diff --git a/bin/start.js b/bin/start.js
index 7b65c58c..9b9f716a 100644
--- a/bin/start.js
+++ b/bin/start.js
@@ -141,3 +141,33 @@ node.chain.on('addblock', function(block) {
     }, 10000);
   }
 });
+
+process.stdin.resume();//so the program will not close instantly
+
+function exitHandler(options, err) {
+  if (err) {
+    log.error('uncaught exception:', err);
+    if(err.stack) {
+      console.log(err.stack);
+    }
+    process.exit(-1);
+  }
+  if (options.sigint) {
+    log.info('Stopping Services');
+    node.stop(function(err) {
+      if(err) {
+        log.error('Failed to stop services: ' + err);
+        return process.exit(1);
+      }
+
+      log.info('Halted');
+      process.exit(0);
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+//catches ctrl+c event
+process.on('SIGINT', exitHandler.bind(null, {sigint:true}));
+
+//catches uncaught exceptions
+process.on('uncaughtException', exitHandler.bind(null, {exit:true}));
diff --git a/lib/chain.js b/lib/chain.js
index f9e7c200..7e93d38b 100644
--- a/lib/chain.js
+++ b/lib/chain.js
@@ -50,6 +50,15 @@ function Chain(options) {
 
 util.inherits(Chain, BaseChain);
 
+Chain.prototype.start = function(callback) {
+  this.on('initialized', callback);
+  this.initialize();
+};
+
+Chain.prototype.stop = function(callback) {
+  setImmediate(callback);
+};
+
 Chain.prototype._writeBlock = function(block, callback) {
   // Update hashes
   this.cache.hashes[block.hash] = block.prevHash;
diff --git a/lib/daemon.js b/lib/daemon.js
index 429efa9f..23cc18d0 100644
--- a/lib/daemon.js
+++ b/lib/daemon.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ function Daemon(options) {
 
   this.on('newListener', function(name) {
     if (name === 'open') {
-      self.start();
+      //self.start();
     }
   });
 }
@@ -67,22 +67,9 @@ Daemon.prototype.__defineGetter__('global', function() {
   return Daemon.global;
 });
 
-Daemon.prototype.start = function(options, callback) {
+Daemon.prototype.start = function(callback) {
   var self = this;
 
-  if (!callback) {
-    callback = options;
-    options = null;
-  }
-
-  if (!options) {
-    options = {};
-  }
-
-  if (!callback) {
-    callback = function() {};
-  }
-
   if (this.instances[this.datadir]) {
     return;
   }
@@ -97,12 +84,12 @@ Daemon.prototype.start = function(options, callback) {
   var errorCaught = none;
 
   Object.keys(this.options).forEach(function(key) {
-    if (options[key] == null) {
-      options[key] = self.options[key];
+    if (self.options[key] == null) {
+      self.options[key] = self.options[key];
     }
   });
 
-  bitcoind.start(options, function(err, status) {
+  bitcoind.start(this.options, function(err, status) {
     self._started = true;
 
     // Poll for queued packet
@@ -179,23 +166,12 @@ Daemon.prototype.start = function(options, callback) {
     });
 
     setTimeout(function callee() {
-      // Wait until wallet is loaded:
-      if (callback) {
-        callback(err ? err : null);
-      }
-
       if (err) {
         self.emit('error', err);
+        callback(err);
       } else {
-        if (callback) {
-          self.emit('open', status);
-        } else {
-          self.emit('status', status);
-        }
-      }
-
-      if (callback) {
-        callback = null;
+        self.emit('open', status);
+        callback();
       }
     }, 100);
   });
diff --git a/lib/db.js b/lib/db.js
index cdb01423..43733b02 100644
--- a/lib/db.js
+++ b/lib/db.js
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ function DB(options) {
 
 util.inherits(DB, BaseDB);
 
-DB.prototype.initialize = function() {
+DB.prototype.start = function(callback) {
   // Add all db option modules
   if(this._modules && this._modules.length) {
     for(var i = 0; i < this._modules.length; i++) {
@@ -49,7 +49,12 @@ DB.prototype.initialize = function() {
   }
   this.bitcoind.on('tx', this.transactionHandler.bind(this));
   this.emit('ready');
-}
+  callback();
+};
+
+DB.prototype.stop = function(callback) {
+  this.store.close(callback);
+};
 
 DB.prototype.getBlock = function(hash, callback) {
   var self = this;
diff --git a/lib/module.js b/lib/module.js
index b9e39e66..0f15fb3b 100644
--- a/lib/module.js
+++ b/lib/module.js
@@ -45,4 +45,12 @@ Module.prototype.getAPIMethods = function() {
 //
 // };
 
+Module.prototype.start = function() {
+
+};
+
+Module.prototype.stop = function() {
+
+};
+
 module.exports = Module;
diff --git a/lib/node.js b/lib/node.js
index a4f6bee7..d3f5c804 100644
--- a/lib/node.js
+++ b/lib/node.js
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ function Node(config) {
 
 util.inherits(Node, BaseNode);
 
+var defaultServices = {
+  'bitcoind': [],
+  'db': ['bitcoind'],
+  'chain': ['db'],
+};
+
 Node.prototype.openBus = function() {
   return new Bus({db: this.db});
 };
@@ -372,15 +378,23 @@ Node.prototype._loadConsensus = function(config) {
   this.chain = new Chain(config.consensus);
 };
 
-Node.prototype._initializeBitcoind = function() {
+Node.prototype._initialize = function() {
   var self = this;
 
+  // DB References
+  this.db.chain = this.chain;
+  this.db.Block = this.Block;
+  this.db.bitcoind = this.bitcoind;
+
+  // Chain References
+  this.chain.db = this.db;
+
+  // Bitcoind
   this.bitcoind.on('ready', function(status) {
     log.info('Bitcoin Daemon Ready');
     // Set the current chain height
     var info = self.bitcoind.getInfo();
     self.bitcoindHeight = info.blocks;
-    self.db.initialize();
   });
 
   this.bitcoind.on('open', function(status) {
@@ -400,27 +414,6 @@ Node.prototype._initializeBitcoind = function() {
     self.emit('error', err);
   });
 
-};
-
-Node.prototype._initializeDatabase = function() {
-  var self = this;
-
-  // Database
-  this.db.on('ready', function() {
-    log.info('Bitcoin Database Ready');
-    self.chain.initialize();
-  });
-
-  this.db.on('error', function(err) {
-    Error.captureStackTrace(err);
-    self.emit('error', err);
-  });
-
-};
-
-Node.prototype._initializeChain = function() {
-  var self = this;
-
   // Chain
   this.chain.on('ready', function() {
     log.info('Bitcoin Chain Ready');
@@ -432,23 +425,74 @@ Node.prototype._initializeChain = function() {
     Error.captureStackTrace(err);
     self.emit('error', err);
   });
+
+  // Database
+  this.db.on('ready', function() {
+    log.info('Bitcoin Database Ready');
+  });
+
+  this.db.on('error', function(err) {
+    Error.captureStackTrace(err);
+    self.emit('error', err);
+  });
+
+  this.start(function(err) {
+    if(err) {
+      log.error('Failed starting services: ' + err);
+    }
+  });
 };
 
-Node.prototype._initialize = function() {
+Node.prototype.getServiceOrder = function(services, keys, stack) {
+  if(!services) {
+    services = defaultServices;
+  }
 
-  // DB References
-  this.db.chain = this.chain;
-  this.db.Block = this.Block;
-  this.db.bitcoind = this.bitcoind;
+  if(!keys) {
+    keys = Object.keys(services);
+  }
 
-  // Chain References
-  this.chain.db = this.db;
+  if(!stack) {
+    stack = [];
+  }
 
-  // Setup Chain of Events
-  this._initializeBitcoind();
-  this._initializeDatabase();
-  this._initializeChain();
+  for(var i = 0; i < keys.length; i++) {
+    this.getServiceOrder(services, services[keys[i]], stack);
+    if(stack.indexOf(keys[i]) === -1) {
+      stack.push(keys[i]);
+    }
+  }
 
+  return stack;
 };
 
+Node.prototype.start = function(callback) {
+  var self = this;
+  var services = this.getServiceOrder();
+
+  async.eachSeries(
+    services,
+    function(service, next) {
+      log.info('Starting ' + service);
+      self[service].start(next);
+    },
+    callback
+  );
+};
+
+Node.prototype.stop = function(callback) {
+  var self = this;
+  var services = this.getServiceOrder().reverse();
+
+  async.eachSeries(
+    services,
+    function(service, next) {
+      log.info('Stopping ' + service);
+      self[service].stop(next);
+    },
+    callback
+  );
+};
+
+
 module.exports = Node;
diff --git a/test/node.unit.js b/test/node.unit.js
index 674f3ed4..203476ad 100644
--- a/test/node.unit.js
+++ b/test/node.unit.js
@@ -533,4 +533,20 @@ describe('Bitcoind Node', function() {
     });
 
   });
+
+  describe('#getServiceOrder', function() {
+    var services = {
+      'chain': ['db'],
+      'db': ['daemon', 'p2p'],
+      'daemon': [],
+      'p2p': []
+    };
+
+    it('should return the services in the correct order', function() {
+      var node = new Node({});
+      var order = node.getServiceOrder(services);
+
+      order.should.deep.equal(['daemon', 'p2p', 'db', 'chain']);
+    });
+  });
 });