diff --git a/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark b/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark
index 336d9fcca..86cb33e39 100755
Binary files a/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark and b/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark differ
diff --git a/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark.c b/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark.c
index 2b6608053..e1469d348 100644
--- a/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark.c
+++ b/src/benchmark/taler-exchange-benchmark.c
@@ -27,13 +27,104 @@
 #include <gnunet/gnunet_curl_lib.h>
 #include <microhttpd.h>
 
-
+/**
+ * How many coins the benchmark should operate on
+ */
 static unsigned int pool_size = 100000;
 
+/**
+ * Context for running the #ctx's event loop.
+ */
+static struct GNUNET_CURL_RescheduleContext *rc;
+
+/**
+ * Benchmark's task
+ */
+struct GNUNET_SCHEDULER_Task *benchmark_task;
+
+/**
+ * Main execution context for the main loop of the exchange.
+ */
+static struct GNUNET_CURL_Context *ctx;
+
+/**
+ * Handle to access the exchange.
+ */
+static struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Handle *exchange;
+
 /**
  * URI under which the exchange is reachable during the benchmark.
  */
-#define EXCHANGE_URI "http://localhost:8081/"
+#define EXCHANGE_URI "http://localhost:8081"
+
+/**
+ * Run the main interpreter loop that performs exchange operations.
+ *
+ * @param cls contains the `struct InterpreterState`
+ */
+static void
+benchmark_run (void *cls)
+{
+  GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_INFO, "benchmark_run() invoked\n");
+}
+
+/**
+ * Functions of this type are called to provide the retrieved signing and
+ * denomination keys of the exchange.  No TALER_EXCHANGE_*() functions should be called
+ * in this callback.
+ *
+ * @param cls closure
+ * @param keys information about keys of the exchange
+ */
+static void
+cert_cb (void *cls,
+         const struct TALER_EXCHANGE_Keys *keys)
+{
+  /* check that keys is OK */
+#define ERR(cond) do { if(!(cond)) break; GNUNET_break (0); GNUNET_SCHEDULER_shutdown(); return; } while (0)
+  ERR (NULL == keys);
+  ERR (0 == keys->num_sign_keys);
+  GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_DEBUG,
+              "Read %u signing keys\n",
+              keys->num_sign_keys);
+  ERR (0 == keys->num_denom_keys);
+  GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_DEBUG,
+              "Read %u denomination keys\n",
+              keys->num_denom_keys);
+#undef ERR
+
+  /* run actual tests via interpreter-loop */
+  GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_INFO,
+	      "Certificate callback invoked, invoking benchmark_run()\n");
+  benchmark_task = GNUNET_SCHEDULER_add_now (&benchmark_run,
+                                             NULL);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Function run when the test terminates (good or bad).
+ * Cleans up our state.
+ *
+ * @param cls the interpreter state.
+ */
+static void
+do_shutdown (void *cls)
+{
+  if (NULL != exchange)
+  {
+    TALER_EXCHANGE_disconnect (exchange);
+    exchange = NULL;
+  }
+  if (NULL != ctx)
+  {
+    GNUNET_CURL_fini (ctx);
+    ctx = NULL;
+  }
+  if (NULL != rc)
+  {
+    GNUNET_CURL_gnunet_rc_destroy (rc);
+    rc = NULL;
+  }
+}
 
 /**
  * Main function that will be run by the scheduler.
@@ -43,6 +134,18 @@ static unsigned int pool_size = 100000;
 static void
 run (void *cls)
 {
+  GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_INFO, "running run()\n");
+  ctx = GNUNET_CURL_init (&GNUNET_CURL_gnunet_scheduler_reschedule,
+                          &rc);
+  GNUNET_assert (NULL != ctx);
+  rc = GNUNET_CURL_gnunet_rc_create (ctx);
+  exchange = TALER_EXCHANGE_connect (ctx,
+                                     EXCHANGE_URI,
+                                     &cert_cb, NULL,
+                                     TALER_EXCHANGE_OPTION_END);
+  GNUNET_assert (NULL != exchange);
+  GNUNET_log (GNUNET_ERROR_TYPE_DEBUG, "connected to exchange\n");
+  GNUNET_SCHEDULER_add_shutdown (&do_shutdown, NULL);
 }
 
 int
@@ -50,17 +153,22 @@ main (int argc,
       char * const *argv)
 {
   /**
-   * 1 Pool's size as an option
-   * 2 Connection to the exchange
+   * 1 Pool's size as an option: DONE
+   * 2 Connection to the exchange: DONE, NOT TESTED
    * 3 Allocation of large enough memory
    * 4 Withdraw
    */
-
+  GNUNET_log_setup ("taler-exchange-benchmark",
+                    "WARNING",
+                    NULL);
   const struct GNUNET_GETOPT_CommandLineOption options[] = {
     {'s', "pool-size", NULL,
      "How many coins this benchmark should instantiate", GNUNET_YES,
      &GNUNET_GETOPT_set_uint, &pool_size}
     };
 
+  GNUNET_assert (GNUNET_SYSERR !=
+                   GNUNET_GETOPT_run ("taler-exchange-benchmark",
+                                      options, argc, argv));
   GNUNET_SCHEDULER_run (&run, NULL);
 }