diff --git a/stack_orchestrator/data/config/fixturenet-laconic2d/create-fixturenet.sh b/stack_orchestrator/data/config/fixturenet-laconic2d/create-fixturenet.sh
index cbb92997..584151eb 100644
--- a/stack_orchestrator/data/config/fixturenet-laconic2d/create-fixturenet.sh
+++ b/stack_orchestrator/data/config/fixturenet-laconic2d/create-fixturenet.sh
@@ -1,19 +1,17 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-# TODO: this file is now an unmodified copy of cerc-io/laconic2d/init.sh
-# so we should have a mechanism to bundle it inside the container rather than link from here
-# at deploy time.
-
 KEY="mykey"
 CHAINID="laconic_9000-1"
 MONIKER="localtestnet"
 KEYRING="test"
-KEYALGO="eth_secp256k1"
-LOGLEVEL="info"
+LOGLEVEL="${LOGLEVEL:-info}"
 
 if [ "$1" == "clean" ] || [ ! -d "$HOME/.laconic2d/data/blockstore.db" ]; then
   # validate dependencies are installed
-  command -v jq > /dev/null 2>&1 || { echo >&2 "jq not installed. More info: https://stedolan.github.io/jq/download/"; exit 1; }
+  command -v jq > /dev/null 2>&1 || {
+    echo >&2 "jq not installed. More info: https://stedolan.github.io/jq/download/"
+    exit 1
+  }
 
   # remove existing daemon and client
   rm -rf $HOME/.laconic2d/*
@@ -27,46 +25,39 @@ if [ "$1" == "clean" ] || [ ! -d "$HOME/.laconic2d/data/blockstore.db" ]; then
   laconic2d config set client chain-id $CHAINID
 
   # if $KEY exists it should be deleted
-  laconic2d keys add $KEY --keyring-backend $KEYRING 
+  laconic2d keys add $KEY --keyring-backend $KEYRING
 
   # Set moniker and chain-id for Ethermint (Moniker can be anything, chain-id must be an integer)
   laconic2d init $MONIKER --chain-id $CHAINID --default-denom photon
 
-  # Change parameter token denominations to aphoton
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["staking"]["params"]["bond_denom"]="aphoton"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["crisis"]["constant_fee"]["denom"]="aphoton"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["gov"]["deposit_params"]["min_deposit"][0]["denom"]="aphoton"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["mint"]["params"]["mint_denom"]="aphoton"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-  # Custom modules
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["record_rent"]["denom"]="aphoton"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_rent"]["denom"]="aphoton"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_commit_fee"]["denom"]="aphoton"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_reveal_fee"]["denom"]="aphoton"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_minimum_bid"]["denom"]="aphoton"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
+  update_genesis() {
+    jq "$1" $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json &&
+      mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
+  }
 
   if [[ "$TEST_REGISTRY_EXPIRY" == "true" ]]; then
     echo "Setting timers for expiry tests."
 
-    cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["record_rent_duration"]="60s"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-    cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_grace_period"]="60s"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-    cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_rent_duration"]="60s"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["record_rent_duration"]="60s"'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_grace_period"]="60s"'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_rent_duration"]="60s"'
   fi
 
   if [[ "$TEST_AUCTION_ENABLED" == "true" ]]; then
     echo "Enabling auction and setting timers."
 
-    cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_enabled"]=true' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-    cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_rent_duration"]="60s"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-    cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_grace_period"]="300s"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-    cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_commits_duration"]="60s"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
-    cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_reveals_duration"]="60s"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_enabled"]=true'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_rent_duration"]="60s"'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_grace_period"]="300s"'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_commits_duration"]="60s"'
+    update_genesis '.app_state["registry"]["params"]["authority_auction_reveals_duration"]="60s"'
   fi
 
   # increase block time (?)
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.consensus_params["block"]["time_iota_ms"]="1000"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
+  update_genesis '.consensus["params"]["block"]["time_iota_ms"]="1000"'
 
   # Set gas limit in genesis
-  cat $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json | jq '.consensus_params["block"]["max_gas"]="10000000"' > $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json && mv $HOME/.laconic2d/config/tmp_genesis.json $HOME/.laconic2d/config/genesis.json
+  update_genesis '.consensus["params"]["block"]["max_gas"]="10000000"'
 
   # disable produce empty block
   if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "darwin"* ]]; then
@@ -75,48 +66,26 @@ if [ "$1" == "clean" ] || [ ! -d "$HOME/.laconic2d/data/blockstore.db" ]; then
       sed -i 's/create_empty_blocks = true/create_empty_blocks = false/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
   fi
 
-  if [[ $1 == "pending" ]]; then
-    if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "darwin"* ]]; then
-        sed -i '' 's/create_empty_blocks_interval = "0s"/create_empty_blocks_interval = "30s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i '' 's/timeout_propose = "3s"/timeout_propose = "30s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i '' 's/timeout_propose_delta = "500ms"/timeout_propose_delta = "5s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i '' 's/timeout_prevote = "1s"/timeout_prevote = "10s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i '' 's/timeout_prevote_delta = "500ms"/timeout_prevote_delta = "5s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i '' 's/timeout_precommit = "1s"/timeout_precommit = "10s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i '' 's/timeout_precommit_delta = "500ms"/timeout_precommit_delta = "5s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i '' 's/timeout_commit = "5s"/timeout_commit = "150s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i '' 's/timeout_broadcast_tx_commit = "10s"/timeout_broadcast_tx_commit = "150s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-    else
-        sed -i 's/create_empty_blocks_interval = "0s"/create_empty_blocks_interval = "30s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i 's/timeout_propose = "3s"/timeout_propose = "30s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i 's/timeout_propose_delta = "500ms"/timeout_propose_delta = "5s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i 's/timeout_prevote = "1s"/timeout_prevote = "10s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i 's/timeout_prevote_delta = "500ms"/timeout_prevote_delta = "5s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i 's/timeout_precommit = "1s"/timeout_precommit = "10s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i 's/timeout_precommit_delta = "500ms"/timeout_precommit_delta = "5s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i 's/timeout_commit = "5s"/timeout_commit = "150s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-        sed -i 's/timeout_broadcast_tx_commit = "10s"/timeout_broadcast_tx_commit = "150s"/g' $HOME/.laconic2d/config/config.toml
-    fi
-  fi
-
   # Allocate genesis accounts (cosmos formatted addresses)
-  laconic2d add-genesis-account $KEY 100000000000000000000000000aphoton --keyring-backend $KEYRING
+  laconic2d genesis add-genesis-account $KEY 100000000000000000000000000photon --keyring-backend $KEYRING
 
   # Sign genesis transaction
-  laconic2d gentx $KEY 1000000000000000000000aphoton --keyring-backend $KEYRING --chain-id $CHAINID
+  laconic2d genesis gentx $KEY 1000000000000000000000photon --keyring-backend $KEYRING --chain-id $CHAINID
 
   # Collect genesis tx
-  laconic2d collect-gentxs
+  laconic2d genesis collect-gentxs
 
   # Run this to ensure everything worked and that the genesis file is setup correctly
-  laconic2d validate-genesis
-
-  if [[ $1 == "pending" ]]; then
-    echo "pending mode is on, please wait for the first block committed."
-  fi
+  laconic2d genesis validate
 else
   echo "Using existing database at $HOME/.laconic2d.  To replace, run '`basename $0` clean'"
 fi
 
 # Start the node (remove the --pruning=nothing flag if historical queries are not needed)
-laconic2d start --pruning=nothing --log_level $LOGLEVEL --minimum-gas-prices=0.0001aphoton --json-rpc.api eth,txpool,personal,net,debug,web3,miner --api.enable --gql-server --gql-playground
+laconic2d start \
+  --pruning=nothing \
+  --log_level $LOGLEVEL \
+  --minimum-gas-prices=0.0001photon \
+  --api.enable \
+  --rpc.laddr="tcp://0.0.0.0:26657" \
+  --gql-server --gql-playground