diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index f13190a32..67645b73a 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -6,5 +6,6 @@
 !crates
 !tests
 !Cargo.*
+!tools/init.sh
 
 !LICENSE
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 64a225fca..d0d9c082b 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -60,7 +60,12 @@ RUN adduser \
 WORKDIR /usr/src/app
 
 COPY --from=build /usr/src/app/target/release/topos .
+COPY tools/init.sh ./init.sh
+
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install jq -y
 
 USER topos:topos
 
-ENTRYPOINT ["./topos"]
+RUN mkdir /tmp/shared
+
+ENTRYPOINT ["./init.sh"]
diff --git a/crates/topos-p2p/src/lib.rs b/crates/topos-p2p/src/lib.rs
index aae3faab3..054eec5e9 100644
--- a/crates/topos-p2p/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/topos-p2p/src/lib.rs
@@ -34,4 +34,18 @@ pub mod utils {
             None => identity::Keypair::generate_ed25519(),
         }
     }
+
+    pub fn local_key_pair_from_slice(slice: &[u8]) -> identity::Keypair {
+        // todo: load from protobuf encoded|base64 encoded config.local_key_pair
+        let mut bytes = [0u8; 32];
+        if slice.len() <= 32 {
+            bytes[..slice.len()].clone_from_slice(slice);
+        } else {
+            bytes.clone_from_slice(&slice[..32]);
+        }
+
+        let secret_key = identity::ed25519::SecretKey::from_bytes(&mut bytes)
+            .expect("this returns `Err` only if the length is wrong; the length is correct; qed");
+        identity::Keypair::Ed25519(secret_key.into())
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/topos-tce-synchronizer/src/builder.rs b/crates/topos-tce-synchronizer/src/builder.rs
index 513c100e9..a647734fd 100644
--- a/crates/topos-tce-synchronizer/src/builder.rs
+++ b/crates/topos-tce-synchronizer/src/builder.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use std::future::IntoFuture;
 use futures::{future::BoxFuture, FutureExt, TryFutureExt};
 use tokio::{spawn, sync::mpsc};
 use tokio_stream::wrappers::ReceiverStream;
+use topos_p2p::Client as NetworkClient;
 use topos_tce_gatekeeper::GatekeeperClient;
 
 use crate::{
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ use crate::{
 #[derive(Default)]
 pub struct SynchronizerBuilder {
     gatekeeper_client: Option<GatekeeperClient>,
+    network_client: Option<NetworkClient>,
 }
 
 impl IntoFuture for SynchronizerBuilder {
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ impl IntoFuture for SynchronizerBuilder {
 
         CheckpointsCollector::builder()
             .set_gatekeeper_client(self.gatekeeper_client.take())
+            .set_network_client(self.network_client.take())
             .into_future()
             .map_err(Into::into)
             .and_then(
@@ -66,4 +69,10 @@ impl SynchronizerBuilder {
 
         self
     }
+
+    pub fn with_network_client(mut self, network_client: NetworkClient) -> Self {
+        self.network_client = Some(network_client);
+
+        self
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/topos-tce-synchronizer/src/checkpoints_collector/builder.rs b/crates/topos-tce-synchronizer/src/checkpoints_collector/builder.rs
index f76259d9b..7d156fe35 100644
--- a/crates/topos-tce-synchronizer/src/checkpoints_collector/builder.rs
+++ b/crates/topos-tce-synchronizer/src/checkpoints_collector/builder.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ impl CheckpointsCollectorBuilder {
 
         self
     }
+
+    pub fn set_network_client(mut self, network_client: Option<NetworkClient>) -> Self {
+        self.network_client = network_client;
+
+        self
+    }
 }
 
 impl IntoFuture for CheckpointsCollectorBuilder {
diff --git a/crates/topos-tce/src/lib.rs b/crates/topos-tce/src/lib.rs
index 40e35f400..ad02c3256 100644
--- a/crates/topos-tce/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/topos-tce/src/lib.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use opentelemetry::sdk::Resource;
 use opentelemetry::{global, KeyValue};
 use tce_transport::ReliableBroadcastParams;
 use tokio::spawn;
+use topos_p2p::utils::local_key_pair_from_slice;
 use topos_p2p::{utils::local_key_pair, Multiaddr, PeerId};
 use topos_tce_broadcast::{ReliableBroadcastClient, ReliableBroadcastConfig};
 use topos_tce_storage::{Connection, RocksDBStorage};
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ use tracing_subscriber::{prelude::*, EnvFilter};
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct TceConfiguration {
-    pub local_key_seed: Option<u8>,
+    pub local_key_seed: Option<Vec<u8>>,
     pub jaeger_agent: String,
     pub jaeger_service_name: String,
     pub tce_params: ReliableBroadcastParams,
@@ -36,7 +37,12 @@ pub enum StorageConfiguration {
 
 #[instrument(name = "TCE", fields(peer_id), skip(config))]
 pub async fn run(config: &TceConfiguration) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
-    let key = local_key_pair(config.local_key_seed);
+    let key = if let Some(seed) = &config.local_key_seed {
+        local_key_pair_from_slice(seed)
+    } else {
+        local_key_pair(None)
+    };
+
     let peer_id = key.public().to_peer_id();
 
     tracing::Span::current().record("peer_id", &peer_id.to_string());
@@ -132,6 +138,7 @@ pub async fn run(config: &TceConfiguration) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Er
         let (synchronizer_client, synchronizer_runtime, synchronizer_stream) =
             topos_tce_synchronizer::Synchronizer::builder()
                 .with_gatekeeper_client(gatekeeper_client.clone())
+                .with_network_client(network_client.clone())
                 .await
                 .expect("Can't create the Synchronizer");
 
diff --git a/crates/topos/Cargo.toml b/crates/topos/Cargo.toml
index b5248ca03..0900e9fed 100644
--- a/crates/topos/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/topos/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,13 +20,11 @@ tracing = { workspace = true, features = ["log"] }
 tracing-subscriber = { workspace = true, features = ["env-filter", "json"] }
 uuid.workspace = true
 clap.workspace = true
-
-insta = { version = "1.21", features = ["json", "redactions"] }
 tower = "0.4.13"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 serde.workspace = true
 serde_json.workspace = true
 assert_cmd = "2.0.6"
-insta = "1.21"
+insta = { version = "1.21", features = ["json", "redactions"] }
 
diff --git a/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands.rs b/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands.rs
index 6534bb1d1..4160bdebb 100644
--- a/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands.rs
+++ b/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 use clap::{Args, Subcommand};
 
+mod peer_id;
 mod push_peer_list;
 mod run;
 
 pub(crate) use push_peer_list::PushPeerList;
 pub(crate) use run::Run;
 
+use self::peer_id::PeerId;
+
 #[derive(Args, Debug)]
 pub(crate) struct TceCommand {
     #[clap(
@@ -23,6 +26,7 @@ pub(crate) struct TceCommand {
 #[derive(Subcommand, Debug)]
 pub(crate) enum TceCommands {
     PushPeerList(PushPeerList),
+    PeerId(PeerId),
     Run(Box<Run>),
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands/peer_id.rs b/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands/peer_id.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95cdc8daf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands/peer_id.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+use clap::Args;
+
+#[derive(Args, Debug)]
+pub(crate) struct PeerId {
+    #[arg(long = "from-slice")]
+    pub(crate) from_slice: Option<String>,
+}
diff --git a/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands/run.rs b/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands/run.rs
index 6e8a9abc4..891b682a6 100644
--- a/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands/run.rs
+++ b/crates/topos/src/components/tce/commands/run.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ pub struct Run {
 
     /// Local peer secret key seed (optional, used for testing)
     #[clap(long, env = "TCE_LOCAL_KS")]
-    pub local_key_seed: Option<u8>,
+    pub local_key_seed: Option<String>,
 
     /// Local peer key-pair (in base64 format)
     #[clap(long, env = "TCE_LOCAL_KEYPAIR")]
diff --git a/crates/topos/src/components/tce/mod.rs b/crates/topos/src/components/tce/mod.rs
index 5d18a01ee..3d430e479 100644
--- a/crates/topos/src/components/tce/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/topos/src/components/tce/mod.rs
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn handle_command(
         Some(TceCommands::Run(cmd)) => {
             let config = TceConfiguration {
                 boot_peers: cmd.parse_boot_peers(),
-                local_key_seed: cmd.local_key_seed,
+                local_key_seed: cmd.local_key_seed.map(|s| s.as_bytes().to_vec()),
                 jaeger_agent: cmd.jaeger_agent,
                 jaeger_service_name: cmd.jaeger_service_name,
                 tce_local_port: cmd.tce_local_port,
@@ -115,6 +115,21 @@ pub(crate) async fn handle_command(
 
             Ok(())
         }
+
+        Some(TceCommands::PeerId(cmd)) => {
+            match cmd.from_slice {
+                Some(slice) => println!(
+                    "{}",
+                    topos_p2p::utils::local_key_pair_from_slice(slice.as_bytes())
+                        .public()
+                        .to_peer_id()
+                ),
+                _ => {}
+            };
+
+            Ok(())
+        }
+
         None => Ok(()),
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/topos/tests/snapshots/tce__can_get_a_peer_id_from_a_seed.snap b/crates/topos/tests/snapshots/tce__can_get_a_peer_id_from_a_seed.snap
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7bdbd0580
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/topos/tests/snapshots/tce__can_get_a_peer_id_from_a_seed.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+source: crates/topos/tests/tce.rs
+expression: result
+---
+12D3KooWRhFCXBhmsMnur3up3vJsDoqWh4c39PKXgSWwzAzDHNLn
+
diff --git a/crates/topos/tests/tce.rs b/crates/topos/tests/tce.rs
index a12aafd1e..a3c157a28 100644
--- a/crates/topos/tests/tce.rs
+++ b/crates/topos/tests/tce.rs
@@ -55,6 +55,20 @@ async fn do_not_push_empty_list() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn can_get_a_peer_id_from_a_seed() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    let mut cmd = Command::cargo_bin("topos")?;
+    cmd.arg("tce").arg("peer-id").arg("--from-slice").arg("1");
+
+    let output = cmd.assert().success();
+
+    let result: &str = std::str::from_utf8(&output.get_output().stdout)?;
+
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(result);
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 struct DummyServer;
 
 #[tonic::async_trait]
diff --git a/tools/docker-compose.yml b/tools/docker-compose.yml
index c682b8871..906f9be0a 100644
--- a/tools/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/tools/docker-compose.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ services:
   jaeger:
     image: jaegertracing/all-in-one:latest
     container_name: jaeger
-    restart: always
     ports:
       - "6831/udp"
       - "6832/udp"
@@ -10,9 +9,11 @@ services:
       - "16686:16686"
   boot:
     container_name: boot
-    command: tce run -vv
+    command: boot tce run -vv
     image: ghcr.io/toposware/tce:pr-4
     init: true
+    volumes:
+      - shared:/tmp/shared
     build:
       context: ../
       args:
@@ -27,8 +28,9 @@ services:
       - RUST_LOG=info,topos_p2p=debug,topos_tce_node_app=debug,topos_tce_protocols_reliable_broadcast=debug
       - TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=stable
       - RUST_BACKTRACE=full
+      - TCE_DB_PATH=/tmp/default-db
       - TCE_API_ADDR=0.0.0.0:1340
-      - TCE_LOCAL_KS=1 # 12D3KooWPjceQrSwdWXPyLLeABRXmuqt69Rg3sBYbU1Nft9HyQ6X
+      - TCE_LOCAL_KS=1 # 12D3KooWRhFCXBhmsMnur3up3vJsDoqWh4c39PKXgSWwzAzDHNLn
       - TCE_JAEGER_SERVICE_NAME=tce-boot-node
       - TCE_JAEGER_AGENT=jaeger:6831
       - TCE_ECHO_SAMPLE_SIZE=3
@@ -42,6 +44,8 @@ services:
     image: ghcr.io/toposware/tce:pr-4
     command: tce run
     init: true
+    volumes:
+      - shared:/tmp/shared
     build:
       context: ../
       args:
@@ -56,11 +60,13 @@ services:
     deploy:
       replicas: 5
     environment:
+      - LOCAL_TEST_NET=true
       - RUST_LOG=info,topos_p2p=debug,topos_tce_node_app=debug,topos_tce_protocols_reliable_broadcast=debug
+      - TCE_DB_PATH=/tmp/default-db
       - TCE_API_ADDR=0.0.0.0:1340
       - TCE_JAEGER_SERVICE_NAME=tce-regular-node
       - TCE_JAEGER_AGENT=jaeger:6831
-      - TCE_BOOT_PEERS=12D3KooWPjceQrSwdWXPyLLeABRXmuqt69Rg3sBYbU1Nft9HyQ6X /dns4/boot/tcp/9090
+      - TCE_BOOT_PEERS=12D3KooWRhFCXBhmsMnur3up3vJsDoqWh4c39PKXgSWwzAzDHNLn /dns4/boot/tcp/9090
       - TCE_ECHO_SAMPLE_SIZE=3
       - TCE_READY_SAMPLE_SIZE=3
       - TCE_DELIVERY_SAMPLE_SIZE=3
@@ -72,11 +78,14 @@ services:
     container_name: spam
     image: ghcr.io/toposware/cert-spammer:main
     init: true
+    volumes:
+      - shared:/tmp/shared
     environment:
-      - RUST_LOG=debug
-      - TARGET_NODES_PATH=/nodes.json
+      - RUST_LOG=info
+      - TARGET_NODES_PATH=/tmp/shared/peer_nodes.json
     depends_on:
       - jaeger
       - peer
-    volumes:
-      - ./peer_nodes.json:/nodes.json
+
+volumes:
+  shared:
diff --git a/tools/init.sh b/tools/init.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..1b29e0fac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/init.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e
+
+if ! command -v jq &> /dev/null
+then
+    echo "jq could not be found"
+    exit
+fi
+
+JQ=$(which jq)
+TOPOS_BIN=./topos
+PEER_LIST_PATH=/tmp/shared/peer_ids.json
+NODE_LIST_PATH=/tmp/shared/peer_nodes.json
+NODE="http://$HOSTNAME:1340"
+
+case "$1" in
+
+    "boot")
+        echo "Generating peer list file..."
+        $JQ -n --arg PEER $($TOPOS_BIN tce peer-id --from-slice=$TCE_LOCAL_KS) '[$PEER]' > $PEER_LIST_PATH
+        echo "Peer list file have been successfully generated"
+
+        echo "Generating node list file..."
+        $JQ -n --arg NODE $NODE '{"nodes": [$NODE]}' > $NODE_LIST_PATH
+        echo "Peer nodes list have been successfully generated"
+
+        echo "Starting boot node..."
+        exec "$TOPOS_BIN" "${@:2}"
+        ;;
+
+   *)
+       if [[ ! -z ${LOCAL_TEST_NET+x} ]]; then
+           until [ -f "$PEER_LIST_PATH" ]
+           do
+               echo "Waiting 1s for peer_list file $PEER_LIST_PATH to be created by boot container..."
+               sleep 1
+           done
+
+           PEER=$($TOPOS_BIN tce peer-id --from-slice=$HOSTNAME)
+           cat <<< $($JQ --arg PEER $PEER '. += [$PEER]' $PEER_LIST_PATH) > $PEER_LIST_PATH
+
+           export TCE_LOCAL_KS=$HOSTNAME
+
+           until [ -f "$NODE_LIST_PATH" ]
+           do
+               echo "Waiting 1s for node_list file $NODE_LIST_PATH to be created by boot container..."
+               sleep 1
+           done
+
+           cat <<< $($JQ --arg NODE $NODE '.nodes += [$NODE]' $NODE_LIST_PATH) > $NODE_LIST_PATH
+       fi
+
+       exec "$TOPOS_BIN" "$@"
+       ;;
+
+esac