diff --git a/assets/assets.go b/assets/assets.go
index cb57e131d..909b5ab77 100644
--- a/assets/assets.go
+++ b/assets/assets.go
@@ -2,11 +2,61 @@
 
 package assets
 
-var InitDir = map[string][]byte{
-	"about":          MustAsset("init-doc/about"),
-	"readme":         MustAsset("init-doc/readme"),
-	"help":           MustAsset("init-doc/help"),
-	"contact":        MustAsset("init-doc/contact"),
-	"security-notes": MustAsset("init-doc/security-notes"),
-	"quick-start":    MustAsset("init-doc/quick-start"),
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/blocks/key"
+	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core"
+	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/coreunix"
+	uio "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/unixfs/io"
+)
+
+// initDocPaths lists the paths for the docs we want to seed during --init
+var initDocPaths = []string{
+	"init-doc/about",
+	"init-doc/readme",
+	"init-doc/help",
+	"init-doc/contact",
+	"init-doc/security-notes",
+	"init-doc/quick-start",
+}
+
+func SeedInitDocs(nd *core.IpfsNode) (*key.Key, error) {
+	dirb := uio.NewDirectory(nd.DAG)
+
+	for _, p := range initDocPaths {
+		d, err := Asset(p)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("assets.AddDocuDir: could load Asset '%s': %s", p, err)
+		}
+
+		s, err := coreunix.Add(nd, bytes.NewBuffer(d))
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("assets.AddDocuDir: could not Add '%s': %s", p, err)
+		}
+
+		fname := filepath.Base(p)
+		k := key.B58KeyDecode(s)
+		if err := dirb.AddChild(fname, k); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("assets.AddDocuDir: could not add '%s' as a child: %s", fname, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	dir := dirb.GetNode()
+	dkey, err := nd.DAG.Add(dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("assets.AddDocuDir: DAG.Add(dir) failed: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := nd.Pinning.Pin(nd.Context(), dir, true); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("assets.AddDocuDir: Pinning on init-docu failed: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := nd.Pinning.Flush(); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("assets.AddDocuDir: Pinnig flush failed: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	return &dkey, nil
 }
diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/init.go b/cmd/ipfs/init.go
index 868dbda5e..c4d0d7b4a 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/init.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/init.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
@@ -10,14 +9,11 @@ import (
 
 	context "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/golang.org/x/net/context"
 	assets "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/assets"
-	key "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/blocks/key"
 	cmds "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/commands"
 	core "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core"
-	coreunix "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/coreunix"
 	namesys "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/namesys"
 	config "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/repo/config"
 	fsrepo "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/repo/fsrepo"
-	uio "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/unixfs/io"
 )
 
 const nBitsForKeypairDefault = 2048
@@ -167,34 +163,9 @@ func addDefaultAssets(out io.Writer, repoRoot string) error {
 	}
 	defer nd.Close()
 
-	dirb := uio.NewDirectory(nd.DAG)
-
-	// add every file in the assets pkg
-	for fname, file := range assets.InitDir {
-		buf := bytes.NewBuffer(file)
-		s, err := coreunix.Add(nd, buf)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		k := key.B58KeyDecode(s)
-		if err := dirb.AddChild(fname, k); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-
-	dir := dirb.GetNode()
-	dkey, err := nd.DAG.Add(dir)
+	dkey, err := assets.SeedInitDocs(nd)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if err := nd.Pinning.Pin(ctx, dir, true); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if err := nd.Pinning.Flush(); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return fmt.Errorf("init: seeding init docs failed: %s", err)
 	}
 
 	if _, err = fmt.Fprintf(out, "to get started, enter:\n"); err != nil {