diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index db6438a6b..6bd6a5428 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -76,20 +76,6 @@ download and install them from, eg,
 https://pkgs.org/download/libsodium18 and
 https://pkgs.org/download/libsodium-dev
 
-Running the node in a sandbox
------------------------------
-
-To run a single instance of a Tezos node in sandbox mode:
-
-```
-./tezos-node run --sandbox --rpc-addr localhost:8732 --data-dir /tmp/tezos-sandbox
-```
-
-This "sandboxed" node will not participate in the P2P network, but will accept
-RPC from localhost on port 8732. See below from more details on the RPC
-interface.
-
-
 Running the node
 ----------------
 
@@ -149,6 +135,74 @@ with the following commands line:
 ./tezos-node config update --data-dir "$dir" --net-addr localhost:9734
 ```
 
+Running the node in a sandbox
+-----------------------------
+
+To run a 'localhost-only' instance of a Tezos network, we provide two
+helper scripts:
+
+- `./scripts/launch-sandboxed-node.sh`
+- `./scripts/init-sandboxed-client.sh`
+
+For instance, if you want to run local network with two nodes, in a
+first terminal, the following command will initialize a node listening
+for peers on port `19731` and listening for RPC on port `18731`.
+
+```
+./scripts/launch-sandboxed-node.sh 1
+```
+
+This node will store its data in a temporary directory which will be
+removed when the node is killed.
+
+To launch the second node, just run the following command, it will
+listen on port `19739` and `18739`:
+
+```
+./scripts/launch-sandboxed-node.sh 9
+```
+
+You might replace `1` or `9` by any number in between if you want to
+run more than two nodes. But, if you intend to run a single node
+network, you might remove the spurious "Too few connections" warnings
+by lowering the number of expected connection, by running the
+following command instead:
+
+```
+./scripts/launch-sandboxed-node.sh 1 --connections 0
+```
+
+Once your node(s) is/are running, open a new terminal and initialize
+the "sandboxed" client data:
+
+```
+eval `./scripts/init-sandboxed-client.sh 1`
+```
+
+It will initialize the client data in a temporary directory. It will
+also defines in the current shell session an alias `tezos-client`
+preconfigured for communicating the same-numbered node. For instance:
+
+```
+$ tezos-client rpc call blocks/head/hash
+{ "hash": "BLockGenesisGenesisGenesisGenesisGenesisGeneskvg68z" }
+```
+
+When you bootstrap a new network, the network is initialized with a
+dummy economic protocol, called "genesis". If you want to run the same
+protocol than the alphanet, `init-sandboxed-client` also defines an
+alias `tezos-activate-alpha`, that you need to execute once for
+activating the whole network. For instance:
+
+```
+$ tezos-client rpc call blocks/head/protocol
+{ "protocol": "ProtoGenesisGenesisGenesisGenesisGenesisGenesk612im" }
+$ tezos-activate-alpha
+Injected BMBcK869jaHQDc
+$ tezos-client rpc call blocks/head/protocol
+{ "protocol": "ProtoALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaDdp3zK" }
+```
+
 Configuration options
 ---------------------
 
diff --git a/scripts/client_lib.inc.sh b/scripts/client_lib.inc.sh
index 9a3a606de..798e65100 100644
--- a/scripts/client_lib.inc.sh
+++ b/scripts/client_lib.inc.sh
@@ -6,11 +6,17 @@ client="${client:=tezos-client -base-dir $client_dir}"
 ## Waiter ##################################################################
 
 wait_for_the_node_to_be_ready() {
+    local count=0
     if $client rpc call blocks/head/hash >/dev/null 2>&1; then return; fi
     printf "Waiting for the node to initialize..."
     sleep 1
     while ! $client rpc call blocks/head/hash >/dev/null 2>&1
     do
+        count=$((count+1))
+        if [ "$count" -ge 30 ]; then
+            echo " timeout."
+            exit 2
+        fi
         printf "."
         sleep 1
     done
@@ -128,3 +134,44 @@ log_endorser() {
     fi
 }
 
+## Sandboxed client ########################################################
+
+# key pairs from $src_dir/test/sandbox.json
+
+BOOTSTRAP1_PUBLIC="edpkuBknW28nW72KG6RoHtYW7p12T6GKc7nAbwYX5m8Wd9sDVC9yav"
+BOOTSTRAP1_SECRET="edskRuR1azSfboG86YPTyxrQgosh5zChf5bVDmptqLTb5EuXAm9rsnDYfTKhq7rDQujdn5WWzwUMeV3agaZ6J2vPQT58jJAJPi"
+
+BOOTSTRAP2_PUBLIC="edpktzNbDAUjUk697W7gYg2CRuBQjyPxbEg8dLccYYwKSKvkPvjtV9"
+BOOTSTRAP2_SECRET="edskRkJz4Rw2rM5NtabEWMbbg2bF4b1nfFajaqEuEk4SgU7eeDbym9gVQtBTbYo32WUg2zb5sNBkD1whRN7zX43V9bftBbtaKc"
+
+BOOTSTRAP3_PUBLIC="edpkuTXkJDGcFd5nh6VvMz8phXxU3Bi7h6hqgywNFi1vZTfQNnS1RV"
+BOOTSTRAP3_SECRET="edskS3qsqsNgdjUqeMsVcEwBn8dkZ5iDRz6aF21KhcCtRiAkWBypUSbicccR4Vgqm9UdW2Vabuos6seezqgbXTrmcbLUG4rdAC"
+
+BOOTSTRAP4_PUBLIC="edpkuFrRoDSEbJYgxRtLx2ps82UdaYc1WwfS9sE11yhauZt5DgCHbU"
+BOOTSTRAP4_SECRET="edskRg9qcPqaVQa6jXWNMU5p71tseSuR7NzozgqZ9URsVDi81wTyPJdFSBdeakobyHUi4Xgu61jgKRQvkhXrPmEdEUfiqfiJFL"
+
+BOOTSTRAP5_PUBLIC="edpkv8EUUH68jmo3f7Um5PezmfGrRF24gnfLpH3sVNwJnV5bVCxL2n"
+BOOTSTRAP5_SECRET="edskS7rLN2Df3nbS1EYvwJbWo4umD7yPM1SUeX7gp1WhCVpMFXjcCyM58xs6xsnTsVqHQmJQ2RxoAjJGedWfvFmjQy6etA3dgZ"
+
+DICTATOR_SECRET="edskRhxswacLW6jF6ULavDdzwqnKJVS4UcDTNiCyiH6H8ZNnn2pmNviL7pRNz9kRxxaWQFzEQEcZExGHKbwmuaAcoMegj5T99z"
+
+add_sandboxed_bootstrap_identities() {
+
+    ${client} add public key bootstrap1 ${BOOTSTRAP1_PUBLIC}
+    ${client} add secret key bootstrap1 ${BOOTSTRAP1_SECRET}
+
+    ${client} add public key bootstrap2 ${BOOTSTRAP2_PUBLIC}
+    ${client} add secret key bootstrap2 ${BOOTSTRAP2_SECRET}
+
+    ${client} add public key bootstrap3 ${BOOTSTRAP3_PUBLIC}
+    ${client} add secret key bootstrap3 ${BOOTSTRAP3_SECRET}
+
+    ${client} add public key bootstrap4 ${BOOTSTRAP4_PUBLIC}
+    ${client} add secret key bootstrap4 ${BOOTSTRAP4_SECRET}
+
+    ${client} add public key bootstrap5 ${BOOTSTRAP5_PUBLIC}
+    ${client} add secret key bootstrap5 ${BOOTSTRAP5_SECRET}
+
+    ${client} add secret key dictator ${DICTATOR_SECRET}
+
+}
diff --git a/scripts/init-sandboxed-client.sh b/scripts/init-sandboxed-client.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..860df10a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/init-sandboxed-client.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#! /bin/sh
+
+set -e
+
+script_dir="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && echo "$(pwd -P)/")"
+src_dir="$(dirname "$script_dir")"
+cd "$src_dir"
+
+usage() {
+    echo "Small script to initialize a client to a local and closed test network with a maximum of 9 nodes."
+    echo
+    echo "Usage: eval \`$0 <id>\`"
+    echo "  where <id> should be an integer between 1 and 9."
+}
+
+if [ $# -lt 1 ] || [ "$1" -le 0 ] || [ 10 -le "$1" ]; then
+    usage
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+id="$1"
+shift 1
+
+rpc=$((18730 + id))
+client_dir="$(mktemp -td tezos-client-XXXXX)"
+client="./tezos-client -base-dir $client_dir -addr 127.0.0.1 -port $rpc"
+
+. "$script_dir/client_lib.inc.sh"
+
+add_sandboxed_bootstrap_identities | sed -e 's/^/## /' 1>&2
+
+cat <<EOF
+if type tezos-client-reset >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then tezos-client-reset; fi ;
+alias tezos-client="$client" ;
+alias tezos-activate-alpha="$client -block genesis activate protocol ProtoALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaDdp3zK with fitness 1 and key dictator" ;
+alias tezos-client-reset="rm -rf \"$client_dir\"; unalias tezos-client tezos-activate-alpha tezos-client-reset" ;
+trap tezos-client-reset EXIT ;
+EOF
+
+(cat | sed -e 's/^/## /') 1>&2 <<EOF
+
+The client is now properly initialized. In the rest of this shell
+session, you might now run \`tezos-client\` to communicate with a
+tezos node launched with \`launch-sandboxed-node $1\`. For instance:
+
+  tezos-client rpc call blocks/head/protocol
+
+Note: if the current protocol version, as reported by the previous
+command, is "ProtoGenesisGenesisGenesisGenesisGenesisGenesk612im", you
+may have to activate in your "sandboxed network" the same economic
+protocol than used by the alphanet by running:
+
+  tezos-activate-alpha
+
+Warning: all the client data will be removed when you close this shell
+or if you run this command a second time.
+
+EOF
diff --git a/scripts/launch-client.sh b/scripts/launch-client.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index d85c985b7..000000000
--- a/scripts/launch-client.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,79 +0,0 @@
-#! /bin/bash
-
-set -e
-
-script_dir="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && echo "$(pwd -P)/")"
-src_dir="$(dirname "$script_dir")"
-cd "$src_dir"
-
-function usage() {
-    echo "Small script client to a local and closed test network with a maximum of 9 nodes."
-    echo
-    echo "Usage: $0 <id> [ bake [id] | endorse [id] | exec ... ]"
-    echo "  where <id> should be an integer between 1 and 9."
-}
-
-if [ $# -lt 2 ] || [ "$1" -le 0 ] || [ 10 -le "$1" ]; then
-    usage
-    exit 1
-fi
-
-id="$1"
-cmd="$2"
-shift 2
-
-rpc=$((18730 + id))
-base_dir="/tmp/tezos-client-$rpc"
-
-client="./tezos-client -base-dir $base_dir -addr 127.0.0.1 -port $rpc"
-
-. "$script_dir/client_lib.inc.sh"
-
-function cmd_bake() {
-    wait_for_the_node_to_be_ready
-    if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
-        create_identity
-        create_account
-    fi
-    start_baker "$@"
-}
-
-function cmd_endorse() {
-    wait_for_the_node_to_be_ready
-    if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
-        create_account
-        endorsement
-    fi
-    start_endorser "$@"
-}
-
-function cmd_exec() {
-    $client "$@"
-}
-
-function cmd_clear() {
-    rm -fr "$base_dir"
-}
-
-if [ ! -d "$base_dir" ] && [ "$cmd" != "clear" ]; then
-    $client bootstrap
-fi
-
-case $cmd in
-    bake)
-        cmd_bake "$@"
-        ;;
-    endorse)
-        cmd_endorse "$@"
-        ;;
-    exec)
-        cmd_exec "$@"
-        ;;
-    clear)
-        cmd_clear
-        ;;
-    *)
-        usage
-        exit 1
-        ;;
-esac
diff --git a/scripts/launch-node.sh b/scripts/launch-node.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 21043dd11..000000000
--- a/scripts/launch-node.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-#! /bin/sh
-
-set -e
-
-script_dir="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && echo "$(pwd -P)/")"
-src_dir="$(dirname "$script_dir")"
-cd "$src_dir"
-
-if [ $# -lt 1 ] || [ "$1" -le 0 ] || [ 10 -le "$1" ]; then
-    echo "Small script to launch local and closed test network with a maximum of 9 nodes."
-    echo
-    echo "Usage: $0 <id>"
-    echo "  where <id> should be an integer between 1 and 9."
-    exit 1
-fi
-
-id="$1"
-shift 1
-
-port=$((19730 + id))
-rpc=$((18730 + id))
-expected_pow=10
-data_dir="$(mktemp -td tezos-node-XXXXX)"
-peers="--no-bootstrap-peers $(seq -f '--peer localhost:1973%.f' 1 9) --closed"
-node="$src_dir/tezos-node"
-
-cleanup () {
-    set +e
-    echo Cleaning up...
-    rm -rf "$data_dir"
-}
-trap cleanup EXIT INT
-
-$node config init \
-      --data-dir "$data_dir" \
-      --net-addr ":$port" \
-      --rpc-addr "[::]:$rpc" \
-      --expected-pow "$expected_pow" \
-      --connections 2 $peers
-$node identity generate "$expected_pow" --data-dir "$data_dir"
-$node run --data-dir "$data_dir" "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/launch-sandboxed-node.sh b/scripts/launch-sandboxed-node.sh
index ff13fe963..075270e06 100755
--- a/scripts/launch-sandboxed-node.sh
+++ b/scripts/launch-sandboxed-node.sh
@@ -1,25 +1,42 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#! /bin/sh
 
+set -e
 
 script_dir="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && echo "$(pwd -P)/")"
-export TZPATH="$(dirname $script_dir)"
+src_dir="$(dirname "$script_dir")"
+cd "$src_dir"
 
-. $TZPATH/test/test_utils.sh
+if [ $# -lt 1 ] || [ "$1" -le 0 ] || [ 10 -le "$1" ]; then
+    echo "Small script to launch local and closed test network with a maximum of 9 nodes."
+    echo
+    echo "Usage: $0 <id>"
+    echo "  where <id> should be an integer between 1 and 9."
+    exit 1
+fi
 
-start_sandboxed_node
-sleep 3
+id="$1"
+shift 1
 
-activate_alpha |& sed 's/^/## /' > /dev/stderr
+port=$((19730 + id))
+rpc=$((18730 + id))
+expected_pow="${expected_pow:-0.0}"
+node_dir="$(mktemp -td tezos-node-XXXXX)"
+peers="--no-bootstrap-peers $(seq -f '--peer localhost:1973%.f' 1 9) --closed"
+node="$src_dir/tezos-node"
+sandbox_param="--sandbox=$script_dir/sandbox.json"
 
-trap - EXIT
+cleanup () {
+    set +e
+    echo Cleaning up...
+    rm -rf "$node_dir"
+}
+trap cleanup EXIT INT
 
-display_aliases
-
-echo | sed 's/^/## /' 1>&2 <<EOF
-
-  Successfully launched a sandboxed node.
-
-  Run 'tezos-client' to communicate with the sandboxed node.
-  Run 'tezos-sandbox-stop' to stop the node and remove the sandbox data.
-
-EOF
+$node config init \
+      --data-dir "$node_dir" \
+      --net-addr ":$port" \
+      --rpc-addr "[::]:$rpc" \
+      --expected-pow "$expected_pow" \
+      --connections 2 $peers
+$node identity generate "$expected_pow" --data-dir "$node_dir"
+$node run --data-dir "$node_dir" "$sandbox_param" "$@"