diff --git a/examples/basecoin/cmd/basecoin/main.go b/examples/basecoin/cmd/basecoin/main.go
index 73d153924..2a96f76bd 100644
--- a/examples/basecoin/cmd/basecoin/main.go
+++ b/examples/basecoin/cmd/basecoin/main.go
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ package main
 import (
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli"
 
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk"
 	client "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/commands"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/server/commands"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/modules/auth"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/modules/base"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/modules/coin"
@@ -15,9 +15,16 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/modules/ibc"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/modules/nonce"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/modules/roles"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/server/commands"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/stack"
 )
 
+// RootCmd is the entry point for this binary
+var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "basecoin",
+	Short: "A cryptocurrency framework in Golang based on Tendermint-Core",
+}
+
 // BuildApp constructs the stack we want to use for this app
 func BuildApp(feeDenom string) sdk.Handler {
 	return stack.New(
@@ -42,19 +49,18 @@ func BuildApp(feeDenom string) sdk.Handler {
 }
 
 func main() {
-	rt := commands.RootCmd
-
 	// require all fees in mycoin - change this in your app!
 	commands.Handler = BuildApp("mycoin")
 
-	rt.AddCommand(
+	RootCmd.AddCommand(
 		commands.InitCmd,
 		commands.StartCmd,
 		//commands.RelayCmd,
 		commands.UnsafeResetAllCmd,
 		client.VersionCmd,
 	)
+	commands.SetUpRoot(RootCmd)
 
-	cmd := cli.PrepareMainCmd(rt, "BC", os.ExpandEnv("$HOME/.basecoin"))
+	cmd := cli.PrepareMainCmd(RootCmd, "BC", os.ExpandEnv("$HOME/.basecoin"))
 	cmd.Execute()
 }
diff --git a/examples/counter/cmd/counter/main.go b/examples/counter/cmd/counter/main.go
index 48b9f75f3..b747e3be0 100644
--- a/examples/counter/cmd/counter/main.go
+++ b/examples/counter/cmd/counter/main.go
@@ -8,15 +8,17 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli"
 
 	client "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/commands"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/server/commands"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/examples/counter/plugins/counter"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/server/commands"
 )
 
+// RootCmd is the entry point for this binary
+var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "counter",
+	Short: "demo application for cosmos sdk",
+}
+
 func main() {
-	var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
-		Use:   "counter",
-		Short: "demo plugin for basecoin",
-	}
 
 	// TODO: register the counter here
 	commands.Handler = counter.NewHandler("mycoin")
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ func main() {
 		commands.UnsafeResetAllCmd,
 		client.VersionCmd,
 	)
+	commands.SetUpRoot(RootCmd)
 
 	cmd := cli.PrepareMainCmd(RootCmd, "CT", os.ExpandEnv("$HOME/.counter"))
 	cmd.Execute()
diff --git a/examples/eyes/cmd/eyes/main.go b/examples/eyes/cmd/eyes/main.go
index 29655479a..ed9b406ef 100644
--- a/examples/eyes/cmd/eyes/main.go
+++ b/examples/eyes/cmd/eyes/main.go
@@ -3,16 +3,24 @@ package main
 import (
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli"
 
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk"
 	client "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/commands"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/server/commands"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/modules/base"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/modules/eyes"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/server/commands"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/stack"
 )
 
+// RootCmd is the entry point for this binary
+var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "eyes",
+	Short: "key-value store",
+	Long:  "A demo app to show key-value store with proofs over abci",
+}
+
 // BuildApp constructs the stack we want to use for this app
 func BuildApp() sdk.Handler {
 	return stack.New(
@@ -26,20 +34,17 @@ func BuildApp() sdk.Handler {
 }
 
 func main() {
-	rt := commands.RootCmd
-	rt.Short = "eyes"
-	rt.Long = "A demo app to show key-value store with proofs over abci"
-
 	commands.Handler = BuildApp()
 
-	rt.AddCommand(
+	RootCmd.AddCommand(
 		// out own init command to not require argument
 		InitCmd,
 		commands.StartCmd,
 		commands.UnsafeResetAllCmd,
 		client.VersionCmd,
 	)
+	commands.SetUpRoot(RootCmd)
 
-	cmd := cli.PrepareMainCmd(rt, "EYE", os.ExpandEnv("$HOME/.eyes"))
+	cmd := cli.PrepareMainCmd(RootCmd, "EYE", os.ExpandEnv("$HOME/.eyes"))
 	cmd.Execute()
 }
diff --git a/server/commands/init.go b/server/commands/init.go
index 85ca02886..bb8617d08 100644
--- a/server/commands/init.go
+++ b/server/commands/init.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import (
 // InitCmd - node initialization command
 var InitCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "init [address]",
-	Short: "Initialize a basecoin blockchain",
+	Short: "Initialize genesis files for a blockchain",
 	RunE:  initCmd,
 }
 
diff --git a/server/commands/root.go b/server/commands/root.go
index 5d76c83e5..7974d3532 100644
--- a/server/commands/root.go
+++ b/server/commands/root.go
@@ -21,23 +21,21 @@ var (
 	logger = log.NewTMLogger(log.NewSyncWriter(os.Stdout)).With("module", "main")
 )
 
-// RootCmd - main node command
-var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "basecoin",
-	Short: "A cryptocurrency framework in Golang based on Tendermint-Core",
-	PersistentPreRunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
-		level := viper.GetString(FlagLogLevel)
-		logger, err = tmflags.ParseLogLevel(level, logger, defaultLogLevel)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		if viper.GetBool(cli.TraceFlag) {
-			logger = log.NewTracingLogger(logger)
-		}
-		return nil
-	},
+// preRunSetup should be set as PersistentPreRunE on the root command to
+// properly handle the logging and the tracer
+func preRunSetup(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
+	level := viper.GetString(FlagLogLevel)
+	logger, err = tmflags.ParseLogLevel(level, logger, defaultLogLevel)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if viper.GetBool(cli.TraceFlag) {
+		logger = log.NewTracingLogger(logger)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
-func init() {
-	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().String(FlagLogLevel, defaultLogLevel, "Log level")
+func SetUpRoot(cmd *cobra.Command) {
+	cmd.PersistentPreRunE = preRunSetup
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().String(FlagLogLevel, defaultLogLevel, "Log level")
 }
diff --git a/server/commands/start.go b/server/commands/start.go
index 5a94a60c7..92f50fdbb 100644
--- a/server/commands/start.go
+++ b/server/commands/start.go
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
-	"github.com/tendermint/abci/server"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk"
+	"github.com/tendermint/abci/server"
 	"github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/cli"
 	cmn "github.com/tendermint/tmlibs/common"
 
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/app"
 )
 
-// StartCmd - command to start running the basecoin node!
+// StartCmd - command to start running the abci app (and tendermint)!
 var StartCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "start",
-	Short: "Start basecoin",
+	Short: "Start this full node",
 	RunE:  startCmd,
 }
 
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ var (
 func init() {
 	flags := StartCmd.Flags()
 	flags.String(FlagAddress, "tcp://0.0.0.0:46658", "Listen address")
-	flags.Bool(FlagWithoutTendermint, false, "Only run basecoin abci app, assume external tendermint process")
+	flags.Bool(FlagWithoutTendermint, false, "Only run abci app, assume external tendermint process")
 	// add all standard 'tendermint node' flags
 	tcmd.AddNodeFlags(StartCmd)
 }