diff --git a/contrib/local/04-gov.sh b/contrib/local/04-gov.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..8498beb5f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/local/04-gov.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -o errexit -o nounset -o pipefail
+
+DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd)"
+
+echo "Compile with buildflag ''-X github.com/CosmWasm/wasmd/app.ProposalsEnabled=true' to enable gov"
+sleep 1
+echo "## Submit a CosmWasm gov proposal"
+RESP=$(wasmd tx wasm submit-proposal store-instantiate "$DIR/../../x/wasm/keeper/testdata/reflect.wasm" \
+  '{}' --label="testing" \
+  --title "testing" --summary "Testing" --deposit "1000000000ustake" \
+  --admin $(wasmd keys show -a validator --keyring-backend=test) \
+  --amount 123ustake \
+  --keyring-backend=test \
+  --from validator --gas auto --gas-adjustment=1.5 -y  --chain-id=testing --node=http://localhost:26657 -b sync -o json)
+echo $RESP
+sleep 6
+wasmd q tx $(echo "$RESP"| jq -r '.txhash') -o json | jq
+
diff --git a/contrib/local/setup_wasmd.sh b/contrib/local/setup_wasmd.sh
index 6f96609fb0..828533a7a1 100755
--- a/contrib/local/setup_wasmd.sh
+++ b/contrib/local/setup_wasmd.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ if ! wasmd keys show validator --keyring-backend=test; then
   ) | wasmd keys add validator --keyring-backend=test
 fi
 # hardcode the validator account for this instance
-echo "$PASSWORD" | wasmd genesis add-genesis-account validator "1000000000$STAKE,1000000000$FEE" --keyring-backend=test
+echo "$PASSWORD" | wasmd genesis add-genesis-account validator "1000000000000$STAKE,1000000000000$FEE" --keyring-backend=test
 # (optionally) add a few more genesis accounts
 for addr in "$@"; do
   echo "$addr"
diff --git a/x/wasm/client/cli/gov_tx.go b/x/wasm/client/cli/gov_tx.go
index 49138e5f5f..be6114b958 100644
--- a/x/wasm/client/cli/gov_tx.go
+++ b/x/wasm/client/cli/gov_tx.go
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/CosmWasm/wasmd/x/wasm/types"
 )
 
+// DefaultGovAuthority is set to the gov module address.
+// Extension point for chains to overwrite the default
+var DefaultGovAuthority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov"))
+
 func SubmitProposalCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:          "submit-proposal",
@@ -64,7 +68,7 @@ func ProposalStoreCodeCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			src, err := parseStoreCodeArgs(args[0], authority, cmd.Flags())
@@ -154,7 +158,7 @@ func ProposalInstantiateContractCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			src, err := parseInstantiateArgs(args[0], args[1], clientCtx.Keyring, authority, cmd.Flags())
@@ -201,7 +205,7 @@ func ProposalInstantiateContract2Cmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			src, err := parseInstantiateArgs(args[0], args[1], clientCtx.Keyring, authority, cmd.Flags())
@@ -250,7 +254,7 @@ func ProposalStoreAndInstantiateContractCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			src, err := parseStoreCodeArgs(args[0], authority, cmd.Flags())
@@ -375,7 +379,7 @@ func ProposalMigrateContractCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			src, err := parseMigrateContractArgs(args, authority)
@@ -417,7 +421,7 @@ func ProposalExecuteContractCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			contract := args[0]
@@ -474,7 +478,7 @@ func ProposalSudoContractCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			msg := types.MsgSudoContract{
@@ -517,7 +521,7 @@ func ProposalUpdateContractAdminCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			src := parseUpdateContractAdminArgs(args, authority)
@@ -556,7 +560,7 @@ func ProposalClearContractAdminCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			msg := types.MsgClearAdmin{
@@ -598,7 +602,7 @@ func ProposalPinCodesCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			codeIds, err := parsePinCodesArgs(args)
@@ -656,7 +660,7 @@ func ProposalUnpinCodesCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			codeIds, err := parsePinCodesArgs(args)
@@ -763,7 +767,7 @@ $ %s tx gov submit-proposal update-instantiate-config 1:nobody 2:everybody 3:%s1
 			}
 
 			if len(authority) == 0 {
-				authority = sdk.AccAddress(address.Module("gov")).String()
+				return errors.New("authority address is required")
 			}
 
 			updates, err := parseAccessConfigUpdates(args)
@@ -803,7 +807,7 @@ func addCommonProposalFlags(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 	cmd.Flags().String(cli.FlagTitle, "", "Title of proposal")
 	cmd.Flags().String(cli.FlagSummary, "", "Summary of proposal")
 	cmd.Flags().String(cli.FlagDeposit, "", "Deposit of proposal")
-	cmd.Flags().String(flagAuthority, "", "The address of the governance account.")
+	cmd.Flags().String(flagAuthority, DefaultGovAuthority.String(), "The address of the governance account. Default is the sdk gov module account")
 }
 
 func getProposalInfo(cmd *cobra.Command) (client.Context, string, string, sdk.Coins, error) {