
+func LoadGenesis(genBytes []byte) func() Genesis {
 	return func() Genesis {
 		return func() (header *chain.BlockHeader, e error) {
-			genBytes, err := ioutil.ReadFile(f)
-			if err != nil {
-				return &chain.BlockHeader{}, err
-			}
-
 			return chain.DecodeBlock(genBytes)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/node/modules/testing/genesis.go b/node/modules/testing/genesis.go
index cf610b71f..52c0ce700 100644
--- a/node/modules/testing/genesis.go
+++ b/node/modules/testing/genesis.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package testing
 
 import (
+	"io"
 	"os"
 
 	blockstore "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-blockstore"
@@ -12,6 +13,29 @@ import (
 
 var glog = logging.Logger("genesis")
 
+func MakeGenesisMem(out io.Writer) func(bs blockstore.Blockstore, w *chain.Wallet) modules.Genesis {
+	return func(bs blockstore.Blockstore, w *chain.Wallet) modules.Genesis {
+		return func() (*chain.BlockHeader, error) {
+			glog.Warn("Generating new random genesis block, note that this SHOULD NOT happen unless you are setting up new network")
+			b, err := chain.MakeGenesisBlock(bs, w)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+
+			genBytes, err := b.Genesis.Serialize()
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+
+			if _, err := out.Write(genBytes); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+
+			return b.Genesis, nil
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func MakeGenesis(outFile string) func(bs blockstore.Blockstore, w *chain.Wallet) modules.Genesis {
 	return func(bs blockstore.Blockstore, w *chain.Wallet) modules.Genesis {
 		return func() (*chain.BlockHeader, error) {
diff --git a/node/node_test.go b/node/node_test.go
index 2a49f6152..60f6099e6 100644
--- a/node/node_test.go
+++ b/node/node_test.go
@@ -1,19 +1,23 @@
 package node_test
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/node"
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/node/modules"
+	modtest "github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/node/modules/testing"
 
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/api"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/api/client"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/api/test"
 	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/lib/jsonrpc"
 
-	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/node/repo"
 	mocknet "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/p2p/net/mock"
+
+	"github.com/filecoin-project/go-lotus/node/repo"
 )
 
 func builder(t *testing.T, n int) []api.FullNode {
@@ -22,13 +26,24 @@ func builder(t *testing.T, n int) []api.FullNode {
 
 	out := make([]api.FullNode, n)
 
+	var genbuf bytes.Buffer
+
 	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
+		var genesis node.Option
+		if i == 0 {
+			genesis = node.Override(new(modules.Genesis), modtest.MakeGenesisMem(&genbuf))
+		} else {
+			genesis = node.Override(new(modules.Genesis), modules.LoadGenesis(genbuf.Bytes()))
+		}
+
 		var err error
 		err = node.New(ctx,
 			node.FullAPI(&out[i]),
 			node.Online(),
 			node.Repo(repo.NewMemory(nil)),
 			MockHost(mn),
+
+			genesis,
 		)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatal(err)