diff --git a/init.cpp b/init.cpp
index 04bdd68..26a1506 100644
--- a/init.cpp
+++ b/init.cpp
@@ -327,6 +327,19 @@ bool AppInit2(int argc, char* argv[])
         strErrors += _("Error loading blkindex.dat      \n");
     printf(" block index %15"PRI64d"ms\n", GetTimeMillis() - nStart);
 
+    if (mapArgs.count("-initblocks")) {
+        string strFn = mapArgs["-initblocks"];
+
+        printf("Initializing block data from static file...\n");
+        nStart = GetTimeMillis();
+        fBlockImport = true;
+        if (!InitBlockFile(strFn))
+            strErrors += _("Error initializing block data   \n");
+        fBlockImport = false;
+        printf(" block data init %15"PRI64d"ms\n", GetTimeMillis() - nStart);
+
+    }
+
     printf("Loading wallet...\n");
     nStart = GetTimeMillis();
     bool fFirstRun;
diff --git a/main.cpp b/main.cpp
index a47f3a9..67068d7 100644
--- a/main.cpp
+++ b/main.cpp
@@ -1144,6 +1144,8 @@ bool CheckProofOfWork(uint256 hash, unsigned int nBits)
 
 bool IsInitialBlockDownload()
 {
+    if (fBlockImport)
+        return true;
     if (pindexBest == NULL || (!fTestNet && nBestHeight < 105000))
         return true;
     static int64 nLastUpdate;
@@ -1894,6 +1896,59 @@ FILE* AppendBlockFile(unsigned int& nFileRet)
     }
 }
 
+bool InitBlockFile(string strFn)
+{
+    unsigned long n_blk = 0;
+
+    FILE *file = fopen(strFn.c_str(), "rb");
+    if (!file) {
+        printf("Failed to open block data file %s\n", strFn.c_str());
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    CAutoFile filein(file);
+    CBlockFileHeader hdr;
+
+    while (1)
+    {
+    	try {
+            if (!hdr.ReadRaw(filein))
+                return false;
+	}
+	catch (std::ios_base::failure) {
+	    break;
+	}
+
+        auto_ptr<CBlock> pblock(new CBlock);
+
+    	try {
+            if (!pblock->ReadRaw(filein))
+                return false;
+	}
+	catch (std::ios_base::failure) {
+	    break;
+	}
+
+        uint256 hash = pblock->GetHash();
+
+        if (hash == hashGenesisBlock) {
+            // ignore; LoadBlockIndex already gave it to us
+        } else {
+            if (!ProcessBlock(NULL, pblock.get())) {
+                printf("Block %lu failed ProcessBlock\n", n_blk);
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+
+        n_blk++;
+    }
+
+    printf("InitBlockFile successfully imported %lu blocks\n", n_blk);
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 bool LoadBlockIndex(bool fAllowNew)
 {
     if (fTestNet)
diff --git a/main.h b/main.h
index a7ef336..9342f89 100644
--- a/main.h
+++ b/main.h
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ extern int fMinimizeOnClose;
 bool CheckDiskSpace(uint64 nAdditionalBytes=0);
 FILE* OpenBlockFile(unsigned int nFile, unsigned int nBlockPos, const char* pszMode="rb");
 FILE* AppendBlockFile(unsigned int& nFileRet);
+bool InitBlockFile(string strFn);
 bool AddKey(const CKey& key);
 vector<unsigned char> GenerateNewKey();
 bool AddToWallet(const CWalletTx& wtxIn);
@@ -1002,6 +1003,34 @@ public:
 
 
 
+class CBlockFileHeader
+{
+public:
+    char magic[4];
+    unsigned int nSize;
+
+    IMPLEMENT_SERIALIZE
+    (
+        READWRITE(FLATDATA(magic));
+        READWRITE(nSize);
+    )
+
+    bool ReadRaw(CAutoFile &filein)
+    {
+        // Read block
+        filein >> *this;
+
+        if (memcmp(magic, pchMessageStart, 4))
+            return false;
+
+        // TODO: validate remaining file size >= nSize
+
+        return true;
+    }
+};
+
+
+
 
 
 //
@@ -1173,6 +1202,18 @@ public:
         return true;
     }
 
+    bool ReadRaw(CAutoFile &filein)
+    {
+        // Read block
+        filein >> *this;
+
+        // Check the header
+        if (!CheckProofOfWork(GetHash(), nBits))
+            return error("CBlock::ReadFromDisk() : errors in block header");
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
     bool ReadFromDisk(unsigned int nFile, unsigned int nBlockPos, bool fReadTransactions=true)
     {
         SetNull();
@@ -1184,14 +1225,7 @@ public:
         if (!fReadTransactions)
             filein.nType |= SER_BLOCKHEADERONLY;
 
-        // Read block
-        filein >> *this;
-
-        // Check the header
-        if (!CheckProofOfWork(GetHash(), nBits))
-            return error("CBlock::ReadFromDisk() : errors in block header");
-
-        return true;
+        return ReadRaw(filein);
     }
 
 
diff --git a/util.cpp b/util.cpp
index 94b0242..117d2e1 100644
--- a/util.cpp
+++ b/util.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ bool fCommandLine = false;
 string strMiscWarning;
 bool fTestNet = false;
 bool fNoListen = false;
+bool fBlockImport = false;
 
 
 
diff --git a/util.h b/util.h
index c69bf1c..3cca1ce 100644
--- a/util.h
+++ b/util.h
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ extern bool fCommandLine;
 extern string strMiscWarning;
 extern bool fTestNet;
 extern bool fNoListen;
+extern bool fBlockImport;
 
 void RandAddSeed();
 void RandAddSeedPerfmon();