diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
index 1fb6666684..82b357742e 100644
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
@@ -340,7 +340,8 @@ def start_node(i, dirname, extra_args=None, rpchost=None, timewait=None, binary=
     datadir = os.path.join(dirname, "node"+str(i))
     if binary is None:
         binary = os.getenv("ELEMENTSD", "elementsd")
-    args = [ binary, '-chain='+chain, "-datadir="+datadir, "-server", "-keypool=1", "-discover=0", "-rest", "-mocktime="+str(get_mocktime()) ]
+    args = [ binary, "-datadir="+datadir, "-server", "-keypool=1", "-discover=0", "-rest", "-mocktime="+str(get_mocktime()) ]
+    args.append('-regtest' if chain == 'regtest' else '-chain=' + chain)
     if extra_args is not None: args.extend(extra_args)
     bitcoind_processes[i] = subprocess.Popen(args)
     if os.getenv("PYTHON_DEBUG", ""):