diff --git a/ethcore/res/ethereum/tests b/ethcore/res/ethereum/tests
index e8f4624b7..9028c4801 160000
--- a/ethcore/res/ethereum/tests
+++ b/ethcore/res/ethereum/tests
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit e8f4624b7f1a15c63674eecf577c7ab76c3b16be
+Subproject commit 9028c4801fd39fbb71a9796979182549a24e81c8
diff --git a/parity/blockchain.rs b/parity/blockchain.rs
index 4129433f4..6521efc82 100644
--- a/parity/blockchain.rs
+++ b/parity/blockchain.rs
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ fn execute_import(cmd: ImportBlockchain) -> Result<(), String> {
 	let snapshot_path = db_dirs.snapshot_path();
 
 	// execute upgrades
-	try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, cmd.compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.db_root_path().as_path())));
+	try!(execute_upgrades(&cmd.dirs.base, &db_dirs, algorithm, cmd.compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.db_root_path().as_path())));
 
 	// create dirs used by parity
 	try!(cmd.dirs.create_dirs(false, false));
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ fn start_client(
 	let snapshot_path = db_dirs.snapshot_path();
 
 	// execute upgrades
-	try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.db_root_path().as_path())));
+	try!(execute_upgrades(&dirs.base, &db_dirs, algorithm, compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.db_root_path().as_path())));
 
 	// create dirs used by parity
 	try!(dirs.create_dirs(false, false));
diff --git a/parity/cli/config.full.toml b/parity/cli/config.full.toml
index 60571b461..fc55e5294 100644
--- a/parity/cli/config.full.toml
+++ b/parity/cli/config.full.toml
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ no_download = false
 no_consensus = false
 
 chain = "homestead"
-db_path = "$HOME/.parity"
+base_path = "$HOME/.parity"
+db_path = "$HOME/.parity/chains"
 keys_path = "$HOME/.parity/keys"
 identity = ""
 
diff --git a/parity/cli/mod.rs b/parity/cli/mod.rs
index 1b86faadc..cac137316 100644
--- a/parity/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/parity/cli/mod.rs
@@ -90,8 +90,9 @@ usage! {
 		flag_no_download: bool = false, or |c: &Config| otry!(c.parity).no_download.clone(),
 		flag_no_consensus: bool = false, or |c: &Config| otry!(c.parity).no_consensus.clone(),
 		flag_chain: String = "homestead", or |c: &Config| otry!(c.parity).chain.clone(),
-		flag_db_path: String = default_data_path(), or |c: &Config| otry!(c.parity).db_path.clone(),
-		flag_keys_path: String = "$DATA/keys", or |c: &Config| otry!(c.parity).keys_path.clone(),
+		flag_base_path: String = default_data_path(), or |c: &Config| otry!(c.parity).base_path.clone(),
+		flag_db_path: String = "$BASE/chains", or |c: &Config| otry!(c.parity).db_path.clone(),
+		flag_keys_path: String = "$BASE/keys", or |c: &Config| otry!(c.parity).keys_path.clone(),
 		flag_identity: String = "", or |c: &Config| otry!(c.parity).identity.clone(),
 
 		// -- Account Options
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ usage! {
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.ui).port.clone(),
 		flag_ui_interface: String = "local",
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.ui).interface.clone(),
-		flag_ui_path: String = "$DATA/signer",
+		flag_ui_path: String = "$BASE/signer",
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.ui).path.clone(),
 		// NOTE [todr] For security reasons don't put this to config files
 		flag_ui_no_validation: bool = false, or |_| None,
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ usage! {
 		// IPC
 		flag_no_ipc: bool = false,
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.ipc).disable.clone(),
-		flag_ipc_path: String = "$DATA/jsonrpc.ipc",
+		flag_ipc_path: String = "$BASE/jsonrpc.ipc",
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.ipc).path.clone(),
 		flag_ipc_apis: String = "web3,eth,net,parity,parity_accounts,traces,rpc",
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.ipc).apis.clone().map(|vec| vec.join(",")),
@@ -180,7 +181,7 @@ usage! {
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.dapps).interface.clone(),
 		flag_dapps_hosts: String = "none",
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.dapps).hosts.clone().map(|vec| vec.join(",")),
-		flag_dapps_path: String = "$DATA/dapps",
+		flag_dapps_path: String = "$BASE/dapps",
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.dapps).path.clone(),
 		flag_dapps_user: Option<String> = None,
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.dapps).user.clone().map(Some),
@@ -281,7 +282,7 @@ usage! {
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.vm).jit.clone(),
 
 		// -- Miscellaneous Options
-		flag_config: String = "$DATA/config.toml", or |_| None,
+		flag_config: String = "$BASE/config.toml", or |_| None,
 		flag_logging: Option<String> = None,
 			or |c: &Config| otry!(c.misc).logging.clone().map(Some),
 		flag_log_file: Option<String> = None,
@@ -318,6 +319,7 @@ struct Operating {
 	no_download: Option<bool>,
 	no_consensus: Option<bool>,
 	chain: Option<String>,
+	base_path: Option<String>,
 	db_path: Option<String>,
 	keys_path: Option<String>,
 	identity: Option<String>,
@@ -546,7 +548,8 @@ mod tests {
 			flag_no_download: false,
 			flag_no_consensus: false,
 			flag_chain: "xyz".into(),
-			flag_db_path: "$HOME/.parity".into(),
+			flag_base_path: "$HOME/.parity".into(),
+			flag_db_path: "$HOME/.parity/chains".into(),
 			flag_keys_path: "$HOME/.parity/keys".into(),
 			flag_identity: "".into(),
 
@@ -688,7 +691,7 @@ mod tests {
 
 			// -- Miscellaneous Options
 			flag_version: false,
-			flag_config: "$DATA/config.toml".into(),
+			flag_config: "$BASE/config.toml".into(),
 			flag_logging: Some("own_tx=trace".into()),
 			flag_log_file: Some("/var/log/parity.log".into()),
 			flag_no_color: false,
@@ -724,6 +727,7 @@ mod tests {
 				no_download: None,
 				no_consensus: None,
 				chain: Some("./chain.json".into()),
+				base_path: None,
 				db_path: None,
 				keys_path: None,
 				identity: None,
diff --git a/parity/cli/usage.txt b/parity/cli/usage.txt
index 29d652989..1e4032bf5 100644
--- a/parity/cli/usage.txt
+++ b/parity/cli/usage.txt
@@ -59,7 +59,9 @@ Operating Options:
                            JSON chain specification file or olympic, frontier,
                            homestead, mainnet, morden, ropsten, classic, expanse,
                            testnet or dev (default: {flag_chain}).
-  -d --db-path PATH        Specify the database & configuration directory path
+  -d --base-path PATH      Specify the base data storage path.
+                           (default: {flag_base_path}).
+  --db-path PATH           Specify the database directory path
                            (default: {flag_db_path}).
   --keys-path PATH         Specify the path for JSON key files to be found
                            (default: {flag_keys_path}).
diff --git a/parity/configuration.rs b/parity/configuration.rs
index c46dc5e6b..ad8c8e30c 100644
--- a/parity/configuration.rs
+++ b/parity/configuration.rs
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ impl Configuration {
 		ret.snapshot_peers = self.snapshot_peers();
 		ret.allow_ips = try!(self.allow_ips());
 		ret.max_pending_peers = self.max_pending_peers();
-		let mut net_path = PathBuf::from(self.directories().data);
+		let mut net_path = PathBuf::from(self.directories().base);
 		net_path.push("network");
 		ret.config_path = Some(net_path.to_str().unwrap().to_owned());
 		ret.reserved_nodes = try!(self.init_reserved_nodes());
@@ -708,8 +708,9 @@ impl Configuration {
 	fn directories(&self) -> Directories {
 		use util::path;
 
-		let data_path = replace_home("", self.args.flag_datadir.as_ref().unwrap_or(&self.args.flag_db_path));
+		let data_path = replace_home("", self.args.flag_datadir.as_ref().unwrap_or(&self.args.flag_base_path));
 
+		let db_path = replace_home(&data_path, &self.args.flag_db_path);
 		let keys_path = replace_home(&data_path, &self.args.flag_keys_path);
 		let dapps_path = replace_home(&data_path, &self.args.flag_dapps_path);
 		let ui_path = replace_home(&data_path, &self.args.flag_ui_path);
@@ -731,7 +732,8 @@ impl Configuration {
 
 		Directories {
 			keys: keys_path,
-			data: data_path,
+			base: data_path,
+			db: db_path,
 			dapps: dapps_path,
 			signer: ui_path,
 		}
@@ -741,7 +743,7 @@ impl Configuration {
 		if self.args.flag_geth {
 			geth_ipc_path(self.args.flag_testnet)
 		} else {
-			parity_ipc_path(&self.directories().data, &self.args.flag_ipcpath.clone().unwrap_or(self.args.flag_ipc_path.clone()))
+			parity_ipc_path(&self.directories().base, &self.args.flag_ipcpath.clone().unwrap_or(self.args.flag_ipc_path.clone()))
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/parity/dapps.rs b/parity/dapps.rs
index e54638ed2..80fe8d675 100644
--- a/parity/dapps.rs
+++ b/parity/dapps.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ impl Default for Configuration {
 			hosts: Some(Vec::new()),
 			user: None,
 			pass: None,
-			dapps_path: replace_home(&data_dir, "$DATA/dapps"),
+			dapps_path: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE/dapps"),
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/parity/dir.rs b/parity/dir.rs
index 05515fc82..e788fbd56 100644
--- a/parity/dir.rs
+++ b/parity/dir.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ const LEGACY_CLIENT_DB_VER_STR: &'static str = "5.3";
 
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Directories {
-	pub data: String,
+	pub base: String,
+	pub db: String,
 	pub keys: String,
 	pub signer: String,
 	pub dapps: String,
@@ -37,17 +38,19 @@ impl Default for Directories {
 	fn default() -> Self {
 		let data_dir = default_data_path();
 		Directories {
-			data: replace_home(&data_dir, "$DATA"),
-			keys: replace_home(&data_dir, "$DATA/keys"),
-			signer: replace_home(&data_dir, "$DATA/signer"),
-			dapps: replace_home(&data_dir, "$DATA/dapps"),
+			base: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE"),
+			db: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE/chains"),
+			keys: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE/keys"),
+			signer: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE/signer"),
+			dapps: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE/dapps"),
 		}
 	}
 }
 
 impl Directories {
 	pub fn create_dirs(&self, dapps_enabled: bool, signer_enabled: bool) -> Result<(), String> {
-		try!(fs::create_dir_all(&self.data).map_err(|e| e.to_string()));
+		try!(fs::create_dir_all(&self.base).map_err(|e| e.to_string()));
+		try!(fs::create_dir_all(&self.db).map_err(|e| e.to_string()));
 		try!(fs::create_dir_all(&self.keys).map_err(|e| e.to_string()));
 		if signer_enabled {
 			try!(fs::create_dir_all(&self.signer).map_err(|e| e.to_string()));
@@ -61,7 +64,8 @@ impl Directories {
 	/// Database paths.
 	pub fn database(&self, genesis_hash: H256, fork_name: Option<String>, spec_name: String) -> DatabaseDirectories {
 		DatabaseDirectories {
-			path: self.data.clone(),
+			path: self.db.clone(),
+			legacy_path: self.base.clone(),
 			genesis_hash: genesis_hash,
 			fork_name: fork_name,
 			spec_name: spec_name,
@@ -70,14 +74,14 @@ impl Directories {
 
 	/// Get the ipc sockets path
 	pub fn ipc_path(&self) -> PathBuf {
-		let mut dir = Path::new(&self.data).to_path_buf();
+		let mut dir = Path::new(&self.base).to_path_buf();
 		dir.push("ipc");
 		dir
 	}
 
 	// TODO: remove in 1.7
 	pub fn legacy_keys_path(&self, testnet: bool) -> PathBuf {
-		let mut dir = Path::new(&self.data).to_path_buf();
+		let mut dir = Path::new(&self.base).to_path_buf();
 		if testnet {
 			dir.push("testnet_keys");
 		} else {
@@ -96,6 +100,7 @@ impl Directories {
 #[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct DatabaseDirectories {
 	pub path: String,
+	pub legacy_path: String,
 	pub genesis_hash: H256,
 	pub fork_name: Option<String>,
 	pub spec_name: String,
@@ -105,14 +110,13 @@ impl DatabaseDirectories {
 	/// Base DB directory for the given fork.
 	// TODO: remove in 1.7
 	pub fn legacy_fork_path(&self) -> PathBuf {
-		let mut dir = Path::new(&self.path).to_path_buf();
+		let mut dir = Path::new(&self.legacy_path).to_path_buf();
 		dir.push(format!("{:?}{}", H64::from(self.genesis_hash), self.fork_name.as_ref().map(|f| format!("-{}", f)).unwrap_or_default()));
 		dir
 	}
 
 	pub fn spec_root_path(&self) -> PathBuf {
 		let mut dir = Path::new(&self.path).to_path_buf();
-		dir.push("chains");
 		dir.push(&self.spec_name);
 		dir
 	}
@@ -209,10 +213,11 @@ mod tests {
 	fn test_default_directories() {
 		let data_dir = super::default_data_path();
 		let expected = Directories {
-			data: replace_home(&data_dir, "$DATA"),
-			keys: replace_home(&data_dir, "$DATA/keys"),
-			signer: replace_home(&data_dir, "$DATA/signer"),
-			dapps: replace_home(&data_dir, "$DATA/dapps"),
+			base: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE"),
+			db: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE/chains"),
+			keys: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE/keys"),
+			signer: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE/signer"),
+			dapps: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE/dapps"),
 		};
 		assert_eq!(expected, Directories::default());
 	}
diff --git a/parity/helpers.rs b/parity/helpers.rs
index f359d617f..74e5bab63 100644
--- a/parity/helpers.rs
+++ b/parity/helpers.rs
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ pub fn to_price(s: &str) -> Result<f32, String> {
 pub fn replace_home(base: &str, arg: &str) -> String {
 	// the $HOME directory on mac os should be `~/Library` or `~/Library/Application Support`
 	let r = arg.replace("$HOME", env::home_dir().unwrap().to_str().unwrap());
-	let r = r.replace("$DATA", base	);
+	let r = r.replace("$BASE", base	);
 	r.replace("/", &::std::path::MAIN_SEPARATOR.to_string()	)
 }
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ pub fn to_bootnodes(bootnodes: &Option<String>) -> Result<Vec<String>, String> {
 pub fn default_network_config() -> ::ethsync::NetworkConfiguration {
 	use ethsync::{NetworkConfiguration, AllowIP};
 	NetworkConfiguration {
-		config_path: Some(replace_home(&::dir::default_data_path(), "$DATA/network")),
+		config_path: Some(replace_home(&::dir::default_data_path(), "$BASE/network")),
 		net_config_path: None,
 		listen_address: Some("0.0.0.0:30303".into()),
 		public_address: None,
@@ -257,12 +257,13 @@ pub fn to_client_config(
 }
 
 pub fn execute_upgrades(
+	base_path: &str,
 	dirs: &DatabaseDirectories,
 	pruning: Algorithm,
 	compaction_profile: CompactionProfile
 ) -> Result<(), String> {
 
-	upgrade_data_paths(dirs, pruning);
+	upgrade_data_paths(base_path, dirs, pruning);
 
 	match upgrade(Some(&dirs.path)) {
 		Ok(upgrades_applied) if upgrades_applied > 0 => {
diff --git a/parity/rpc.rs b/parity/rpc.rs
index b0668bf57..f5ff05e20 100644
--- a/parity/rpc.rs
+++ b/parity/rpc.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ impl Default for IpcConfiguration {
 		let data_dir = default_data_path();
 		IpcConfiguration {
 			enabled: true,
-			socket_addr: parity_ipc_path(&data_dir, "$DATA/jsonrpc.ipc"),
+			socket_addr: parity_ipc_path(&data_dir, "$BASE/jsonrpc.ipc"),
 			apis: ApiSet::IpcContext,
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/parity/run.rs b/parity/run.rs
index 23eebe183..da534ee3b 100644
--- a/parity/run.rs
+++ b/parity/run.rs
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ pub fn execute(cmd: RunCmd, can_restart: bool, logger: Arc<RotatingLogger>) -> R
 	let snapshot_path = db_dirs.snapshot_path();
 
 	// execute upgrades
-	try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, cmd.compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.db_root_path().as_path())));
+	try!(execute_upgrades(&cmd.dirs.base, &db_dirs, algorithm, cmd.compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.db_root_path().as_path())));
 
 	// create dirs used by parity
 	try!(cmd.dirs.create_dirs(cmd.dapps_conf.enabled, cmd.signer_conf.enabled));
diff --git a/parity/signer.rs b/parity/signer.rs
index 4d282888e..7cc258ed9 100644
--- a/parity/signer.rs
+++ b/parity/signer.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ impl Default for Configuration {
 			enabled: true,
 			port: 8180,
 			interface: "127.0.0.1".into(),
-			signer_path: replace_home(&data_dir, "$DATA/signer"),
+			signer_path: replace_home(&data_dir, "$BASE/signer"),
 			skip_origin_validation: false,
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/parity/snapshot.rs b/parity/snapshot.rs
index d71ffe924..42ba8fec2 100644
--- a/parity/snapshot.rs
+++ b/parity/snapshot.rs
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ impl SnapshotCommand {
 		let snapshot_path = db_dirs.snapshot_path();
 
 		// execute upgrades
-		try!(execute_upgrades(&db_dirs, algorithm, self.compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.db_root_path().as_path())));
+		try!(execute_upgrades(&self.dirs.base, &db_dirs, algorithm, self.compaction.compaction_profile(db_dirs.db_root_path().as_path())));
 
 		// prepare client config
 		let client_config = to_client_config(&self.cache_config, Mode::Active, tracing, fat_db, self.compaction, self.wal, VMType::default(), "".into(), algorithm, self.pruning_history, true);
diff --git a/parity/upgrade.rs b/parity/upgrade.rs
index 5c49cb997..94d0adfe4 100644
--- a/parity/upgrade.rs
+++ b/parity/upgrade.rs
@@ -200,11 +200,11 @@ fn upgrade_user_defaults(dirs: &DatabaseDirectories) {
 	}
 }
 
-pub fn upgrade_data_paths(dirs: &DatabaseDirectories, pruning: Algorithm) {
+pub fn upgrade_data_paths(base_path: &str, dirs: &DatabaseDirectories, pruning: Algorithm) {
 	let legacy_root_path = replace_home("", "$HOME/.parity");
 	let default_path = default_data_path();
-	if legacy_root_path != dirs.path && dirs.path == default_path {
-		upgrade_dir_location(&PathBuf::from(legacy_root_path), &PathBuf::from(&dirs.path));
+	if legacy_root_path != base_path && base_path == default_path {
+		upgrade_dir_location(&PathBuf::from(legacy_root_path), &PathBuf::from(&base_path));
 	}
 	upgrade_dir_location(&dirs.legacy_version_path(pruning), &dirs.db_path(pruning));
 	upgrade_dir_location(&dirs.legacy_snapshot_path(), &dirs.snapshot_path());