diff --git a/src/controller/Controller.java b/src/controller/Controller.java
index cdcbc45a..20c1c698 100644
--- a/src/controller/Controller.java
+++ b/src/controller/Controller.java
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@ package controller;
 
 import api.ApiService;
 import qora.block.BlockChain;
+import qora.block.BlockGenerator;
 import repository.DataException;
 import repository.RepositoryFactory;
 import repository.RepositoryManager;
 import repository.hsqldb.HSQLDBRepositoryFactory;
 import settings.Settings;
+import utils.Base58;
 
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
@@ -21,6 +23,8 @@ public class Controller {
 	private static final Object shutdownLock = new Object();
 	private static boolean isStopping = false;
 
+	private static BlockGenerator blockGenerator;
+
 	public static void main(String args[]) {
 		LOGGER.info("Starting up...");
 
@@ -36,13 +40,19 @@ public class Controller {
 			System.exit(1);
 		}
 
+		LOGGER.info("Validating blockchain");
 		try {
 			BlockChain.validate();
 		} catch (DataException e) {
-			LOGGER.error("Couldn't validate repository", e);
+			LOGGER.error("Couldn't validate blockchain", e);
 			System.exit(2);
 		}
 
+		LOGGER.info("Starting block generator");
+		byte[] privateKey = Base58.decode("A9MNsATgQgruBUjxy2rjWY36Yf19uRioKZbiLFT2P7c6");
+		blockGenerator = new BlockGenerator(privateKey);
+		blockGenerator.start();
+
 		LOGGER.info("Starting API");
 		try {
 			ApiService apiService = ApiService.getInstance();
@@ -68,6 +78,14 @@ public class Controller {
 				LOGGER.info("Shutting down API");
 				ApiService.getInstance().stop();
 
+				LOGGER.info("Shutting down block generator");
+				blockGenerator.shutdown();
+				try {
+					blockGenerator.join();
+				} catch (InterruptedException e) {
+					e.printStackTrace();
+				}
+
 				try {
 					LOGGER.info("Shutting down repository");
 					RepositoryManager.closeRepositoryFactory();