diff --git a/cmd/geth/main.go b/cmd/geth/main.go
index 09c7eee05..fa456a7ac 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/main.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/main.go
@@ -502,12 +502,7 @@ func startNode(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node) {
 			unlockAccount(ctx, accman, trimmed, i, passwords)
 		}
 	}
-	// Start auxiliary services if enabled.
-	if !ctx.GlobalBool(utils.IPCDisabledFlag.Name) {
-		if err := utils.StartIPC(stack, ctx); err != nil {
-			utils.Fatalf("Failed to start IPC: %v", err)
-		}
-	}
+	// Start auxiliary services if enabled
 	if ctx.GlobalBool(utils.RPCEnabledFlag.Name) {
 		if err := utils.StartRPC(stack, ctx); err != nil {
 			utils.Fatalf("Failed to start RPC: %v", err)
diff --git a/cmd/geth/monitorcmd.go b/cmd/geth/monitorcmd.go
index 1d7bf3f6a..4d56f2289 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/monitorcmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/monitorcmd.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/codegangsta/cli"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/cmd/utils"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/node"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rpc"
 	"github.com/gizak/termui"
 )
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import (
 var (
 	monitorCommandAttachFlag = cli.StringFlag{
 		Name:  "attach",
-		Value: "ipc:" + common.DefaultIpcPath(),
+		Value: "ipc:" + node.DefaultIpcEndpoint(),
 		Usage: "API endpoint to attach to",
 	}
 	monitorCommandRowsFlag = cli.IntFlag{
diff --git a/cmd/gethrpctest/main.go b/cmd/gethrpctest/main.go
index 8522258a9..becd09f5a 100644
--- a/cmd/gethrpctest/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gethrpctest/main.go
@@ -18,25 +18,20 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"runtime"
-
-	"errors"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/node"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rpc"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/tests"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/whisper"
 )
@@ -89,11 +84,6 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	log.Println("Initial test suite passed...")
 
-	if err := StartIPC(stack); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Failed to start IPC interface: %v\n", err)
-	}
-	log.Println("IPC Interface started, accepting requests...")
-
 	// Start the RPC interface and wait until terminated
 	if err := StartRPC(stack); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("Failed to start RPC interface: %v", err)
@@ -109,7 +99,7 @@ func main() {
 // keystore path and initial pre-state.
 func MakeSystemNode(keydir string, privkey string, test *tests.BlockTest) (*node.Node, error) {
 	// Create a networkless protocol stack
-	stack, err := node.New(&node.Config{NoDiscovery: true})
+	stack, err := node.New(&node.Config{IpcPath: node.DefaultIpcEndpoint(), NoDiscovery: true})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -194,50 +184,3 @@ func StartRPC(stack *node.Node) error {
 	glog.V(logger.Error).Infof("Unable to start RPC-HTTP interface, could not find admin API")
 	return errors.New("Unable to start RPC-HTTP interface")
 }
-
-// StartIPC initializes an IPC interface to the given protocol stack.
-func StartIPC(stack *node.Node) error {
-	var ethereum *eth.Ethereum
-	if err := stack.Service(&ethereum); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	endpoint := `\\.\pipe\geth.ipc`
-	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
-		endpoint = filepath.Join(common.DefaultDataDir(), "geth.ipc")
-	}
-
-	listener, err := rpc.CreateIPCListener(endpoint)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	server := rpc.NewServer()
-
-	// register package API's this node provides
-	offered := stack.APIs()
-	for _, api := range offered {
-		server.RegisterName(api.Namespace, api.Service)
-		glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Register %T under namespace '%s' for IPC service\n", api.Service, api.Namespace)
-	}
-
-	//var ethereum *eth.Ethereum
-	//if err := stack.Service(&ethereum); err != nil {
-	//	return err
-	//}
-
-	go func() {
-		glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("Start IPC server on %s\n", endpoint)
-		for {
-			conn, err := listener.Accept()
-			if err != nil {
-				glog.V(logger.Error).Infof("Unable to accept connection - %v\n", err)
-			}
-
-			codec := rpc.NewJSONCodec(conn)
-			go server.ServeCodec(codec)
-		}
-	}()
-
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/cmd/utils/client.go b/cmd/utils/client.go
index bac456491..40ebcd729 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/client.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/client.go
@@ -150,10 +150,8 @@ func NewRemoteRPCClient(ctx *cli.Context) (rpc.Client, error) {
 		endpoint := ctx.Args().First()
 		return NewRemoteRPCClientFromString(endpoint)
 	}
-
 	// use IPC by default
-	endpoint := IPCSocketPath(ctx)
-	return rpc.NewIPCClient(endpoint)
+	return rpc.NewIPCClient(node.DefaultIpcEndpoint())
 }
 
 // NewRemoteRPCClientFromString returns a RPC client which connects to the given
diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index 1e3e58e51..5d56ba7d0 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -261,8 +261,8 @@ var (
 	}
 	IPCPathFlag = DirectoryFlag{
 		Name:  "ipcpath",
-		Usage: "Filename for IPC socket/pipe",
-		Value: DirectoryString{common.DefaultIpcPath()},
+		Usage: "Filename for IPC socket/pipe within the datadir (explicit paths escape it)",
+		Value: DirectoryString{common.DefaultIpcSocket()},
 	}
 	WSEnabledFlag = cli.BoolFlag{
 		Name:  "ws",
@@ -394,6 +394,15 @@ func MustMakeDataDir(ctx *cli.Context) string {
 	return ""
 }
 
+// MakeIpcPath creates an IPC path configuration from the set command line flags,
+// returning an empty string if IPC was explicitly disabled, or the set path.
+func MakeIpcPath(ctx *cli.Context) string {
+	if ctx.GlobalBool(IPCDisabledFlag.Name) {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return ctx.GlobalString(IPCPathFlag.Name)
+}
+
 // MakeNodeKey creates a node key from set command line flags, either loading it
 // from a file or as a specified hex value. If neither flags were provided, this
 // method returns nil and an emphemeral key is to be generated.
@@ -582,6 +591,7 @@ func MakeSystemNode(name, version string, extra []byte, ctx *cli.Context) *node.
 	// Configure the node's service container
 	stackConf := &node.Config{
 		DataDir:         MustMakeDataDir(ctx),
+		IpcPath:         MakeIpcPath(ctx),
 		PrivateKey:      MakeNodeKey(ctx),
 		Name:            MakeNodeName(name, version, ctx),
 		NoDiscovery:     ctx.GlobalBool(NoDiscoverFlag.Name),
@@ -734,63 +744,6 @@ func MakeChain(ctx *cli.Context) (chain *core.BlockChain, chainDb ethdb.Database
 	return chain, chainDb
 }
 
-func IPCSocketPath(ctx *cli.Context) (ipcpath string) {
-	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-		ipcpath = common.DefaultIpcPath()
-		if ctx.GlobalIsSet(IPCPathFlag.Name) {
-			ipcpath = ctx.GlobalString(IPCPathFlag.Name)
-		}
-	} else {
-		ipcpath = common.DefaultIpcPath()
-		if ctx.GlobalIsSet(DataDirFlag.Name) {
-			ipcpath = filepath.Join(ctx.GlobalString(DataDirFlag.Name), "geth.ipc")
-		}
-		if ctx.GlobalIsSet(IPCPathFlag.Name) {
-			ipcpath = ctx.GlobalString(IPCPathFlag.Name)
-		}
-	}
-
-	return
-}
-
-func StartIPC(stack *node.Node, ctx *cli.Context) error {
-	var ethereum *eth.Ethereum
-	if err := stack.Service(&ethereum); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	endpoint := IPCSocketPath(ctx)
-	listener, err := rpc.CreateIPCListener(endpoint)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	server := rpc.NewServer()
-
-	// register package API's this node provides
-	offered := stack.APIs()
-	for _, api := range offered {
-		server.RegisterName(api.Namespace, api.Service)
-		glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Register %T under namespace '%s' for IPC service\n", api.Service, api.Namespace)
-	}
-
-	go func() {
-		glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("Start IPC server on %s\n", endpoint)
-		for {
-			conn, err := listener.Accept()
-			if err != nil {
-				glog.V(logger.Error).Infof("Unable to accept connection - %v\n", err)
-			}
-
-			codec := rpc.NewJSONCodec(conn)
-			go server.ServeCodec(codec)
-		}
-	}()
-
-	return nil
-
-}
-
 // StartRPC starts a HTTP JSON-RPC API server.
 func StartRPC(stack *node.Node, ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	for _, api := range stack.APIs() {
diff --git a/common/path.go b/common/path.go
index 9ba2f93c0..38c213a12 100644
--- a/common/path.go
+++ b/common/path.go
@@ -89,9 +89,8 @@ func DefaultDataDir() string {
 	return ""
 }
 
-func DefaultIpcPath() string {
-	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
-		return `\\.\pipe\geth.ipc`
-	}
-	return filepath.Join(DefaultDataDir(), "geth.ipc")
+// DefaultIpcSocket returns the relative name of the default IPC socket. The path
+// resolution is done by a node with other contextual infos.
+func DefaultIpcSocket() string {
+	return "geth.ipc"
 }
diff --git a/node/config.go b/node/config.go
index 93f0ba79d..d3eb1c78b 100644
--- a/node/config.go
+++ b/node/config.go
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"
@@ -49,6 +52,12 @@ type Config struct {
 	// in memory.
 	DataDir string
 
+	// IpcPath is the requested location to place the IPC endpoint. If the path is
+	// a simple file name, it is placed inside the data directory (or on the root
+	// pipe path on Windows), whereas if it's a resolvable path name (absolute or
+	// relative), then that specific path is enforced. An empty path disables IPC.
+	IpcPath string
+
 	// This field should be a valid secp256k1 private key that will be used for both
 	// remote peer identification as well as network traffic encryption. If no key
 	// is configured, the preset one is loaded from the data dir, generating it if
@@ -90,6 +99,37 @@ type Config struct {
 	MaxPendingPeers int
 }
 
+// IpcEndpoint resolves an IPC endpoint based on a configured value, taking into
+// account the set data folders as well as the designated platform we're currently
+// running on.
+func (c *Config) IpcEndpoint() string {
+	// Short circuit if IPC has not been enabled
+	if c.IpcPath == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	// On windows we can only use plain top-level pipes
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(c.IpcPath, `\\.\pipe\`) {
+			return c.IpcPath
+		}
+		return `\\.\pipe\` + c.IpcPath
+	}
+	// Resolve names into the data directory full paths otherwise
+	if filepath.Base(c.IpcPath) == c.IpcPath {
+		if c.DataDir == "" {
+			return filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), c.IpcPath)
+		}
+		return filepath.Join(c.DataDir, c.IpcPath)
+	}
+	return c.IpcPath
+}
+
+// DefaultIpcEndpoint returns the IPC path used by default.
+func DefaultIpcEndpoint() string {
+	config := &Config{DataDir: common.DefaultDataDir(), IpcPath: common.DefaultIpcSocket()}
+	return config.IpcEndpoint()
+}
+
 // NodeKey retrieves the currently configured private key of the node, checking
 // first any manually set key, falling back to the one found in the configured
 // data folder. If no key can be found, a new one is generated.
diff --git a/node/config_test.go b/node/config_test.go
index f59f3c0fe..efb864ce4 100644
--- a/node/config_test.go
+++ b/node/config_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
@@ -60,6 +61,37 @@ func TestDatadirCreation(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Tests that IPC paths are correctly resolved to valid endpoints of different
+// platforms.
+func TestIpcPathResolution(t *testing.T) {
+	var tests = []struct {
+		DataDir  string
+		IpcPath  string
+		Windows  bool
+		Endpoint string
+	}{
+		{"", "", false, ""},
+		{"data", "", false, ""},
+		{"", "geth.ipc", false, filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), "geth.ipc")},
+		{"data", "geth.ipc", false, "data/geth.ipc"},
+		{"data", "./geth.ipc", false, "./geth.ipc"},
+		{"data", "/geth.ipc", false, "/geth.ipc"},
+		{"", "", true, ``},
+		{"data", "", true, ``},
+		{"", "geth.ipc", true, `\\.\pipe\geth.ipc`},
+		{"data", "geth.ipc", true, `\\.\pipe\geth.ipc`},
+		{"data", `\\.\pipe\geth.ipc`, true, `\\.\pipe\geth.ipc`},
+	}
+	for i, test := range tests {
+		// Only run when platform/test match
+		if (runtime.GOOS == "windows") == test.Windows {
+			if endpoint := (&Config{DataDir: test.DataDir, IpcPath: test.IpcPath}).IpcEndpoint(); endpoint != test.Endpoint {
+				t.Errorf("test %d: IPC endpoint mismatch: have %s, want %s", i, endpoint, test.Endpoint)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // Tests that node keys can be correctly created, persisted, loaded and/or made
 // ephemeral.
 func TestNodeKeyPersistency(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 4af111a41..e3fc03360 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package node
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"net"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
@@ -27,6 +28,8 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/event"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/debug"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rpc"
 )
@@ -52,6 +55,10 @@ type Node struct {
 	serviceFuncs []ServiceConstructor     // Service constructors (in dependency order)
 	services     map[reflect.Type]Service // Currently running services
 
+	ipcEndpoint string       // IPC endpoint to listen at (empty = IPC disabled)
+	ipcListener net.Listener // IPC RPC listener socket to serve API requests
+	ipcHandler  *rpc.Server  // IPC RPC request handler to process the API requests
+
 	stop chan struct{} // Channel to wait for termination notifications
 	lock sync.RWMutex
 }
@@ -87,6 +94,7 @@ func New(conf *Config) (*Node, error) {
 			MaxPendingPeers: conf.MaxPendingPeers,
 		},
 		serviceFuncs: []ServiceConstructor{},
+		ipcEndpoint:  conf.IpcEndpoint(),
 		eventmux:     new(event.TypeMux),
 	}, nil
 }
@@ -164,6 +172,14 @@ func (n *Node) Start() error {
 		// Mark the service started for potential cleanup
 		started = append(started, kind)
 	}
+	// Lastly start the configured RPC interfaces
+	if err := n.startRPC(services); err != nil {
+		for _, service := range services {
+			service.Stop()
+		}
+		running.Stop()
+		return err
+	}
 	// Finish initializing the startup
 	n.services = services
 	n.server = running
@@ -172,6 +188,58 @@ func (n *Node) Start() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// startRPC initializes and starts the IPC RPC endpoints.
+func (n *Node) startRPC(services map[reflect.Type]Service) error {
+	// Gather and register all the APIs exposed by the services
+	apis := n.apis()
+	for _, service := range services {
+		apis = append(apis, service.APIs()...)
+	}
+	ipcHandler := rpc.NewServer()
+	for _, api := range apis {
+		if err := ipcHandler.RegisterName(api.Namespace, api.Service); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Register %T under namespace '%s'", api.Service, api.Namespace)
+	}
+	// All APIs registered, start the IPC and HTTP listeners
+	var (
+		ipcListener net.Listener
+		err         error
+	)
+	if n.ipcEndpoint != "" {
+		if ipcListener, err = rpc.CreateIPCListener(n.ipcEndpoint); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		go func() {
+			glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("IPC endpoint opened: %s", n.ipcEndpoint)
+			defer glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("IPC endpoint closed: %s", n.ipcEndpoint)
+
+			for {
+				conn, err := ipcListener.Accept()
+				if err != nil {
+					// Terminate if the listener was closed
+					n.lock.RLock()
+					closed := n.ipcListener == nil
+					n.lock.RUnlock()
+					if closed {
+						return
+					}
+					// Not closed, just some error; report and continue
+					glog.V(logger.Error).Infof("IPC accept failed: %v", err)
+					continue
+				}
+				go ipcHandler.ServeCodec(rpc.NewJSONCodec(conn))
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+	// All listeners booted successfully
+	n.ipcListener = ipcListener
+	n.ipcHandler = ipcHandler
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Stop terminates a running node along with all it's services. In the node was
 // not started, an error is returned.
 func (n *Node) Stop() error {
@@ -182,7 +250,15 @@ func (n *Node) Stop() error {
 	if n.server == nil {
 		return ErrNodeStopped
 	}
-	// Otherwise terminate all the services and the P2P server too
+	// Otherwise terminate the API, all services and the P2P server too
+	if n.ipcListener != nil {
+		n.ipcListener.Close()
+		n.ipcListener = nil
+	}
+	if n.ipcHandler != nil {
+		n.ipcHandler.Stop()
+		n.ipcHandler = nil
+	}
 	failure := &StopError{
 		Services: make(map[reflect.Type]error),
 	}
@@ -261,18 +337,20 @@ func (n *Node) DataDir() string {
 	return n.datadir
 }
 
+// IpcEndpoint retrieves the current IPC endpoint used by the protocol stack.
+func (n *Node) IpcEndpoint() string {
+	return n.ipcEndpoint
+}
+
 // EventMux retrieves the event multiplexer used by all the network services in
 // the current protocol stack.
 func (n *Node) EventMux() *event.TypeMux {
 	return n.eventmux
 }
 
-// APIs returns the collection of RPC descriptor this node offers. This method
-// is just a quick placeholder passthrough for the RPC update, which in the next
-// step will be fully integrated into the node itself.
-func (n *Node) APIs() []rpc.API {
-	// Define all the APIs owned by the node itself
-	apis := []rpc.API{
+// apis returns the collection of RPC descriptors this node offers.
+func (n *Node) apis() []rpc.API {
+	return []rpc.API{
 		{
 			Namespace: "admin",
 			Version:   "1.0",
@@ -298,7 +376,13 @@ func (n *Node) APIs() []rpc.API {
 			Public:    true,
 		},
 	}
-	// Inject all the APIs owned by various services
+}
+
+// APIs returns the collection of RPC descriptor this node offers. This method
+// is just a quick placeholder passthrough for the RPC update, which in the next
+// step will be fully integrated into the node itself.
+func (n *Node) APIs() []rpc.API {
+	apis := n.apis()
 	for _, api := range n.services {
 		apis = append(apis, api.APIs()...)
 	}
diff --git a/node/node_example_test.go b/node/node_example_test.go
index 5ff5d06a6..01ff683c0 100644
--- a/node/node_example_test.go
+++ b/node/node_example_test.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 //
 // The following methods are needed to implement a node.Service:
 //  - Protocols() []p2p.Protocol - devp2p protocols the service can communicate on
+//  - APIs() []rpc.API           - api methods the service wants to expose on rpc channels
 //  - Start() error              - method invoked when the node is ready to start the service
 //  - Stop() error               - method invoked when the node terminates the service
 type SampleService struct{}
diff --git a/node/node_test.go b/node/node_test.go
index ef096fc91..53dcbcf74 100644
--- a/node/node_test.go
+++ b/node/node_test.go
@@ -18,27 +18,34 @@ package node
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/rpc"
 )
 
 var (
 	testNodeKey, _ = crypto.GenerateKey()
+)
 
-	testNodeConfig = &Config{
+func testNodeConfig() *Config {
+	return &Config{
+		IpcPath:    fmt.Sprintf("test-%d.ipc", rand.Int63()),
 		PrivateKey: testNodeKey,
 		Name:       "test node",
 	}
-)
+}
 
 // Tests that an empty protocol stack can be started, restarted and stopped.
 func TestNodeLifeCycle(t *testing.T) {
-	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig)
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -101,7 +108,7 @@ func TestNodeUsedDataDir(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests whether services can be registered and duplicates caught.
 func TestServiceRegistry(t *testing.T) {
-	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig)
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -133,7 +140,7 @@ func TestServiceRegistry(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests that registered services get started and stopped correctly.
 func TestServiceLifeCycle(t *testing.T) {
-	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig)
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -183,7 +190,7 @@ func TestServiceLifeCycle(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests that services are restarted cleanly as new instances.
 func TestServiceRestarts(t *testing.T) {
-	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig)
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -231,7 +238,7 @@ func TestServiceRestarts(t *testing.T) {
 // Tests that if a service fails to initialize itself, none of the other services
 // will be allowed to even start.
 func TestServiceConstructionAbortion(t *testing.T) {
-	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig)
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -278,7 +285,7 @@ func TestServiceConstructionAbortion(t *testing.T) {
 // Tests that if a service fails to start, all others started before it will be
 // shut down.
 func TestServiceStartupAbortion(t *testing.T) {
-	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig)
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -331,7 +338,7 @@ func TestServiceStartupAbortion(t *testing.T) {
 // Tests that even if a registered service fails to shut down cleanly, it does
 // not influece the rest of the shutdown invocations.
 func TestServiceTerminationGuarantee(t *testing.T) {
-	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig)
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -406,7 +413,7 @@ func TestServiceTerminationGuarantee(t *testing.T) {
 // TestServiceRetrieval tests that individual services can be retrieved.
 func TestServiceRetrieval(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create a simple stack and register two service types
-	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig)
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -441,7 +448,7 @@ func TestServiceRetrieval(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests that all protocols defined by individual services get launched.
 func TestProtocolGather(t *testing.T) {
-	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig)
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -494,3 +501,75 @@ func TestProtocolGather(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// Tests that all APIs defined by individual services get exposed.
+func TestAPIGather(t *testing.T) {
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Register a batch of services with some configured APIs
+	calls := make(chan string, 1)
+
+	services := map[string]struct {
+		APIs  []rpc.API
+		Maker InstrumentingWrapper
+	}{
+		"Zero APIs": {[]rpc.API{}, InstrumentedServiceMakerA},
+		"Single API": {[]rpc.API{
+			{"single", "1", &OneMethodApi{fun: func() { calls <- "single.v1" }}, true},
+		}, InstrumentedServiceMakerB},
+		"Many APIs": {[]rpc.API{
+			{"multi", "1", &OneMethodApi{fun: func() { calls <- "multi.v1" }}, true},
+			{"multi.v2", "2", &OneMethodApi{fun: func() { calls <- "multi.v2" }}, true},
+			{"multi.v2.nested", "2", &OneMethodApi{fun: func() { calls <- "multi.v2.nested" }}, true},
+		}, InstrumentedServiceMakerC},
+	}
+	for id, config := range services {
+		config := config
+		constructor := func(*ServiceContext) (Service, error) {
+			return &InstrumentedService{apis: config.APIs}, nil
+		}
+		if err := stack.Register(config.Maker(constructor)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("service %s: registration failed: %v", id, err)
+		}
+	}
+	// Start the services and ensure all API start successfully
+	if err := stack.Start(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to start protocol stack: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer stack.Stop()
+
+	// Connect to the RPC server and verify the various registered endpoints
+	ipcClient, err := rpc.NewIPCClient(stack.IpcEndpoint())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to connect to the IPC API server: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		Method string
+		Result string
+	}{
+		{"single_theOneMethod", "single.v1"},
+		{"multi_theOneMethod", "multi.v1"},
+		{"multi.v2_theOneMethod", "multi.v2"},
+		{"multi.v2.nested_theOneMethod", "multi.v2.nested"},
+	}
+	for i, test := range tests {
+		if err := ipcClient.Send(rpc.JSONRequest{Id: new(int64), Version: "2.0", Method: test.Method}); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("test %d: failed to send API request: %v", i, err)
+		}
+		reply := new(rpc.JSONSuccessResponse)
+		if err := ipcClient.Recv(reply); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("test %d: failed to read API reply: %v", i, err)
+		}
+		select {
+		case result := <-calls:
+			if result != test.Result {
+				t.Errorf("test %d: result mismatch: have %s, want %s", i, result, test.Result)
+			}
+		case <-time.After(time.Second):
+			t.Fatalf("test %d: rpc execution timeout", i)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/node/service_test.go b/node/service_test.go
index 1dfb61f73..cfe7fe5dc 100644
--- a/node/service_test.go
+++ b/node/service_test.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func TestContextDatabases(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests that already constructed services can be retrieves by later ones.
 func TestContextServices(t *testing.T) {
-	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig)
+	stack, err := New(testNodeConfig())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to create protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/node/utils_test.go b/node/utils_test.go
index 7755605ae..7cdfc2b3a 100644
--- a/node/utils_test.go
+++ b/node/utils_test.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ func NewNoopServiceD(*ServiceContext) (Service, error) { return new(NoopServiceD
 // methods can be instrumented both return value as well as event hook wise.
 type InstrumentedService struct {
 	protocols []p2p.Protocol
+	apis      []rpc.API
 	start     error
 	stop      error
 
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ func (s *InstrumentedService) Protocols() []p2p.Protocol {
 }
 
 func (s *InstrumentedService) APIs() []rpc.API {
-	return nil
+	return s.apis
 }
 
 func (s *InstrumentedService) Start(server *p2p.Server) error {
@@ -121,3 +122,14 @@ func InstrumentedServiceMakerB(base ServiceConstructor) ServiceConstructor {
 func InstrumentedServiceMakerC(base ServiceConstructor) ServiceConstructor {
 	return InstrumentingWrapperMaker(base, reflect.TypeOf(InstrumentedServiceC{}))
 }
+
+// OneMethodApi is a single-method API handler to be returned by test services.
+type OneMethodApi struct {
+	fun func()
+}
+
+func (api *OneMethodApi) TheOneMethod() {
+	if api.fun != nil {
+		api.fun()
+	}
+}
diff --git a/rpc/json.go b/rpc/json.go
index 02bc71c26..1ed943c00 100644
--- a/rpc/json.go
+++ b/rpc/json.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ type JSONRequest struct {
 	Method  string          `json:"method"`
 	Version string          `json:"jsonrpc"`
 	Id      *int64          `json:"id,omitempty"`
-	Payload json.RawMessage `json:"params"`
+	Payload json.RawMessage `json:"params,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // JSON-RPC response