diff --git a/ethereum/config.go b/ethereum/config.go
index 899a17ca6c..b796af5cd6 100644
--- a/ethereum/config.go
+++ b/ethereum/config.go
@@ -17,12 +17,14 @@ var ImportKey string
 var ExportKey bool
 var LogFile string
 var DataDir string
+var NonInteractive bool
 
 func Init() {
 	flag.BoolVar(&StartConsole, "c", false, "debug and testing console")
 	flag.BoolVar(&StartMining, "m", false, "start dagger mining")
 	flag.BoolVar(&ShowGenesis, "g", false, "prints genesis header and exits")
 	//flag.BoolVar(&UseGui, "gui", true, "use the gui")
+	flag.BoolVar(&NonInteractive, "y", false, "non-interactive mode (say yes to confirmations)")
 	flag.BoolVar(&UseUPnP, "upnp", false, "enable UPnP support")
 	flag.BoolVar(&UseSeed, "seed", true, "seed peers")
 	flag.BoolVar(&GenAddr, "genaddr", false, "create a new priv/pub key")
diff --git a/ethereum/ethereum.go b/ethereum/ethereum.go
index f00c75ad04..4f5c3756ad 100644
--- a/ethereum/ethereum.go
+++ b/ethereum/ethereum.go
@@ -30,13 +30,27 @@ func RegisterInterupts(s *eth.Ethereum) {
 	}()
 }
 
+func confirm(message string) bool {
+	fmt.Println(message, "Are you sure? (y/n)")
+	var r string
+	fmt.Scanln(&r)
+	for ; ; fmt.Scanln(&r) {
+		if r == "n" || r == "y" {
+			break
+		} else {
+			fmt.Printf("Yes or no?", r)
+		}
+	}
+	return r == "y"
+}
+
 func main() {
 	Init()
 
 	runtime.GOMAXPROCS(runtime.NumCPU())
 
 	// set logger
-	var logger *log.Logger
+	var logSys *log.Logger
 	flags := log.LstdFlags
 
 	if LogFile != "" {
@@ -46,12 +60,13 @@ func main() {
     }
     defer logfile.Close()
 		log.SetOutput(logfile)
-		logger = log.New(logfile, "", flags)
+		logSys = log.New(logfile, "", flags)
   } else {
-  	logger = log.New(os.Stdout, "", flags)
+  	logSys = log.New(os.Stdout, "", flags)
   }
 	ethutil.ReadConfig(DataDir)
-	ethutil.Config.Log.AddLogSystem(logger)
+	logger := ethutil.Config.Log
+	logger.AddLogSystem(logSys)
 
   ethchain.InitFees()
 	ethutil.Config.Seed = UseSeed
@@ -64,67 +79,42 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	ethereum.Port = OutboundPort
 
-	if GenAddr {
-		fmt.Println("This action overwrites your old private key. Are you sure? (y/n)")
-
-		var r string
-		fmt.Scanln(&r)
-		for ; ; fmt.Scanln(&r) {
-			if r == "n" || r == "y" {
-				break
-			} else {
-				fmt.Printf("Yes or no?", r)
-			}
-		}
-
-		if r == "y" {
+	// bookkeeping tasks
+	switch {
+	case GenAddr:
+		if NonInteractive || confirm("This action overwrites your old private key.") {
 			utils.CreateKeyPair(true)
 		}
 		os.Exit(0)
-	} else {
-		if len(ImportKey) > 0 {
-			fmt.Println("This action overwrites your old private key. Are you sure? (y/n)")
-			var r string
-			fmt.Scanln(&r)
-			for ; ; fmt.Scanln(&r) {
-				if r == "n" || r == "y" {
-					break
-				} else {
-					fmt.Printf("Yes or no?", r)
-				}
+	case len(ImportKey) > 0:
+		if NonInteractive || confirm("This action overwrites your old private key.") {
+			mnemonic := strings.Split(ImportKey, " ")
+			if len(mnemonic) == 24 {
+				logSys.Println("Got mnemonic key, importing.")
+				key := ethutil.MnemonicDecode(mnemonic)
+				utils.ImportPrivateKey(key)
+			} else if len(mnemonic) == 1 {
+				logSys.Println("Got hex key, importing.")
+				utils.ImportPrivateKey(ImportKey)
+			} else {
+				logSys.Println("Did not recognise format, exiting.")
 			}
-
-			if r == "y" {
-				mnemonic := strings.Split(ImportKey, " ")
-				if len(mnemonic) == 24 {
-					fmt.Println("Got mnemonic key, importing.")
-					key := ethutil.MnemonicDecode(mnemonic)
-					utils.ImportPrivateKey(key)
-				} else if len(mnemonic) == 1 {
-					fmt.Println("Got hex key, importing.")
-					utils.ImportPrivateKey(ImportKey)
-				} else {
-					fmt.Println("Did not recognise format, exiting.")
-				}
-				os.Exit(0)
-			}
-		} else {
-			utils.CreateKeyPair(false)
 		}
-	}
-
-	if ExportKey {
+		os.Exit(0)
+	case len(ImportKey) == 0:
+		utils.CreateKeyPair(false)
+		fallthrough
+	case ExportKey:
 		key := ethutil.Config.Db.GetKeys()[0]
-		fmt.Printf("%x\n", key.PrivateKey)
+		logSys.Println(fmt.Sprintf("prvk: %x\n", key.PrivateKey))
+		os.Exit(0)
+	case ShowGenesis:
+		logSys.Println(ethereum.BlockChain().Genesis())
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
 
-	if ShowGenesis {
-		fmt.Println(ethereum.BlockChain().Genesis())
-		os.Exit(0)
-	}
-
-	ethutil.Config.Log.Infoln(fmt.Sprintf("Starting Ethereum v%s", ethutil.Config.Ver))
+	// client
+	logger.Infoln(fmt.Sprintf("Starting Ethereum v%s", ethutil.Config.Ver))
 
 	// Set the max peers
 	ethereum.MaxPeers = MaxPeer
@@ -144,13 +134,13 @@ func main() {
 	ethereum.Start()
 
 	if StartMining {
-		ethutil.Config.Log.Infoln("Miner started")
+		logger.Infoln("Miner started")
 
 		// Fake block mining. It broadcasts a new block every 5 seconds
 		go func() {
 
 			if StartMining {
-				ethutil.Config.Log.Infoln("Miner started")
+				logger.Infoln("Miner started")
 
 				go func() {
 					data, _ := ethutil.Config.Db.Get([]byte("KeyRing"))