diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/main.go b/cmd/tendermint/main.go
index e5abe5b23..2338ad393 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/main.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/main.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-logger"
 	tmcfg "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config/tendermint"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/consensus"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/node"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/version"
 )
 
@@ -40,7 +39,7 @@ Commands:
 
 	switch args[0] {
 	case "node":
-		node.RunNode(config)
+		run_node(config)
 	case "replay":
 		consensus.RunReplayFile(config, args[1], false)
 	case "replay_console":
diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/run_node.go b/cmd/tendermint/run_node.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9f13533a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/run_node.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"time"
+
+	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
+	cfg "github.com/tendermint/go-config"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/node"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/types"
+)
+
+// Users wishing to:
+//	* Use an external signer for their validators
+//	* Supply an in-proc abci app
+// should import tendermint/tendermint and implement their own RunNode to
+// call NewNode with their custom priv validator and/or custom
+// proxy.ClientCreator interface
+func run_node(config cfg.Config) {
+
+	// Wait until the genesis doc becomes available
+	// This is for Mintnet compatibility.
+	// TODO: If Mintnet gets deprecated or genesis_file is
+	// always available, remove.
+	genDocFile := config.GetString("genesis_file")
+	if !FileExists(genDocFile) {
+		log.Notice(Fmt("Waiting for genesis file %v...", genDocFile))
+		for {
+			time.Sleep(time.Second)
+			if !FileExists(genDocFile) {
+				continue
+			}
+			jsonBlob, err := ioutil.ReadFile(genDocFile)
+			if err != nil {
+				Exit(Fmt("Couldn't read GenesisDoc file: %v", err))
+			}
+			genDoc := types.GenesisDocFromJSON(jsonBlob)
+			if genDoc.ChainID == "" {
+				PanicSanity(Fmt("Genesis doc %v must include non-empty chain_id", genDocFile))
+			}
+			config.Set("chain_id", genDoc.ChainID)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Create & start node
+	n := node.NewNodeDefault(config)
+	if _, err := n.Start(); err != nil {
+		Exit(Fmt("Failed to start node: %v", err))
+	} else {
+		log.Notice("Started node", "nodeInfo", n.Switch().NodeInfo())
+	}
+
+	// Trap signal, run forever.
+	n.RunForever()
+
+}
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 43eba2573..91415ec74 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -2,13 +2,11 @@ package node
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"io/ioutil"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
-	"time"
 
-	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
+	cmn "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
 	cfg "github.com/tendermint/go-config"
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-crypto"
 	dbm "github.com/tendermint/go-db"
@@ -30,6 +28,8 @@ import (
 import _ "net/http/pprof"
 
 type Node struct {
+	cmn.BaseService
+
 	config           cfg.Config
 	sw               *p2p.Switch
 	evsw             types.EventSwitch
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func NewNode(config cfg.Config, privValidator *types.PrivValidator, clientCreato
 	// Create the proxyApp, which manages connections (consensus, mempool, query)
 	proxyApp := proxy.NewAppConns(config, clientCreator, sm.NewHandshaker(config, state, blockStore))
 	if _, err := proxyApp.Start(); err != nil {
-		Exit(Fmt("Error starting proxy app connections: %v", err))
+		cmn.Exit(cmn.Fmt("Error starting proxy app connections: %v", err))
 	}
 
 	// add the chainid and number of validators to the global config
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func NewNode(config cfg.Config, privValidator *types.PrivValidator, clientCreato
 	eventSwitch := types.NewEventSwitch()
 	_, err := eventSwitch.Start()
 	if err != nil {
-		Exit(Fmt("Failed to start switch: %v", err))
+		cmn.Exit(cmn.Fmt("Failed to start switch: %v", err))
 	}
 
 	// Decide whether to fast-sync or not
@@ -126,14 +126,14 @@ func NewNode(config cfg.Config, privValidator *types.PrivValidator, clientCreato
 	if config.GetBool("filter_peers") {
 		// NOTE: addr is ip:port
 		sw.SetAddrFilter(func(addr net.Addr) error {
-			res := proxyApp.Query().QuerySync([]byte(Fmt("p2p/filter/addr/%s", addr.String())))
+			res := proxyApp.Query().QuerySync([]byte(cmn.Fmt("p2p/filter/addr/%s", addr.String())))
 			if res.IsOK() {
 				return nil
 			}
 			return res
 		})
 		sw.SetPubKeyFilter(func(pubkey crypto.PubKeyEd25519) error {
-			res := proxyApp.Query().QuerySync([]byte(Fmt("p2p/filter/pubkey/%X", pubkey.Bytes())))
+			res := proxyApp.Query().QuerySync([]byte(cmn.Fmt("p2p/filter/pubkey/%X", pubkey.Bytes())))
 			if res.IsOK() {
 				return nil
 			}
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ func NewNode(config cfg.Config, privValidator *types.PrivValidator, clientCreato
 		}()
 	}
 
-	return &Node{
+	node := &Node{
 		config:           config,
 		sw:               sw,
 		evsw:             eventSwitch,
@@ -168,17 +168,53 @@ func NewNode(config cfg.Config, privValidator *types.PrivValidator, clientCreato
 		privKey:          privKey,
 		proxyApp:         proxyApp,
 	}
+	node.BaseService = *cmn.NewBaseService(log, "Node", node)
+	return node
 }
 
-// Call Start() after adding the listeners.
-func (n *Node) Start() error {
+func (n *Node) OnStart() error {
+	n.BaseService.OnStart()
+
+	// Create & add listener
+	protocol, address := ProtocolAndAddress(n.config.GetString("node_laddr"))
+	l := p2p.NewDefaultListener(protocol, address, n.config.GetBool("skip_upnp"))
+	n.sw.AddListener(l)
+
+	// Start the switch
 	n.sw.SetNodeInfo(makeNodeInfo(n.config, n.sw, n.privKey))
 	n.sw.SetNodePrivKey(n.privKey)
 	_, err := n.sw.Start()
-	return err
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Dial out of seed nodes exist
+	if n.config.GetString("seeds") != "" {
+		seeds := strings.Split(n.config.GetString("seeds"), ",")
+		n.sw.DialSeeds(seeds)
+	}
+
+	// Run the RPC server
+	if n.config.GetString("rpc_laddr") != "" {
+		_, err := n.startRPC()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
-func (n *Node) Stop() {
+func (n *Node) RunForever() {
+	// Sleep forever and then...
+	cmn.TrapSignal(func() {
+		n.Stop()
+	})
+}
+
+func (n *Node) OnStop() {
+	n.BaseService.OnStop()
+
 	log.Notice("Stopping Node")
 	// TODO: gracefully disconnect from peers.
 	n.sw.Stop()
@@ -195,11 +231,10 @@ func SetEventSwitch(evsw types.EventSwitch, eventables ...types.Eventable) {
 // Add listeners before starting the Node.
 // The first listener is the primary listener (in NodeInfo)
 func (n *Node) AddListener(l p2p.Listener) {
-	log.Notice(Fmt("Added %v", l))
 	n.sw.AddListener(l)
 }
 
-func (n *Node) StartRPC() ([]net.Listener, error) {
+func (n *Node) startRPC() ([]net.Listener, error) {
 	rpccore.SetConfig(n.config)
 
 	rpccore.SetEventSwitch(n.evsw)
@@ -285,16 +320,16 @@ func makeNodeInfo(config cfg.Config, sw *p2p.Switch, privKey crypto.PrivKeyEd255
 		Network: config.GetString("chain_id"),
 		Version: version.Version,
 		Other: []string{
-			Fmt("wire_version=%v", wire.Version),
-			Fmt("p2p_version=%v", p2p.Version),
-			Fmt("consensus_version=%v", consensus.Version),
-			Fmt("rpc_version=%v/%v", rpc.Version, rpccore.Version),
+			cmn.Fmt("wire_version=%v", wire.Version),
+			cmn.Fmt("p2p_version=%v", p2p.Version),
+			cmn.Fmt("consensus_version=%v", consensus.Version),
+			cmn.Fmt("rpc_version=%v/%v", rpc.Version, rpccore.Version),
 		},
 	}
 
 	// include git hash in the nodeInfo if available
-	if rev, err := ReadFile(config.GetString("revision_file")); err == nil {
-		nodeInfo.Other = append(nodeInfo.Other, Fmt("revision=%v", string(rev)))
+	if rev, err := cmn.ReadFile(config.GetString("revision_file")); err == nil {
+		nodeInfo.Other = append(nodeInfo.Other, cmn.Fmt("revision=%v", string(rev)))
 	}
 
 	if !sw.IsListening() {
@@ -309,74 +344,11 @@ func makeNodeInfo(config cfg.Config, sw *p2p.Switch, privKey crypto.PrivKeyEd255
 	// We assume that the rpcListener has the same ExternalAddress.
 	// This is probably true because both P2P and RPC listeners use UPnP,
 	// except of course if the rpc is only bound to localhost
-	nodeInfo.ListenAddr = Fmt("%v:%v", p2pHost, p2pPort)
-	nodeInfo.Other = append(nodeInfo.Other, Fmt("rpc_addr=%v", rpcListenAddr))
+	nodeInfo.ListenAddr = cmn.Fmt("%v:%v", p2pHost, p2pPort)
+	nodeInfo.Other = append(nodeInfo.Other, cmn.Fmt("rpc_addr=%v", rpcListenAddr))
 	return nodeInfo
 }
 
-//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-// Users wishing to:
-//	* use an external signer for their validators
-//	* supply an in-proc abci app
-// should fork tendermint/tendermint and implement RunNode to
-// call NewNode with their custom priv validator and/or custom
-// proxy.ClientCreator interface
-func RunNode(config cfg.Config) {
-	// Wait until the genesis doc becomes available
-	genDocFile := config.GetString("genesis_file")
-	if !FileExists(genDocFile) {
-		log.Notice(Fmt("Waiting for genesis file %v...", genDocFile))
-		for {
-			time.Sleep(time.Second)
-			if !FileExists(genDocFile) {
-				continue
-			}
-			jsonBlob, err := ioutil.ReadFile(genDocFile)
-			if err != nil {
-				Exit(Fmt("Couldn't read GenesisDoc file: %v", err))
-			}
-			genDoc := types.GenesisDocFromJSON(jsonBlob)
-			if genDoc.ChainID == "" {
-				PanicSanity(Fmt("Genesis doc %v must include non-empty chain_id", genDocFile))
-			}
-			config.Set("chain_id", genDoc.ChainID)
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Create & start node
-	n := NewNodeDefault(config)
-
-	protocol, address := ProtocolAndAddress(config.GetString("node_laddr"))
-	l := p2p.NewDefaultListener(protocol, address, config.GetBool("skip_upnp"))
-	n.AddListener(l)
-	err := n.Start()
-	if err != nil {
-		Exit(Fmt("Failed to start node: %v", err))
-	}
-
-	log.Notice("Started node", "nodeInfo", n.sw.NodeInfo())
-
-	// If seedNode is provided by config, dial out.
-	if config.GetString("seeds") != "" {
-		seeds := strings.Split(config.GetString("seeds"), ",")
-		n.sw.DialSeeds(seeds)
-	}
-
-	// Run the RPC server.
-	if config.GetString("rpc_laddr") != "" {
-		_, err := n.StartRPC()
-		if err != nil {
-			PanicCrisis(err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Sleep forever and then...
-	TrapSignal(func() {
-		n.Stop()
-	})
-}
-
 func (n *Node) NodeInfo() *p2p.NodeInfo {
 	return n.sw.NodeInfo()
 }
diff --git a/node/node_test.go b/node/node_test.go
index 880a2dab7..2ab8e8dc6 100644
--- a/node/node_test.go
+++ b/node/node_test.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/tendermint/go-p2p"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/config/tendermint_test"
 )
 
@@ -13,12 +12,13 @@ func TestNodeStartStop(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Create & start node
 	n := NewNodeDefault(config)
-	protocol, address := ProtocolAndAddress(config.GetString("node_laddr"))
-	l := p2p.NewDefaultListener(protocol, address, config.GetBool("skip_upnp"))
-	n.AddListener(l)
 	n.Start()
 	log.Notice("Started node", "nodeInfo", n.sw.NodeInfo())
+
+	// Wait a bit to initialize
+	// TODO remove time.Sleep(), make asynchronous.
 	time.Sleep(time.Second * 2)
+
 	ch := make(chan struct{}, 1)
 	go func() {
 		n.Stop()
diff --git a/rpc/test/helpers.go b/rpc/test/helpers.go
index da6482483..76fcd4b3b 100644
--- a/rpc/test/helpers.go
+++ b/rpc/test/helpers.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 
 	. "github.com/tendermint/go-common"
 	cfg "github.com/tendermint/go-config"
-	"github.com/tendermint/go-p2p"
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire"
 
 	client "github.com/tendermint/go-rpc/client"
@@ -57,13 +56,8 @@ func init() {
 func newNode(ready chan struct{}) {
 	// Create & start node
 	node = nm.NewNodeDefault(config)
-	protocol, address := nm.ProtocolAndAddress(config.GetString("node_laddr"))
-	l := p2p.NewDefaultListener(protocol, address, true)
-	node.AddListener(l)
 	node.Start()
 
-	// Run the RPC server.
-	node.StartRPC()
 	time.Sleep(time.Second)
 
 	ready <- struct{}{}