diff --git a/apps/cic-eth/.coveragerc b/apps/cic-eth/.coveragerc
index 63f983d6..377171da 100644
--- a/apps/cic-eth/.coveragerc
+++ b/apps/cic-eth/.coveragerc
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ omit =
 	cic_eth/db/migrations/*
 	cic_eth/sync/head.py
 	cic_eth/sync/mempool.py
+	*redis*.py
diff --git a/apps/cic-eth/cic_eth/registry.py b/apps/cic-eth/cic_eth/registry.py
index 2b5e2b94..b46b2008 100644
--- a/apps/cic-eth/cic_eth/registry.py
+++ b/apps/cic-eth/cic_eth/registry.py
@@ -5,29 +5,30 @@ import logging
 from cic_eth_registry import CICRegistry
 from cic_eth_registry.lookup.declarator import AddressDeclaratorLookup
 from cic_eth_registry.lookup.tokenindex import TokenIndexLookup
+from chainlib.eth.constant import ZERO_ADDRESS
 
 logg = logging.getLogger()
 
 
-def connect_token_registry(rpc, chain_spec):
+def connect_token_registry(rpc, chain_spec, sender_address=ZERO_ADDRESS):
     registry = CICRegistry(chain_spec, rpc)
-    token_registry_address = registry.by_name('TokenRegistry')
+    token_registry_address = registry.by_name('TokenRegistry', sender_address=sender_address)
     logg.debug('using token registry address {}'.format(token_registry_address))
     lookup = TokenIndexLookup(chain_spec, token_registry_address)
     CICRegistry.add_lookup(lookup)
 
 
-def connect_declarator(rpc, chain_spec, trusted_addresses):
+def connect_declarator(rpc, chain_spec, trusted_addresses, sender_address=ZERO_ADDRESS):
     registry = CICRegistry(chain_spec, rpc)
-    declarator_address = registry.by_name('AddressDeclarator')
+    declarator_address = registry.by_name('AddressDeclarator', sender_address=sender_address)
     logg.debug('using declarator address {}'.format(declarator_address))
     lookup = AddressDeclaratorLookup(chain_spec, declarator_address, trusted_addresses)
     CICRegistry.add_lookup(lookup)
 
 
-def connect(rpc, chain_spec, registry_address):
+def connect(rpc, chain_spec, registry_address, sender_address=ZERO_ADDRESS):
     CICRegistry.address = registry_address
     registry = CICRegistry(chain_spec, rpc)
-    registry_address = registry.by_name('ContractRegistry')
+    registry_address = registry.by_name('ContractRegistry', sender_address=sender_address)
     return registry
 
diff --git a/apps/cic-eth/cic_eth/stat.py b/apps/cic-eth/cic_eth/stat.py
index d3a07fdb..e674e120 100644
--- a/apps/cic-eth/cic_eth/stat.py
+++ b/apps/cic-eth/cic_eth/stat.py
@@ -20,7 +20,11 @@ def init_chain_stat(rpc, block_start=0):
     if block_start == 0:
         o = block_latest()
         r = rpc.do(o)
-        block_start = int(r, 16)
+        try:
+            block_start = int(r, 16)
+        except TypeError:
+            block_start = int(r)
+        logg.debug('blockstart {}'.format(block_start))
 
     for i in range(BLOCK_SAMPLES):
         o = block_by_number(block_start-10+i)
diff --git a/apps/cic-eth/tests/unit/test_registry_connect.py b/apps/cic-eth/tests/unit/test_registry_connect.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..baf23375
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cic-eth/tests/unit/test_registry_connect.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# local imports
+from cic_eth.registry import *
+
+def test_registry_connect(
+        eth_rpc,
+        default_chain_spec,
+        address_declarator,
+        token_registry,
+        contract_roles,
+        registry,
+        agent_roles,
+        ):
+
+    r = connect(eth_rpc, default_chain_spec, registry, sender_address=contract_roles['CONTRACT_DEPLOYER'])
+
+    connect_declarator(eth_rpc, default_chain_spec, [agent_roles['ALICE']], sender_address=contract_roles['CONTRACT_DEPLOYER'])
+    r.by_name('AddressDeclarator', sender_address=contract_roles['CONTRACT_DEPLOYER'])
+
+    connect_token_registry(eth_rpc, default_chain_spec, sender_address=contract_roles['CONTRACT_DEPLOYER'])
+    r.by_name('TokenRegistry', sender_address=contract_roles['CONTRACT_DEPLOYER'])
+
diff --git a/apps/cic-eth/tests/unit/test_stat.py b/apps/cic-eth/tests/unit/test_stat.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5da49fdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/cic-eth/tests/unit/test_stat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# standard imports
+import datetime
+
+# local imports
+from cic_eth.stat import init_chain_stat
+
+
+def test_chain_stat(
+        eth_rpc,
+        init_eth_tester,
+        ):
+
+    now = int(datetime.datetime.now().timestamp()) + 1
+    for i in range(11):
+        init_eth_tester.time_travel(now + (i * 2))
+    
+    s = init_chain_stat(eth_rpc, block_start=0)
+    assert s.block_average() == 2