diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index ada426292a..83bc99ed9e 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/fdlimit"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus/clique"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus/consortium"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/consensus/ethash"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/rawdb"
@@ -2036,9 +2037,17 @@ func MakeChain(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node) (chain *core.BlockChain, chai
 	if err != nil {
 		Fatalf("%v", err)
 	}
-	var engine consensus.Engine
+	var (
+		engine        consensus.Engine
+		setBlockChain func(chain *core.BlockChain)
+		ethApiBackend *eth.EthAPIBackend
+	)
 	if config.Clique != nil {
 		engine = clique.New(config.Clique, chainDb)
+	} else if config.Consortium != nil {
+		ethApiBackend, setBlockChain = eth.MakeEthApiBackend(chainDb)
+		ethApi := ethapi.NewPublicBlockChainAPI(ethApiBackend)
+		engine = consortium.New(config, chainDb, ethApi)
 	} else {
 		engine = ethash.NewFaker()
 		if !ctx.GlobalBool(FakePoWFlag.Name) {
@@ -2087,6 +2096,7 @@ func MakeChain(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node) (chain *core.BlockChain, chai
 	if err != nil {
 		Fatalf("Can't create BlockChain: %v", err)
 	}
+	setBlockChain(chain)
 	return chain, chainDb
 }
 
diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index d4244bbda7..4381a8ed3b 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -351,6 +351,22 @@ func New(stack *node.Node, config *ethconfig.Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 	return eth, nil
 }
 
+// MakeEthApiBackend is used by MakeChain to create a minimal eth API backend for consortium
+// engine.
+// This code looks hacky as it returns a function to set the private blockchain field. This is
+// due to the circular dependency as blockchain needs consortium engine which requires
+// eth API backend. As the eth API backend is not used right after being created, we create a
+// eth API backend without blockchain here and set that field later when blockchain is available.
+func MakeEthApiBackend(chainDb ethdb.Database) (*EthAPIBackend, func(chain *core.BlockChain)) {
+	eth := &Ethereum{
+		chainDb: chainDb,
+	}
+	apiBackend := &EthAPIBackend{eth: eth}
+	return apiBackend, func(chain *core.BlockChain) {
+		eth.blockchain = chain
+	}
+}
+
 func makeExtraData(extra []byte) []byte {
 	if len(extra) == 0 {
 		// create default extradata