diff --git a/src/js/converter/checkmodel.js b/src/js/converter/checkmodel.js
index 90faf0cac..450654518 100644
--- a/src/js/converter/checkmodel.js
+++ b/src/js/converter/checkmodel.js
@@ -2,15 +2,15 @@
 var console = require("console");
 
 // returns 0 if equal (0.0.x release), 1 with backward compatible additions (0.x.0 release), 2 on lost data or incompatible data (x.0.0 release)
-var checkModel = function(reference, blockDefs, model, origPrefix, reverse) {
-  var blockDefsObj, i, prefix;
+var checkModel = function(reference, blocks, model, origPrefix, reverse) {
+  var blocksObj, i, prefix;
   var valid = 0;
   if (typeof reverse == 'undefined') reverse = false;
-  if (typeof blockDefs !== 'undefined' && typeof blockDefs.splice == 'function') {
-    blockDefsObj = {};
-    for (i = 0; i < blockDefs.length; i++) blockDefsObj[blockDefs[i].type] = blockDefs[i];
+  if (typeof blocks !== 'undefined' && typeof blocks.splice == 'function') {
+    blocksObj = {};
+    for (i = 0; i < blocks.length; i++) blocksObj[blocks[i].type] = blocks[i];
   } else {
-    blockDefsObj = blockDefs;
+    blocksObj = blocks;
   }
   for (var prop in reference)
     if (reference.hasOwnProperty(prop)) {
@@ -66,18 +66,18 @@ var checkModel = function(reference, blockDefs, model, origPrefix, reverse) {
                   }
                 }
               } else {
-                // in the case of different array we check blockDefs
+                // in the case of different array we check blocks
                 for (i = 0; i < reference[prop].length; i++) {
                   if (typeof reference[prop][i].type !== 'string') {
                     console.log("TODO found an object with no type", prefix, reference[prop][i]);
                     valid = Math.max(valid, 2);
-                  } else if (!blockDefsObj.hasOwnProperty(reference[prop][i].type)) {
+                  } else if (!blocksObj.hasOwnProperty(reference[prop][i].type)) {
                     console.warn("TODO the model uses a block type not defined by the template. REMOVING IT!!", prefix, reference[prop][i]);
                     reference[prop].splice(i, 1);
                     i--;
                     valid = Math.max(valid, 2);
                   } else {
-                    valid = Math.max(valid, checkModel(blockDefsObj[reference[prop][i].type], blockDefsObj, reference[prop][i], prefix + "[" + i + "." + reference[prop][i].type + "]"));
+                    valid = Math.max(valid, checkModel(blocksObj[reference[prop][i].type], blocksObj, reference[prop][i], prefix + "[" + i + "." + reference[prop][i].type + "]"));
                   }
                 }
               }
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ var checkModel = function(reference, blockDefs, model, origPrefix, reverse) {
                 model[prop] = reference[prop];
               }
             } else {
-              valid = Math.max(valid, checkModel(reference[prop], blockDefsObj, model[prop], prefix, reverse));
+              valid = Math.max(valid, checkModel(reference[prop], blocksObj, model[prop], prefix, reverse));
             }
           }
         } else if (model[prop] !== null) {
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ var checkModel = function(reference, blockDefs, model, origPrefix, reverse) {
       }
 
     }
-  if (!reverse) valid = Math.max(valid, checkModel(model, blockDefs, reference, typeof origPrefix !== 'undefined' ? origPrefix + "!R" : "!R", true));
+  if (!reverse) valid = Math.max(valid, checkModel(model, blocksObj, reference, typeof origPrefix !== 'undefined' ? origPrefix + "!R" : "!R", true));
   return valid;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/js/converter/declarations.js b/src/js/converter/declarations.js
index 240898501..1157be6dd 100644
--- a/src/js/converter/declarations.js
+++ b/src/js/converter/declarations.js
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ var elaborateDeclarations = function(newStyle, declarations, templateUrlConverte
             }
 
             if (needDefaultValue && propDefaultValue === null) {
-              console.error("Cannot find default value for", declarations[i].name, declarations);
+              console.error("Cannot find default value for", declarations[i].name, declarations, element, newStyle, declarations[i]);
               throw "Cannot find default value for " + declarations[i].name + ": " + declarations[i].value + " in " + element + " (" + typeof newStyle + "/" + propName + ")";
             }
             var bindDefaultValue = propDefaultValue;
diff --git a/src/js/converter/editor.js b/src/js/converter/editor.js
index beea84e31..dfbb65c4e 100644
--- a/src/js/converter/editor.js
+++ b/src/js/converter/editor.js
@@ -288,7 +288,6 @@ var _propEditor = function(withBindingProvider, widgets, templateUrlConverter, m
   return html;
 };
 
-
 var createBlockEditor = function(defs, widgets, themeUpdater, templateUrlConverter, rootModelName, templateName, editType, templateCreator, baseThreshold, trackGlobalStyles, trackUsage, fromLevel) {
   if (typeof trackUsage == 'undefined') trackUsage = true;
   var model = modelDef.getDef(defs, templateName);
@@ -337,16 +336,11 @@ var generateEditors = function(templateDef, widgets, templateUrlConverter, templ
   var templateName = templateDef.templateName;
   var blocks = templateDef._blocks;
   var idx;
-  var blockDefs = [];
   for (idx = 0; idx < blocks.length; idx++) {
-    if (typeof blocks[idx].container !== 'undefined') {
-      blockDefs.push(modelDef.generateModel(defs, blocks[idx].block));
-    }
     createBlockEditors(defs, widgets, undefined, templateUrlConverter, blocks[idx].root, blocks[idx].block, templateCreator, baseThreshold);
   }
 
   if (typeof defs['theme'] != 'undefined') createBlockEditor(defs, widgets, undefined, templateUrlConverter, templateName, 'theme', 'styler', templateCreator, undefined, false, false, -1);
-  return blockDefs;
 };
 
 module.exports = generateEditors;
diff --git a/src/js/converter/main.js b/src/js/converter/main.js
index 448306b4b..a7456822b 100644
--- a/src/js/converter/main.js
+++ b/src/js/converter/main.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ module.exports = {
   translateTemplate: translateTemplate,
   wrappedResultModel: wrappedResultModel,
   generateResultModel: modelDef.generateResultModel,
+  generateBlockModels: modelDef.generateBlockModels,
   generateEditors: generateEditors,
   checkModel: checkModel,
   checkDefs: checkDefs
diff --git a/src/js/converter/model.js b/src/js/converter/model.js
index 8d63229ad..f2b1b94ae 100644
--- a/src/js/converter/model.js
+++ b/src/js/converter/model.js
@@ -157,15 +157,15 @@ var _generateModelFromDef = function(modelDef, defs) {
   return res;
 };
 
-var _generateModel = function(defs, name) {
-  var modelDef = _getModelDef(defs, name, false, true);
-  return _generateModelFromDef(modelDef, defs);
-};
-
 var _getDef = function(defs, name) {
   return _getModelDef(defs, name, false, true);
 };
 
+var _generateModel = function(defs, name) {
+  var modelDef = _getDef(defs, name);
+  return _generateModelFromDef(modelDef, defs);
+};
+
 var _getModelDef = function(defs, name, returnClone, readonly) {
   // lookup "name" in the template definition
   if (typeof defs[name] == 'undefined') {
@@ -485,6 +485,32 @@ var generateResultModel = function(templateDef) {
   return finalModelContent;
 };
 
+// returns 2 object: "blockList" and "allBlocks".
+// we use "blockList" to decide which blocks to show in the blocklist
+// we use instead allBlocks to know the model of a block by its name
+var generateBlockModels = function(templateDef) {
+  var defs = templateDef._defs;
+  var blocks = templateDef._blocks;
+
+  var res = { 
+    blockList: [],
+    allBlocks: {} 
+  };
+  var idx, blockDef, blockModel;
+
+  for (idx = 0; idx < blocks.length; idx++) {
+    if (typeof blocks[idx].container !== 'undefined') {
+      blockDef = _getDef(defs, blocks[idx].block);
+      blockModel = _generateModelFromDef(blockDef);
+      if (typeof blockDef._deprecated == 'undefined') {
+        res.blockList.push(blockModel);
+      }
+      res.allBlocks[blocks[idx].block]  = blockModel;
+    }
+  }
+  return res;
+};
+
 module.exports = {
   // used to compile the template
   ensurePathAndGetBindValue: modelEnsurePathAndGetBindValue.bind(undefined, false),
@@ -493,5 +519,6 @@ module.exports = {
   generateModel: _generateModel,
   generateResultModel: generateResultModel,
   getDef: _getDef,
-  createOrUpdateBlockDef: _modelCreateOrUpdateBlockDef
+  createOrUpdateBlockDef: _modelCreateOrUpdateBlockDef,
+  generateBlockModels: generateBlockModels
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/js/converter/stylesheet.js b/src/js/converter/stylesheet.js
index bdb1f2053..6337d8de9 100644
--- a/src/js/converter/stylesheet.js
+++ b/src/js/converter/stylesheet.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ var _removeOptionalQuotes = function(str) {
 
 var _processStyleSheetRules_processBlockDef = function(blockDefsUpdater, rules, templateUrlConverter) {
   var properties, namedProps, decls;
-  // name, contextName, globalStyle, themeOverride, extend, min, max, widget, options, category, variant, visibility, help, blockDescription, version, 
+  // name, contextName, globalStyle, themeOverride, extend, min, max, widget, options, category, variant, visibility, deprecated, help, blockDescription, version, 
   for (var i = 0; i < rules.length; i++) {
     if (rules[i].type == 'rule') {
       var sels = rules[i].selectors;
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ var _processStyleSheetRules_processBlockDef = function(blockDefsUpdater, rules,
           else namedProps[decls[k].name] = declarations.declarationValueUrlPrefixer(val, templateUrlConverter);
           // NOTE in past we detected unsupported properties, while now we simple push every declaration in a namedProperty.
           // This make it harder to spot errors in declarations.
-          // Named properties we supported were extend, min, max, options, widget, category, variant, visibility, help, blockDescription, version
+          // Named properties we supported were extend, min, max, options, widget, category, variant, visibility, deprecated, help, blockDescription, version
           // console.warn("Unknown property processing @supports -ko-blockdefs ", decls[k], sels);
         }
         for (var l = 0; l < sels.length; l++) {
diff --git a/src/js/template-loader.js b/src/js/template-loader.js
index fef02e511..5235a2af5 100644
--- a/src/js/template-loader.js
+++ b/src/js/template-loader.js
@@ -177,7 +177,6 @@ var templateCompiler = function(performanceAwareCaller, templateUrlConverter, te
     if (basicStructure[ele] > 1) throw "ERROR: multiple element "+ele+"> occourences are not supported (found "+basicStructure[ele]+" occourences)";
   }
   var postfix = res[3];
-  var blockDefs = [];
   var enableUndo = true;
   var enableRecorder = true;
   var baseThreshold = '+$root.contentListeners()';
@@ -240,7 +239,9 @@ var templateCompiler = function(performanceAwareCaller, templateUrlConverter, te
   for (var wi = 0; wi < widgetPlugins.length; wi++) {
     widgets[widgetPlugins[wi].widget] = widgetPlugins[wi];
   }
-  blockDefs.push.apply(blockDefs, performanceAwareCaller('generateEditors', templateConverter.generateEditors.bind(undefined, templateDef, widgets, templateUrlConverter, myTemplateCreator, baseThreshold)));
+  performanceAwareCaller('generateEditors', templateConverter.generateEditors.bind(undefined, templateDef, widgets, templateUrlConverter, myTemplateCreator, baseThreshold));
+
+  var blockModels = performanceAwareCaller('generateBlockModels', templateConverter.generateBlockModels.bind(undefined, templateDef));
 
   var incompatibleTemplate = false;
   if (typeof jsorjson !== 'undefined' && jsorjson !== null) {
@@ -252,10 +253,10 @@ var templateCompiler = function(performanceAwareCaller, templateUrlConverter, te
     }
 
     // we run a basic compatibility check between the content-model we expect and the initialization model
-    var checkModelRes = performanceAwareCaller('checkModel', templateConverter.checkModel.bind(undefined, content._plainObject(), blockDefs, unwrapped));
+    var checkModelRes = performanceAwareCaller('checkModel', templateConverter.checkModel.bind(undefined, content._plainObject(), blockModels.allBlocks, unwrapped));
     // if checkModelRes is 1 then the model is not fully compatible but we fixed it
     if (checkModelRes == 2) {
-      console.error("Trying to compile an incompatible template version!", content._plainObject(), blockDefs, unwrapped);
+      console.error("Trying to compile an incompatible template version!", content._plainObject(), blockModels.allBlocks, unwrapped);
       incompatibleTemplate = true;
     }
 
@@ -285,7 +286,7 @@ var templateCompiler = function(performanceAwareCaller, templateUrlConverter, te
   plugins.push(templatesPlugin);
 
   // initialize the viewModel object based on the content model.
-  var viewModel = performanceAwareCaller('initializeViewmodel', initializeViewmodel.bind(this, content, blockDefs, templateUrlConverter, galleryUrl));
+  var viewModel = performanceAwareCaller('initializeViewmodel', initializeViewmodel.bind(this, content, blockModels.blockList, templateUrlConverter, galleryUrl));
 
   viewModel.metadata = metadata;
   // let's run some version check on template and editor used to build the model being loaded.
diff --git a/src/js/viewmodel.js b/src/js/viewmodel.js
index bccb5c6ce..ccfcb939c 100644
--- a/src/js/viewmodel.js
+++ b/src/js/viewmodel.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ toastr.options = {
   "escapeHtml": "true" // XSS
 };
 
-function initializeEditor(content, blockDefs, thumbPathConverter, galleryUrl) {
+function initializeEditor(content, blocks, thumbPathConverter, galleryUrl) {
 
   var viewModel = {
     galleryRecent: ko.observableArray([]).extend({
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ function initializeEditor(content, blockDefs, thumbPathConverter, galleryUrl) {
 
   // viewModel.content = content._instrument(ko, content, undefined, true);
   viewModel.content = content;
-  viewModel.blockDefs = blockDefs;
-
+  viewModel.blocks = blocks;
+  
   viewModel.notifier = toastr;
 
   // Does token substitution in i18next style
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ function initializeEditor(content, blockDefs, thumbPathConverter, galleryUrl) {
 
   // test method, command line use only
   viewModel.loadDefaultBlocks = function() {
-    var input = viewModel.blockDefs;
+    var input = viewModel.blocks;
     // Make sure undomanager consider this as a single action.
     viewModel.startMultiple();
     // empty the mainblock container
diff --git a/src/tmpl/toolbox.tmpl.html b/src/tmpl/toolbox.tmpl.html
index 1e065ee67..9b8ca73ef 100644
--- a/src/tmpl/toolbox.tmpl.html
+++ b/src/tmpl/toolbox.tmpl.html
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   </ul>
 
   <div id="toolblocks" data-bind="scrollable: true">
-    <div class="block-list" data-bind="foreach: blockDefs" style="text-align: center">
+    <div class="block-list" data-bind="foreach: blocks" style="text-align: center">
       <div class="draggable-item" data-bind="withProperties: { templateMode: 'show' }">
         <div class="block" data-bind="extdraggable: { connectClass: 'sortable-blocks-edit', data: $data, dropContainer: '#main-wysiwyg-area', dragging: $root.dragging, 'options': { handle: '.handle', distance: 10, 'appendTo': '#page' } }, click: $root.addBlock" style="position: relative;">
           <div title="Click or drag to add this block to the template" class="handle" data-bind="attr: { title: $root.t('Click or drag to add this block to the template') }, tooltips: {}"></div>
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@
   <!-- ko if: $root.debug -->
   Content:
   <pre data-bind='text: ko.toJSON(content, null, 2)' style="overflow: auto; height: 20%"></pre>
-  BlockDefs:
-  <pre data-bind='text: ko.toJSON(blockDefs, null, 2)' style="overflow: auto; height: 20%"></pre>
+  Blocks:
+  <pre data-bind='text: ko.toJSON(blocks, null, 2)' style="overflow: auto; height: 20%"></pre>
   <!-- /ko -->
   <a href="javascript:void(0)" data-bind="click: $root.exportHTMLtoTextarea.bind($element, '#outputhtml'); clickBubble: false, button: { text: true, label:'Generate' }">Output</a>
   <a href="javascript:void(0)" data-bind="click: $root.exportJSONtoTextarea.bind($element, '#outputhtml'); clickBubble: false, button: { text: true, label:'Export' }">Export</a>