diff --git a/beacon_node/client/src/client_config.rs b/beacon_node/client/src/client_config.rs
index 4a4774282..cad287f2c 100644
--- a/beacon_node/client/src/client_config.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/client/src/client_config.rs
@@ -97,6 +97,10 @@ impl ClientConfig {
 
         /* RPC related arguments */
 
+        if args.is_present("rpc") {
+            config.rpc_conf.enabled = true;
+        }
+
         if let Some(rpc_address) = args.value_of("rpc-address") {
             if let Ok(listen_address) = rpc_address.parse::<Ipv4Addr>() {
                 config.rpc_conf.listen_address = listen_address;
diff --git a/beacon_node/client/src/lib.rs b/beacon_node/client/src/lib.rs
index e6d08ac54..914e47fcf 100644
--- a/beacon_node/client/src/lib.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/client/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 extern crate slog;
 
 mod client_config;
-
 pub mod client_types;
 pub mod error;
 pub mod notifier;
@@ -61,7 +60,9 @@ impl<TClientType: ClientTypes> Client<TClientType> {
         )?;
 
         // spawn the RPC server
-        rpc::start_server(&config.rpc_conf, &log);
+        if config.rpc_conf.enabled {
+            rpc::start_server(&config.rpc_conf, &log);
+        }
 
         Ok(Client {
             config,
diff --git a/beacon_node/src/main.rs b/beacon_node/src/main.rs
index 130353d77..ea74c7376 100644
--- a/beacon_node/src/main.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/src/main.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ fn main() {
         )
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("listen_address")
-                .long("listen_address")
+                .long("listen-address")
                 .value_name("Listen Address")
                 .help("The Network address to listen for p2p connections.")
                 .takes_value(true),
@@ -39,21 +39,21 @@ fn main() {
         )
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("rpc")
-                .long("Enable RPC")
+                .long("rpc")
                 .value_name("RPC")
                 .help("Enable the RPC server.")
                 .takes_value(false),
         )
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("rpc-address")
-                .long("rpc address")
+                .long("rpc-address")
                 .value_name("RPCADDRESS")
                 .help("Listen address for RPC endpoint.")
                 .takes_value(true),
         )
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("rpc-port")
-                .long("rpc port")
+                .long("rpc-port")
                 .value_name("RPCPORT")
                 .help("Listen port for RPC endpoint.")
                 .takes_value(true),