diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2b1e123447..bcd9b1bcef 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -480,6 +480,7 @@ haveno-daemon-mainnet:
 		--apiPassword=apitest \
 		--apiPort=1201 \
 		--useNativeXmrWallet=false \
+		--ignoreLocalXmrNode=false \
 
 haveno-desktop-mainnet:
 	./haveno-desktop$(APP_EXT) \
@@ -491,6 +492,7 @@ haveno-desktop-mainnet:
 		--apiPassword=apitest \
 		--apiPort=1201 \
 		--useNativeXmrWallet=false \
+		--ignoreLocalXmrNode=false \
 
 user1-daemon-mainnet:
 	./haveno-daemon$(APP_EXT) \
@@ -503,6 +505,7 @@ user1-daemon-mainnet:
 		--apiPort=1202 \
 		--passwordRequired=false \
 		--useNativeXmrWallet=false \
+		--ignoreLocalXmrNode=false \
 
 user1-desktop-mainnet:
 	./haveno-desktop$(APP_EXT) \
@@ -514,6 +517,7 @@ user1-desktop-mainnet:
 		--apiPassword=apitest \
 		--apiPort=1202 \
 		--useNativeXmrWallet=false \
+		--ignoreLocalXmrNode=false \
 
 user2-daemon-mainnet:
 	./haveno-daemon$(APP_EXT) \
@@ -526,6 +530,7 @@ user2-daemon-mainnet:
 		--apiPort=1203 \
 		--passwordRequired=false \
 		--useNativeXmrWallet=false \
+		--ignoreLocalXmrNode=false \
 
 user2-desktop-mainnet:
 	./haveno-desktop$(APP_EXT) \
@@ -537,6 +542,7 @@ user2-desktop-mainnet:
 		--apiPassword=apitest \
 		--apiPort=1203 \
 		--useNativeXmrWallet=false \
+		--ignoreLocalXmrNode=false \
 
 user3-desktop-mainnet:
 	./haveno-desktop$(APP_EXT) \
@@ -548,3 +554,4 @@ user3-desktop-mainnet:
 		--apiPassword=apitest \
 		--apiPort=1204 \
 		--useNativeXmrWallet=false \
+		--ignoreLocalXmrNode=false \
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/api/XmrConnectionService.java b/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/api/XmrConnectionService.java
index 7fa02bdaa5..93f95d9a05 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/api/XmrConnectionService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/api/XmrConnectionService.java
@@ -238,7 +238,9 @@ public final class XmrConnectionService {
 
     public MoneroRpcConnection getBestAvailableConnection() {
         accountService.checkAccountOpen();
-        return connectionManager.getBestAvailableConnection();
+        List<MoneroRpcConnection> ignoredConnections = new ArrayList<MoneroRpcConnection>();
+        if (xmrLocalNode.shouldBeIgnored() && connectionManager.hasConnection(xmrLocalNode.getUri())) ignoredConnections.add(connectionManager.getConnectionByUri(xmrLocalNode.getUri()));
+        return connectionManager.getBestAvailableConnection(ignoredConnections.toArray(new MoneroRpcConnection[0]));
     }
 
     public void setAutoSwitch(boolean autoSwitch) {
@@ -458,7 +460,9 @@ public final class XmrConnectionService {
 
                 // restore last connection
                 if (connectionList.getCurrentConnectionUri().isPresent() && connectionManager.hasConnection(connectionList.getCurrentConnectionUri().get())) {
-                    connectionManager.setConnection(connectionList.getCurrentConnectionUri().get());
+                    if (!HavenoUtils.isLocalHost(connectionList.getCurrentConnectionUri().get()) || !xmrLocalNode.shouldBeIgnored()) {
+                        connectionManager.setConnection(connectionList.getCurrentConnectionUri().get());
+                    }
                 }
 
                 // set connection proxies
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/api/XmrLocalNode.java b/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/api/XmrLocalNode.java
index 3821aa5aec..d19b27453a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/api/XmrLocalNode.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/haveno/core/api/XmrLocalNode.java
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ public class XmrLocalNode {
     public XmrLocalNode(Config config, Preferences preferences) {
         this.config = config;
         this.preferences = preferences;
-        this.daemon = new MoneroDaemonRpc("http://" + HavenoUtils.LOOPBACK_HOST + ":" + rpcPort);
+        this.daemon = new MoneroDaemonRpc(getUri());
 
         // initialize connection manager to listen to local connection
         this.connectionManager = new MoneroConnectionManager().setConnection(daemon.getRpcConnection());
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ public class XmrLocalNode {
         this.connectionManager.startPolling(REFRESH_PERIOD_LOCAL_MS);
     }
 
+    public String getUri() {
+        return "http://" + HavenoUtils.LOOPBACK_HOST + ":" + rpcPort;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns whether Haveno should use a local Monero node, meaning that a node was
      * detected and conditions under which it should be ignored have not been met. If