diff --git a/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py b/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
index fa5bd1a7..92dce33d 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/commands/bigchaindb.py
@@ -93,12 +93,9 @@ def run_configure(args):
 
 
 def _run_init():
-    b = bigchaindb.Bigchain()
+    bdb = bigchaindb.Bigchain()
 
-    schema.init_database(connection=b.connection)
-
-    b.create_genesis_block()
-    logger.info('Genesis block created.')
+    schema.init_database(connection=bdb.connection)
 
 
 @configure_bigchaindb
diff --git a/tests/commands/test_commands.py b/tests/commands/test_commands.py
index 73aaa8fe..3cf53f43 100644
--- a/tests/commands/test_commands.py
+++ b/tests/commands/test_commands.py
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ def test__run_init(mocker):
     bigchain_mock.assert_called_once_with()
     init_db_mock.assert_called_once_with(
         connection=bigchain_mock.return_value.connection)
-    bigchain_mock.return_value.create_genesis_block.assert_called_once_with()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.tendermint