diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index d19ca530b..3218321a3 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1102,6 +1102,7 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& scheduler)
     fListen = GetBoolArg("-listen", DEFAULT_LISTEN);
     fDiscover = GetBoolArg("-discover", true);
     fNameLookup = GetBoolArg("-dns", DEFAULT_NAME_LOOKUP);
+    fRelayTxes = !GetBoolArg("-blocksonly", DEFAULT_BLOCKSONLY);
 
     bool fBound = false;
     if (fListen) {
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index ee30954b4..f813056a7 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -4751,7 +4751,7 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, string strCommand, CDataStream& vRecv,
             return error("message inv size() = %u", vInv.size());
         }
 
-        bool fBlocksOnly = GetBoolArg("-blocksonly", DEFAULT_BLOCKSONLY);
+        bool fBlocksOnly = !fRelayTxes;
 
         // Allow whitelisted peers to send data other than blocks in blocks only mode if whitelistrelay is true
         if (pfrom->fWhitelisted && GetBoolArg("-whitelistrelay", DEFAULT_WHITELISTRELAY))
@@ -4934,7 +4934,7 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, string strCommand, CDataStream& vRecv,
     {
         // Stop processing the transaction early if
         // We are in blocks only mode and peer is either not whitelisted or whitelistrelay is off
-        if (GetBoolArg("-blocksonly", DEFAULT_BLOCKSONLY) && (!pfrom->fWhitelisted || !GetBoolArg("-whitelistrelay", DEFAULT_WHITELISTRELAY)))
+        if (!fRelayTxes && (!pfrom->fWhitelisted || !GetBoolArg("-whitelistrelay", DEFAULT_WHITELISTRELAY)))
         {
             LogPrint("net", "transaction sent in violation of protocol peer=%d\n", pfrom->id);
             return true;
diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
index 5e810a0f1..da5090dbc 100644
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ const static std::string NET_MESSAGE_COMMAND_OTHER = "*other*";
 bool fDiscover = true;
 bool fListen = true;
 uint64_t nLocalServices = NODE_NETWORK;
+bool fRelayTxes = true;
 CCriticalSection cs_mapLocalHost;
 map<CNetAddr, LocalServiceInfo> mapLocalHost;
 static bool vfLimited[NET_MAX] = {};
@@ -454,7 +455,7 @@ void CNode::PushVersion()
     else
         LogPrint("net", "send version message: version %d, blocks=%d, us=%s, peer=%d\n", PROTOCOL_VERSION, nBestHeight, addrMe.ToString(), id);
     PushMessage(NetMsgType::VERSION, PROTOCOL_VERSION, nLocalServices, nTime, addrYou, addrMe,
-                nLocalHostNonce, strSubVersion, nBestHeight, !GetBoolArg("-blocksonly", DEFAULT_BLOCKSONLY));
+                nLocalHostNonce, strSubVersion, nBestHeight, fRelayTxes);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
index b6ec7bf3e..66511e0fb 100644
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ CAddress GetLocalAddress(const CNetAddr *paddrPeer = NULL);
 extern bool fDiscover;
 extern bool fListen;
 extern uint64_t nLocalServices;
+extern bool fRelayTxes;
 extern uint64_t nLocalHostNonce;
 extern CAddrMan addrman;