diff --git a/first-network/byfn.sh b/first-network/byfn.sh
index 4f28a94a..cfa78955 100755
--- a/first-network/byfn.sh
+++ b/first-network/byfn.sh
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ function printHelp () {
   echo "    -f <docker-compose-file> - specify which docker-compose file use (defaults to docker-compose-cli.yaml)"
   echo "    -s <dbtype> - the database backend to use: goleveldb (default) or couchdb"
   echo "    -i <imagetag> - pass the image tag to launch the network using the tag: 1.0.1, 1.0.2, 1.0.3, 1.0.4 (defaults to latest)"
+  echo "    -p - persist the ledgers of the containers to the ./ledgers/<container> directory"
   echo
   echo "Typically, one would first generate the required certificates and "
   echo "genesis block, then bring up the network. e.g.:"
@@ -112,10 +113,20 @@ function networkUp () {
     replacePrivateKey
     generateChannelArtifacts
   fi
-  if [ "${IF_COUCHDB}" == "couchdb" ]; then
-      IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH up -d 2>&1
+  if $PERSIST ; then
+      echo "Persisting ledgers to ./ledgers/"
+      mkdir -p ./ledgers/
+      if [ "${IF_COUCHDB}" == "couchdb" ]; then
+          IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_PERSIST -f $COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH up -d 2>&1
+      else
+          IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_PERSIST up -d 2>&1
+      fi
   else
-      IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE up -d 2>&1
+      if [ "${IF_COUCHDB}" == "couchdb" ]; then
+          IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_PERSIST -f $COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH up -d 2>&1
+      else
+          IMAGE_TAG=$IMAGETAG CHANNEL_NAME=$CHANNEL_NAME TIMEOUT=$CLI_TIMEOUT DELAY=$CLI_DELAY docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE up -d 2>&1
+      fi
   fi
   if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "ERROR !!!! Unable to start network"
@@ -131,6 +142,8 @@ function networkDown () {
   docker-compose -f $COMPOSE_FILE -f $COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH down
   # Don't remove containers, images, etc if restarting
   if [ "$MODE" != "restart" ]; then
+    #Delete any persisted ledgers
+    docker run -v $PWD:/tmp/first-network --rm hyperledger/fabric-tools:$IMAGETAG rm -Rf /tmp/first-network/ledgers
     #Cleanup the chaincode containers
     clearContainers
     #Cleanup images
@@ -318,8 +331,11 @@ COMPOSE_FILE=docker-compose-cli.yaml
 COMPOSE_FILE_COUCH=docker-compose-couch.yaml
 # default image tag
 IMAGETAG="latest"
+# By default, to not use volume mounts for the ledgers
+PERSIST="false"
+COMPOSE_FILE_PERSIST=docker-compose-persist.yaml
 # Parse commandline args
-while getopts "h?m:c:t:d:f:s:i:" opt; do
+while getopts "h?m:c:t:d:f:s:i:p" opt; do
   case "$opt" in
     h|\?)
       printHelp
@@ -339,6 +355,8 @@ while getopts "h?m:c:t:d:f:s:i:" opt; do
     ;;
     i)  IMAGETAG=`uname -m`"-"$OPTARG
     ;;
+    p)  PERSIST=true
+    ;;
   esac
 done
 
diff --git a/first-network/docker-compose-persist.yaml b/first-network/docker-compose-persist.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6e12b173
--- /dev/null
+++ b/first-network/docker-compose-persist.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# Copyright IBM Corp. All Rights Reserved.
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+
+version: '2'
+
+networks:
+  byfn:
+
+services:
+
+  orderer.example.com:
+    volumes:
+      - ./ledgers/orderer.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production/orderer
+
+  peer0.org1.example.com:
+    volumes:
+      - ./ledgers/peer0.org1.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production
+
+  peer1.org1.example.com:
+    volumes:
+      - ./ledgers/peer1.org1.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production
+
+  peer0.org2.example.com:
+    volumes:
+      - ./ledgers/peer0.org2.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production
+
+  peer1.org2.example.com:
+    volumes:
+      - ./ledgers/peer1.org2.example.com:/var/hyperledger/production