diff --git a/common/src/main/java/bisq/common/config/Config.java b/common/src/main/java/bisq/common/config/Config.java
index b424d9ec..93d7bbe0 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/bisq/common/config/Config.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/bisq/common/config/Config.java
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ public class Config {
     public static final String SEND_MSG_THROTTLE_SLEEP = "sendMsgThrottleSleep";
     public static final String IGNORE_LOCAL_BTC_NODE = "ignoreLocalBtcNode";
     public static final String BITCOIN_REGTEST_HOST = "bitcoinRegtestHost";
+    public static final String XMR_NODE = "xmrNode";
+    public static final String XMR_NODE_USERNAME = "xmrNodeUsername";
+    public static final String XMR_NODE_PASSWORD = "xmrNodePassword";
     public static final String BTC_NODES = "btcNodes";
     public static final String SOCKS5_DISCOVER_MODE = "socks5DiscoverMode";
     public static final String USE_ALL_PROVIDED_NODES = "useAllProvidedNodes";
@@ -179,6 +182,9 @@ public class Config {
     public final int msgThrottlePer10Sec;
     public final int sendMsgThrottleTrigger;
     public final int sendMsgThrottleSleep;
+    public final String xmrNode;
+    public final String xmrNodeUsername;
+    public final String xmrNodePassword;
     public final String btcNodes;
     public final boolean useTorForBtc;
     public final boolean useTorForBtcOptionSetExplicitly;
@@ -326,14 +332,14 @@ public class Config {
                         .withValuesConvertedBy(new EnumValueConverter(BaseCurrencyNetwork.class))
                         .defaultsTo(BaseCurrencyNetwork.XMR_MAINNET);
 
-        ArgumentAcceptingOptionSpec<Boolean> ignoreLocalBtcNodeOpt =
+        ArgumentAcceptingOptionSpec<Boolean> ignoreLocalBtcNodeOpt = // TODO: update this to ignore local XMR node
                 parser.accepts(IGNORE_LOCAL_BTC_NODE,
-                        "If set to true a Bitcoin Core node running locally will be ignored")
+                        "If set to true a Monero node running locally will be ignored")
                         .withRequiredArg()
                         .ofType(Boolean.class)
                         .defaultsTo(false);
 
-        ArgumentAcceptingOptionSpec<String> bitcoinRegtestHostOpt =
+        ArgumentAcceptingOptionSpec<String> bitcoinRegtestHostOpt = // TODO: remove?
                 parser.accepts(BITCOIN_REGTEST_HOST, "Bitcoin Core node when using XMR_STAGENET network")
                         .withRequiredArg()
                         .ofType(String.class)
@@ -500,6 +506,21 @@ public class Config {
                         .ofType(int.class)
                         .defaultsTo(50); // Pause in ms to sleep if we get too many messages to send
 
+        ArgumentAcceptingOptionSpec<String> xmrNodeOpt =
+                parser.accepts(XMR_NODE, "URI of custom Monero node to use")
+                        .withRequiredArg()
+                        .defaultsTo("");
+
+        ArgumentAcceptingOptionSpec<String> xmrNodeUsernameOpt =
+                parser.accepts(XMR_NODE_USERNAME, "Username of custom Monero node to use")
+                        .withRequiredArg()
+                        .defaultsTo("");
+
+        ArgumentAcceptingOptionSpec<String> xmrNodePasswordOpt =
+                parser.accepts(XMR_NODE_PASSWORD, "Password of custom Monero node to use")
+                        .withRequiredArg()
+                        .defaultsTo("");
+
         ArgumentAcceptingOptionSpec<String> btcNodesOpt =
                 parser.accepts(BTC_NODES, "Custom nodes used for BitcoinJ as comma separated IP addresses.")
                         .withRequiredArg()
@@ -682,6 +703,9 @@ public class Config {
             this.msgThrottlePer10Sec = options.valueOf(msgThrottlePer10SecOpt);
             this.sendMsgThrottleTrigger = options.valueOf(sendMsgThrottleTriggerOpt);
             this.sendMsgThrottleSleep = options.valueOf(sendMsgThrottleSleepOpt);
+            this.xmrNode = options.valueOf(xmrNodeOpt);
+            this.xmrNodeUsername = options.valueOf(xmrNodeUsernameOpt);
+            this.xmrNodePassword = options.valueOf(xmrNodePasswordOpt);
             this.btcNodes = options.valueOf(btcNodesOpt);
             this.useTorForBtc = options.valueOf(useTorForBtcOpt);
             this.useTorForBtcOptionSetExplicitly = options.has(useTorForBtcOpt);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/api/CoreMoneroConnectionsService.java b/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/api/CoreMoneroConnectionsService.java
index 35a06c61..b5333a20 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/api/CoreMoneroConnectionsService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/api/CoreMoneroConnectionsService.java
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ public final class CoreMoneroConnectionsService {
     }
 
     private final Object lock = new Object();
+    private final Config config;
     private final CoreContext coreContext;
     private final CoreAccountService accountService;
     private final CoreMoneroNodeService nodeService;
@@ -85,12 +86,14 @@ public final class CoreMoneroConnectionsService {
     private TaskLooper updateDaemonLooper;;
 
     @Inject
-    public CoreMoneroConnectionsService(CoreContext coreContext,
+    public CoreMoneroConnectionsService(Config config,
+                                        CoreContext coreContext,
                                         WalletsSetup walletsSetup,
                                         CoreAccountService accountService,
                                         CoreMoneroNodeService nodeService,
                                         MoneroConnectionManager connectionManager,
                                         EncryptedConnectionList connectionList) {
+        this.config = config;
         this.coreContext = coreContext;
         this.accountService = accountService;
         this.nodeService = nodeService;
@@ -328,6 +331,11 @@ public final class CoreMoneroConnectionsService {
             // run once
             if (!isInitialized) {
 
+                // set monero connection from startup arguments
+                if (!"".equals(config.xmrNode)) {
+                    connectionManager.setConnection(new MoneroRpcConnection(config.xmrNode, config.xmrNodeUsername, config.xmrNodePassword).setPriority(1));
+                }
+
                 // register connection change listener
                 connectionManager.addListener(this::onConnectionChanged);
 
@@ -362,7 +370,7 @@ public final class CoreMoneroConnectionsService {
             });
 
             // connect to local node if available
-            if (nodeService.isMoneroNodeRunning() && (connectionManager.getAutoSwitch() || !connectionManager.isConnected())) {
+            if (nodeService.isMoneroNodeRunning() && (!connectionManager.isConnected() || connectionManager.getAutoSwitch())) {
                 MoneroRpcConnection connection = connectionManager.getConnectionByUri(nodeService.getDaemon().getRpcConnection().getUri());
                 if (connection != null) {
                     connection.checkConnection(connectionManager.getTimeout());
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/btc/BitcoinModule.java b/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/btc/BitcoinModule.java
index 1303011c..8b5ea107 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/btc/BitcoinModule.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/btc/BitcoinModule.java
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ public class BitcoinModule extends AppModule {
         bind(File.class).annotatedWith(named(WALLET_DIR)).toInstance(config.walletDir);
         bind(int.class).annotatedWith(named(WALLET_RPC_BIND_PORT)).toInstance(config.walletRpcBindPort);
 
+        bindConstant().annotatedWith(named(Config.XMR_NODE)).to(config.xmrNode);
+        bindConstant().annotatedWith(named(Config.XMR_NODE_USERNAME)).to(config.xmrNodeUsername);
+        bindConstant().annotatedWith(named(Config.XMR_NODE_PASSWORD)).to(config.xmrNodePassword);
         bindConstant().annotatedWith(named(Config.BTC_NODES)).to(config.btcNodes);
         bindConstant().annotatedWith(named(Config.USER_AGENT)).to(config.userAgent);
         bindConstant().annotatedWith(named(Config.NUM_CONNECTIONS_FOR_BTC)).to(config.numConnectionsForBtc);