diff --git a/orderer/common/bootstrap/provisional/provisional.go b/orderer/common/bootstrap/provisional/provisional.go
index 2740c892dab..61ac3972251 100644
--- a/orderer/common/bootstrap/provisional/provisional.go
+++ b/orderer/common/bootstrap/provisional/provisional.go
@@ -73,14 +73,14 @@ type kafkaBootstrapper struct {
 func New(conf *config.TopLevel) bootstrap.Helper {
 	cbs := &commonBootstrapper{
 		chainID:       TestChainID,
-		consensusType: conf.General.OrdererType,
+		consensusType: conf.Genesis.OrdererType,
 		batchSize: &ab.BatchSize{
-			MaxMessageCount: conf.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount,
+			MaxMessageCount: conf.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount,
 		},
-		batchTimeout: conf.General.BatchTimeout.String(),
+		batchTimeout: conf.Genesis.BatchTimeout.String(),
 	}
 
-	switch conf.General.OrdererType {
+	switch conf.Genesis.OrdererType {
 	case ConsensusTypeSolo, ConsensusTypeSbft:
 		return &soloBootstrapper{
 			commonBootstrapper: *cbs,
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func New(conf *config.TopLevel) bootstrap.Helper {
 			kafkaBrokers:       conf.Kafka.Brokers,
 		}
 	default:
-		panic(fmt.Errorf("Wrong consenter type value given: %s", conf.General.OrdererType))
+		panic(fmt.Errorf("Wrong consenter type value given: %s", conf.Genesis.OrdererType))
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/orderer/common/bootstrap/provisional/provisional_test.go b/orderer/common/bootstrap/provisional/provisional_test.go
index 97dd42ca00c..65b34903ff3 100644
--- a/orderer/common/bootstrap/provisional/provisional_test.go
+++ b/orderer/common/bootstrap/provisional/provisional_test.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ var testCases []*config.TopLevel
 func init() {
 	confSolo = config.Load()
 	confKafka = config.Load()
-	confKafka.General.OrdererType = ConsensusTypeKafka
+	confKafka.Genesis.OrdererType = ConsensusTypeKafka
 	testCases = []*config.TopLevel{confSolo, confKafka}
 }
 
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ func TestGenesisBlockHeader(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
 		genesisBlock := New(tc).GenesisBlock()
 		if genesisBlock.Header.Number != expectedHeaderNumber {
-			t.Fatalf("Case %s: Expected header number %d, got %d", tc.General.OrdererType, expectedHeaderNumber, genesisBlock.Header.Number)
+			t.Fatalf("Case %s: Expected header number %d, got %d", tc.Genesis.OrdererType, expectedHeaderNumber, genesisBlock.Header.Number)
 		}
 		if !bytes.Equal(genesisBlock.Header.PreviousHash, nil) {
-			t.Fatalf("Case %s: Expected header previousHash to be nil, got %x", tc.General.OrdererType, genesisBlock.Header.PreviousHash)
+			t.Fatalf("Case %s: Expected header previousHash to be nil, got %x", tc.Genesis.OrdererType, genesisBlock.Header.PreviousHash)
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/orderer/kafka/config_test.go b/orderer/kafka/config_test.go
index e1ea13f22e2..5c25148f444 100644
--- a/orderer/kafka/config_test.go
+++ b/orderer/kafka/config_test.go
@@ -39,17 +39,12 @@ var (
 
 var testConf = &config.TopLevel{
 	General: config.General{
-		OrdererType:   "kafka",
 		LedgerType:    "ram",
-		BatchTimeout:  500 * time.Millisecond,
 		QueueSize:     100,
 		MaxWindowSize: 100,
 		ListenAddress: "127.0.0.1",
 		ListenPort:    7050,
 		GenesisMethod: "provisional",
-		BatchSize: config.BatchSize{
-			MaxMessageCount: 100,
-		},
 	},
 	Kafka: config.Kafka{
 		Brokers: []string{"127.0.0.1:9092"},
@@ -60,6 +55,13 @@ var testConf = &config.TopLevel{
 		Verbose: false,
 		Version: sarama.V0_9_0_1,
 	},
+	Genesis: config.Genesis{
+		OrdererType:  "kafka",
+		BatchTimeout: 500 * time.Millisecond,
+		BatchSize: config.BatchSize{
+			MaxMessageCount: 100,
+		},
+	},
 }
 
 func testClose(t *testing.T, x Closeable) {
diff --git a/orderer/localconfig/config.go b/orderer/localconfig/config.go
index 8b4f47d6435..d6f829f9909 100644
--- a/orderer/localconfig/config.go
+++ b/orderer/localconfig/config.go
@@ -39,20 +39,24 @@ const Prefix string = "ORDERER"
 
 // General contains config which should be common among all orderer types
 type General struct {
-	OrdererType   string
 	LedgerType    string
-	BatchTimeout  time.Duration
 	QueueSize     uint32
 	MaxWindowSize uint32
 	ListenAddress string
 	ListenPort    uint16
 	GenesisMethod string
-	BatchSize     BatchSize
 	GenesisFile   string
 	Profile       Profile
 	LogLevel      string
 }
 
+// Genesis contains config which is used by the provisional bootstrapper
+type Genesis struct {
+	OrdererType  string
+	BatchTimeout time.Duration
+	BatchSize    BatchSize
+}
+
 // BatchSize contains configuration affecting the size of batches
 type BatchSize struct {
 	MaxMessageCount uint32
@@ -99,22 +103,18 @@ type TopLevel struct {
 	RAMLedger  RAMLedger
 	FileLedger FileLedger
 	Kafka      Kafka
+	Genesis    Genesis
 }
 
 var defaults = TopLevel{
 	General: General{
-		OrdererType:   "solo",
 		LedgerType:    "ram",
-		BatchTimeout:  10 * time.Second,
 		QueueSize:     1000,
 		MaxWindowSize: 1000,
 		ListenAddress: "127.0.0.1",
 		ListenPort:    7050,
 		GenesisMethod: "provisional",
-		BatchSize: BatchSize{
-			MaxMessageCount: 10,
-		},
-		GenesisFile: "./genesisblock",
+		GenesisFile:   "./genesisblock",
 		Profile: Profile{
 			Enabled: false,
 			Address: "0.0.0.0:6060",
@@ -137,6 +137,13 @@ var defaults = TopLevel{
 		Verbose: false,
 		Version: sarama.V0_9_0_1,
 	},
+	Genesis: Genesis{
+		OrdererType:  "solo",
+		BatchTimeout: 10 * time.Second,
+		BatchSize: BatchSize{
+			MaxMessageCount: 10,
+		},
+	},
 }
 
 func (c *TopLevel) completeInitialization() {
@@ -144,18 +151,9 @@ func (c *TopLevel) completeInitialization() {
 
 	for {
 		switch {
-		case c.General.OrdererType == "":
-			logger.Infof("General.OrdererType unset, setting to %s", defaults.General.OrdererType)
-			c.General.OrdererType = defaults.General.OrdererType
 		case c.General.LedgerType == "":
 			logger.Infof("General.LedgerType unset, setting to %s", defaults.General.LedgerType)
 			c.General.LedgerType = defaults.General.LedgerType
-		case c.General.BatchTimeout == 0:
-			logger.Infof("General.BatchTimeout unset, setting to %s", defaults.General.BatchTimeout)
-			c.General.BatchTimeout = defaults.General.BatchTimeout
-		case c.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount == 0:
-			logger.Infof("General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount unset, setting to %s", defaults.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount)
-			c.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount = defaults.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount
 		case c.General.QueueSize == 0:
 			logger.Infof("General.QueueSize unset, setting to %s", defaults.General.QueueSize)
 			c.General.QueueSize = defaults.General.QueueSize
@@ -190,6 +188,15 @@ func (c *TopLevel) completeInitialization() {
 		case c.Kafka.Retry.Stop == 0*time.Second:
 			logger.Infof("Kafka.Retry.Stop unset, setting to %v", defaults.Kafka.Retry.Stop)
 			c.Kafka.Retry.Stop = defaults.Kafka.Retry.Stop
+		case c.Genesis.OrdererType == "":
+			logger.Infof("Genesis.OrdererType unset, setting to %s", defaults.Genesis.OrdererType)
+			c.Genesis.OrdererType = defaults.Genesis.OrdererType
+		case c.Genesis.BatchTimeout == 0:
+			logger.Infof("Genesis.BatchTimeout unset, setting to %s", defaults.Genesis.BatchTimeout)
+			c.Genesis.BatchTimeout = defaults.Genesis.BatchTimeout
+		case c.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount == 0:
+			logger.Infof("Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount unset, setting to %s", defaults.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount)
+			c.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount = defaults.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount
 		default:
 			// A bit hacky, but its type makes it impossible to test for a nil value.
 			// This may be overwritten by the Kafka orderer upon instantiation.
diff --git a/orderer/multichain/manager_test.go b/orderer/multichain/manager_test.go
index 5044702fa2e..277c951fbfc 100644
--- a/orderer/multichain/manager_test.go
+++ b/orderer/multichain/manager_test.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func TestManagerImpl(t *testing.T) {
 	lf, rl := NewRAMLedgerAndFactory(10)
 
 	consenters := make(map[string]Consenter)
-	consenters[conf.General.OrdererType] = &mockConsenter{}
+	consenters[conf.Genesis.OrdererType] = &mockConsenter{}
 
 	manager := NewManagerImpl(lf, consenters)
 
@@ -119,8 +119,8 @@ func TestManagerImpl(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Should have gotten chain which was initialized by ramledger")
 	}
 
-	messages := make([]*cb.Envelope, conf.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount)
-	for i := 0; i < int(conf.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount); i++ {
+	messages := make([]*cb.Envelope, conf.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount)
+	for i := 0; i < int(conf.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount); i++ {
 		messages[i] = makeNormalTx(provisional.TestChainID, i)
 	}
 
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func TestManagerImpl(t *testing.T) {
 		if status != cb.Status_SUCCESS {
 			t.Fatalf("Could not retrieve block")
 		}
-		for i := 0; i < int(conf.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount); i++ {
+		for i := 0; i < int(conf.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount); i++ {
 			if !reflect.DeepEqual(utils.ExtractEnvelopeOrPanic(block, i), messages[i]) {
 				t.Errorf("Block contents wrong at index %d", i)
 			}
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ func TestSignatureFilter(t *testing.T) {
 	lf, rl := NewRAMLedgerAndFactory(10)
 
 	consenters := make(map[string]Consenter)
-	consenters[conf.General.OrdererType] = &mockConsenter{}
+	consenters[conf.Genesis.OrdererType] = &mockConsenter{}
 
 	manager := NewManagerImpl(lf, consenters)
 
@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@ func TestSignatureFilter(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Should have gotten chain which was initialized by ramledger")
 	}
 
-	messages := make([]*cb.Envelope, conf.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount)
-	for i := 0; i < int(conf.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount); i++ {
+	messages := make([]*cb.Envelope, conf.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount)
+	for i := 0; i < int(conf.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount); i++ {
 		messages[i] = makeSignaturelessTx(provisional.TestChainID, i)
 	}
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ func TestNewChain(t *testing.T) {
 	lf, rl := NewRAMLedgerAndFactory(10)
 
 	consenters := make(map[string]Consenter)
-	consenters[conf.General.OrdererType] = &mockConsenter{}
+	consenters[conf.Genesis.OrdererType] = &mockConsenter{}
 
 	manager := NewManagerImpl(lf, consenters)
 
@@ -229,8 +229,8 @@ func TestNewChain(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Should have gotten new chain which was created")
 	}
 
-	messages := make([]*cb.Envelope, conf.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount)
-	for i := 0; i < int(conf.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount); i++ {
+	messages := make([]*cb.Envelope, conf.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount)
+	for i := 0; i < int(conf.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount); i++ {
 		messages[i] = makeNormalTx(newChainID, i)
 	}
 
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ func TestNewChain(t *testing.T) {
 		if status != cb.Status_SUCCESS {
 			t.Fatalf("Could not retrieve block on new chain")
 		}
-		for i := 0; i < int(conf.General.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount); i++ {
+		for i := 0; i < int(conf.Genesis.BatchSize.MaxMessageCount); i++ {
 			if !reflect.DeepEqual(utils.ExtractEnvelopeOrPanic(block, i), messages[i]) {
 				t.Errorf("Block contents wrong at index %d in new chain", i)
 			}
diff --git a/orderer/orderer.yaml b/orderer/orderer.yaml
index 65ba093513a..3434f4167d6 100644
--- a/orderer/orderer.yaml
+++ b/orderer/orderer.yaml
@@ -9,23 +9,10 @@
 ################################################################################
 General:
 
-    # Orderer Type: The orderer implementation to start
-    # Available types are "solo" and "kafka"
-    OrdererType: solo
-
     # Ledger Type: The ledger type to provide to the orderer (if needed)
     # Available types are "ram", "file".
     LedgerType: ram
 
-    # Batch Timeout: The amount of time to wait before creating a batch
-    BatchTimeout: 10s
-
-    # Batch Size: Controls the number of messages batched into a block
-    BatchSize:
-
-        # Max Message Count: The maximum number of messages to permit in a batch
-        MaxMessageCount: 10
-
     # Queue Size: The maximum number of messages to allow pending from a gRPC
     # client.
     QueueSize: 10
@@ -45,6 +32,8 @@ General:
     LogLevel: info
 
     # Genesis method: The method by which to retrieve/generate the genesis block. Available values are "provisional", "file"
+    # Provisional utilizes the parameters in the Genesis section to dynamically generate a new genesis block
+    # File uses the fil provided by GenesisFile as the genesis block
     GenesisMethod: provisional
 
     # Genesis file: The file containing the genesis block. Used by the orderer when GenesisMethod is set to "file"
@@ -96,11 +85,6 @@ FileLedger:
 ################################################################################
 Kafka:
 
-    # Brokers: A list of Kafka brokers to which the orderer connects
-    # NOTE: Use IP:port notation
-    Brokers:
-        - 127.0.0.1:9092
-
     # Retry: What to do if none of the Kafka brokers are available
     Retry:
         # The producer should attempt to reconnect every <Period>
@@ -111,3 +95,30 @@ Kafka:
     # Verbose: Turn on logging for sarama, the client library that we use to
     # interact with the Kafka cluster
     Verbose: false
+
+    # Brokers: A list of Kafka brokers to which the orderer connects
+    # NOTE: Use IP:port notation
+    Brokers:
+        - 127.0.0.1:9092
+################################################################################
+#
+#   SECTION: Genesis
+#
+#   - This section applies to the configuration for the provisional bootstrapper
+#
+################################################################################
+Genesis:
+
+    # Orderer Type: The orderer implementation to start
+    # Available types are "solo" and "kafka"
+    OrdererType: solo
+
+    # Batch Timeout: The amount of time to wait before creating a batch
+    BatchTimeout: 10s
+
+    # Batch Size: Controls the number of messages batched into a block
+    BatchSize:
+
+        # Max Message Count: The maximum number of messages to permit in a batch
+        MaxMessageCount: 10
+
diff --git a/orderer/sample_clients/broadcast_config/client.go b/orderer/sample_clients/broadcast_config/client.go
index 84437a7263d..d8173816e28 100644
--- a/orderer/sample_clients/broadcast_config/client.go
+++ b/orderer/sample_clients/broadcast_config/client.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	flag.StringVar(&srv, "server", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", conf.General.ListenAddress, conf.General.ListenPort), "The RPC server to connect to.")
 	flag.StringVar(&cmd.name, "cmd", "newChain", "The action that this client is requesting via the config transaction.")
-	flag.StringVar(&cmd.args.consensusType, "consensusType", conf.General.OrdererType, "In case of a newChain command, the type of consensus the ordering service is running on.")
+	flag.StringVar(&cmd.args.consensusType, "consensusType", conf.Genesis.OrdererType, "In case of a newChain command, the type of consensus the ordering service is running on.")
 	flag.StringVar(&cmd.args.creationPolicy, "creationPolicy", "AcceptAllPolicy", "In case of a newChain command, the chain creation policy this request should be validated against.")
 	flag.StringVar(&cmd.args.chainID, "chainID", "NewChainID", "In case of a newChain command, the chain ID to create.")
 	flag.Parse()
diff --git a/orderer/sample_clients/broadcast_config/newchain.go b/orderer/sample_clients/broadcast_config/newchain.go
index 1426b9abe8b..8f2d57761b5 100644
--- a/orderer/sample_clients/broadcast_config/newchain.go
+++ b/orderer/sample_clients/broadcast_config/newchain.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func newChainRequest(consensusType, creationPolicy, newChainID string) *cb.Envelope {
-	conf.General.OrdererType = consensusType
+	conf.Genesis.OrdererType = consensusType
 	genesisBlock := provisional.New(conf).GenesisBlock()
 	oldGenesisTx := utils.ExtractEnvelopeOrPanic(genesisBlock, 0)
 	oldGenesisTxPayload := utils.ExtractPayloadOrPanic(oldGenesisTx)
diff --git a/orderer/sbft/backend/backend_test.go b/orderer/sbft/backend/backend_test.go
index 3accd9951ee..9eb74d649ab 100644
--- a/orderer/sbft/backend/backend_test.go
+++ b/orderer/sbft/backend/backend_test.go
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func TestSignAndVerifyEcdsa(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestLedgerReadWrite(t *testing.T) {
 	localConf := localconfig.Load()
-	localConf.General.OrdererType = provisional.ConsensusTypeSbft
+	localConf.Genesis.OrdererType = provisional.ConsensusTypeSbft
 	genesis := provisional.New(localConf).GenesisBlock()
 	rlf := ramledger.New(10)
 	rl, _ := rlf.GetOrCreate(provisional.TestChainID)
diff --git a/orderer/sbft/main/main.go b/orderer/sbft/main/main.go
index 914d4cede09..22455f28d08 100644
--- a/orderer/sbft/main/main.go
+++ b/orderer/sbft/main/main.go
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func serve(c flags) {
 	}
 
 	localConf := localconfig.Load()
-	localConf.General.OrdererType = provisional.ConsensusTypeSbft
+	localConf.Genesis.OrdererType = provisional.ConsensusTypeSbft
 	genesisBlock := provisional.New(localConf).GenesisBlock()
 
 	flf := fileledger.New(c.dataDir)