diff --git a/cmd/gaia/init/init.go b/cmd/gaia/init/init.go
index 852ecc3f89..bb56de1bd6 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/init/init.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/init/init.go
@@ -62,12 +62,7 @@ func InitCmd(ctx *server.Context, cdc *codec.Codec, appInit server.AppInit) *cob
 				return err
 			}
 
-			moniker := viper.GetString(flagMoniker)
-			if moniker == "" {
-				return fmt.Errorf("required flag \"%s\" has not been set", flagMoniker)
-			}
-
-			config.Moniker = moniker
+			config.Moniker = viper.GetString(flagMoniker)
 
 			var appState json.RawMessage
 			genFile := config.GenesisFile()
@@ -94,6 +89,7 @@ func InitCmd(ctx *server.Context, cdc *codec.Codec, appInit server.AppInit) *cob
 		},
 	}
 
+	cmd.MarkFlagRequired(flagMoniker)
 	cmd.Flags().String(cli.HomeFlag, app.DefaultNodeHome, "node's home directory")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolP(flagOverwrite, "o", false, "overwrite the genesis.json file")
 	cmd.Flags().String(client.FlagChainID, "", "genesis file chain-id, if left blank will be randomly created")
diff --git a/cmd/gaia/init/init_test.go b/cmd/gaia/init/init_test.go
index bd5274c261..d1d9b9ce2d 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/init/init_test.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/init/init_test.go
@@ -2,15 +2,16 @@ package init
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
-	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/cmd/gaia/app"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/cli"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/cmd/gaia/app"
+	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/cli"
+
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/server"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/server/mock"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -28,12 +29,16 @@ func TestInitCmd(t *testing.T) {
 	logger := log.NewNopLogger()
 	cfg, err := tcmd.ParseConfig()
 	require.Nil(t, err)
+
 	ctx := server.NewContext(cfg, logger)
 	cdc := app.MakeCodec()
 	appInit := server.AppInit{
 		AppGenState: mock.AppGenState,
 	}
 	cmd := InitCmd(ctx, cdc, appInit)
+
+	viper.Set(flagMoniker, "gaianode-test")
+
 	err = cmd.RunE(nil, nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 }
@@ -53,14 +58,19 @@ func setupClientHome(t *testing.T) func() {
 func TestEmptyState(t *testing.T) {
 	defer server.SetupViper(t)()
 	defer setupClientHome(t)()
+
 	logger := log.NewNopLogger()
 	cfg, err := tcmd.ParseConfig()
 	require.Nil(t, err)
+
 	ctx := server.NewContext(cfg, logger)
 	cdc := app.MakeCodec()
 	appInit := server.AppInit{
 		AppGenState: mock.AppGenStateEmpty,
 	}
+
+	viper.Set(flagMoniker, "gaianode-test")
+
 	cmd := InitCmd(ctx, cdc, appInit)
 	err = cmd.RunE(nil, nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -69,6 +79,7 @@ func TestEmptyState(t *testing.T) {
 	r, w, _ := os.Pipe()
 	os.Stdout = w
 	cmd = server.ExportCmd(ctx, cdc, nil)
+
 	err = cmd.RunE(nil, nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err)