diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
index fc34b3ad..73f01559 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_core.cpp
@@ -151,6 +151,10 @@ namespace cryptonote
     command_line::add_arg(desc, command_line::arg_show_time_stats);
     command_line::add_arg(desc, command_line::arg_block_sync_size);
     command_line::add_arg(desc, command_line::arg_check_updates);
+
+    // we now also need some of net_node's options (p2p bind arg, for separate data dir)
+    command_line::add_arg(desc, nodetool::arg_testnet_p2p_bind_port, false);
+    command_line::add_arg(desc, nodetool::arg_p2p_bind_port, false);
   }
   //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   bool core::handle_command_line(const boost::program_options::variables_map& vm)
diff --git a/src/p2p/net_node.inl b/src/p2p/net_node.inl
index 7ab6a489..9f87326a 100644
--- a/src/p2p/net_node.inl
+++ b/src/p2p/net_node.inl
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ namespace nodetool
   void node_server<t_payload_net_handler>::init_options(boost::program_options::options_description& desc)
   {
     command_line::add_arg(desc, arg_p2p_bind_ip);
-    command_line::add_arg(desc, arg_p2p_bind_port);
-    command_line::add_arg(desc, arg_testnet_p2p_bind_port);
+    command_line::add_arg(desc, arg_p2p_bind_port, false);
+    command_line::add_arg(desc, arg_testnet_p2p_bind_port, false);
     command_line::add_arg(desc, arg_p2p_external_port);
     command_line::add_arg(desc, arg_p2p_allow_local_ip);
     command_line::add_arg(desc, arg_p2p_add_peer);