diff --git a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
index 5ee14e6da9..0971af60cf 100644
--- a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ static int AppInitRPC(int argc, char* argv[])
         fprintf(stderr,"Error reading configuration file: %s\n", e.what());
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
-    // Check for -testnet or -regtest parameter (BaseParams() calls are only valid after this clause)
+    // Check for -chain, -testnet or -regtest parameter (BaseParams() calls are only valid after this clause)
     try {
         SelectBaseParams(ChainNameFromCommandLine());
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
diff --git a/src/bitcoin-tx.cpp b/src/bitcoin-tx.cpp
index 43fa3fdfb9..47c7a04a57 100644
--- a/src/bitcoin-tx.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoin-tx.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static int AppInitRawTx(int argc, char* argv[])
     //
     ParseParameters(argc, argv);
 
-    // Check for -testnet or -regtest parameter (Params() calls are only valid after this clause)
+    // Check for -chain, -testnet or -regtest parameter (Params() calls are only valid after this clause)
     try {
         SelectParams(ChainNameFromCommandLine());
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
diff --git a/src/bitcoind.cpp b/src/bitcoind.cpp
index 9bab3a2026..e0a711c04e 100644
--- a/src/bitcoind.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoind.cpp
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ bool AppInit(int argc, char* argv[])
             fprintf(stderr,"Error reading configuration file: %s\n", e.what());
             return false;
         }
-        // Check for -testnet or -regtest parameter (Params() calls are only valid after this clause)
+        // Check for -chain, -testnet or -regtest parameter (Params() calls are only valid after this clause)
         try {
             SelectParams(ChainNameFromCommandLine());
         } catch (const std::exception& e) {
diff --git a/src/chainparamsbase.cpp b/src/chainparamsbase.cpp
index 43c9a13c54..ff1331a524 100644
--- a/src/chainparamsbase.cpp
+++ b/src/chainparamsbase.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ const std::string CBaseChainParams::REGTEST = "regtest";
 void AppendParamsHelpMessages(std::string& strUsage, bool debugHelp)
 {
     strUsage += HelpMessageGroup(_("Chain selection options:"));
+    strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-chain=<chain>", _("Use the chain <chain> (default: main). Allowed values: main, testnet, regtest"));
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-testnet", _("Use the test chain"));
     if (debugHelp) {
         strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-regtest", "Enter regression test mode, which uses a special chain in which blocks can be solved instantly. "
@@ -98,5 +99,5 @@ std::string ChainNameFromCommandLine()
         return CBaseChainParams::REGTEST;
     if (fTestNet)
         return CBaseChainParams::TESTNET;
-    return CBaseChainParams::MAIN;
+    return GetArg("-chain", CBaseChainParams::MAIN);
 }
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
index 72f5f4aac9..a28cc76948 100644
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     // - QSettings() will use the new application name after this, resulting in network-specific settings
     // - Needs to be done before createOptionsModel
 
-    // Check for -testnet or -regtest parameter (Params() calls are only valid after this clause)
+    // Check for -chain, -testnet or -regtest parameter (Params() calls are only valid after this clause)
     try {
         SelectParams(ChainNameFromCommandLine());
     } catch(std::exception &e) {
diff --git a/src/qt/guiutil.cpp b/src/qt/guiutil.cpp
index e0961fe7dd..6498b02358 100644
--- a/src/qt/guiutil.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/guiutil.cpp
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ bool SetStartOnSystemStartup(bool fAutoStart)
             // Start client minimized
             QString strArgs = "-min";
             // Set -testnet /-regtest options
-            strArgs += QString::fromStdString(strprintf(" -testnet=%d -regtest=%d", GetBoolArg("-testnet", false), GetBoolArg("-regtest", false)));
+            strArgs += QString::fromStdString(strprintf(" -chain=%s", ChainNameFromCommandLine()));
 
 #ifdef UNICODE
             boost::scoped_array<TCHAR> args(new TCHAR[strArgs.length() + 1]);
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@ bool SetStartOnSystemStartup(bool fAutoStart)
             optionFile << "Name=Bitcoin\n";
         else
             optionFile << strprintf("Name=Bitcoin (%s)\n", chain);
-        optionFile << "Exec=" << pszExePath << strprintf(" -min -testnet=%d -regtest=%d\n", GetBoolArg("-testnet", false), GetBoolArg("-regtest", false));
+        optionFile << "Exec=" << pszExePath << strprintf(" -min -chain=%s\n", chain);
         optionFile << "Terminal=false\n";
         optionFile << "Hidden=false\n";
         optionFile.close();