diff --git a/test/functional/create_cache.py b/test/functional/create_cache.py
index 4c79814a2..9665c50a9 100755
--- a/test/functional/create_cache.py
+++ b/test/functional/create_cache.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class CreateCache(BitcoinTestFramework):
 
     def set_test_params(self):
         self.num_nodes = 0
+        self.supports_cli = True
 
     def setup_network(self):
         pass
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
index e42f3e60c..5d4f8e672 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class BitcoinTestFramework():
         self.setup_clean_chain = False
         self.nodes = []
         self.mocktime = 0
+        self.supports_cli = False
         self.set_test_params()
 
         assert hasattr(self, "num_nodes"), "Test must set self.num_nodes in set_test_params()"
@@ -91,6 +92,8 @@ class BitcoinTestFramework():
                           help="Location of the test framework config file")
         parser.add_option("--pdbonfailure", dest="pdbonfailure", default=False, action="store_true",
                           help="Attach a python debugger if test fails")
+        parser.add_option("--usecli", dest="usecli", default=False, action="store_true",
+                          help="use bitcoin-cli instead of RPC for all commands")
         self.add_options(parser)
         (self.options, self.args) = parser.parse_args()
 
@@ -113,6 +116,8 @@ class BitcoinTestFramework():
         success = TestStatus.FAILED
 
         try:
+            if self.options.usecli and not self.supports_cli:
+                raise SkipTest("--usecli specified but test does not support using CLI")
             self.setup_chain()
             self.setup_network()
             self.run_test()
@@ -213,7 +218,7 @@ class BitcoinTestFramework():
         assert_equal(len(extra_args), num_nodes)
         assert_equal(len(binary), num_nodes)
         for i in range(num_nodes):
-            self.nodes.append(TestNode(i, self.options.tmpdir, extra_args[i], rpchost, timewait=timewait, binary=binary[i], stderr=None, mocktime=self.mocktime, coverage_dir=self.options.coveragedir))
+            self.nodes.append(TestNode(i, self.options.tmpdir, extra_args[i], rpchost, timewait=timewait, binary=binary[i], stderr=None, mocktime=self.mocktime, coverage_dir=self.options.coveragedir, use_cli=self.options.usecli))
 
     def start_node(self, i, extra_args=None, stderr=None):
         """Start a bitcoind"""
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
index fd44bff32..589a8f396 100755
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class TestNode():
     To make things easier for the test writer, any unrecognised messages will
     be dispatched to the RPC connection."""
 
-    def __init__(self, i, dirname, extra_args, rpchost, timewait, binary, stderr, mocktime, coverage_dir):
+    def __init__(self, i, dirname, extra_args, rpchost, timewait, binary, stderr, mocktime, coverage_dir, use_cli=False):
         self.index = i
         self.datadir = os.path.join(dirname, "node" + str(i))
         self.rpchost = rpchost
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class TestNode():
         self.args = [self.binary, "-datadir=" + self.datadir, "-server", "-keypool=1", "-discover=0", "-rest", "-logtimemicros", "-debug", "-debugexclude=libevent", "-debugexclude=leveldb", "-mocktime=" + str(mocktime), "-uacomment=testnode%d" % i]
 
         self.cli = TestNodeCLI(os.getenv("BITCOINCLI", "bitcoin-cli"), self.datadir)
+        self.use_cli = use_cli
 
         self.running = False
         self.process = None
@@ -73,9 +74,12 @@ class TestNode():
         self.p2ps = []
 
     def __getattr__(self, name):
-        """Dispatches any unrecognised messages to the RPC connection."""
-        assert self.rpc_connected and self.rpc is not None, "Error: no RPC connection"
-        return getattr(self.rpc, name)
+        """Dispatches any unrecognised messages to the RPC connection or a CLI instance."""
+        if self.use_cli:
+            return getattr(self.cli, name)
+        else:
+            assert self.rpc_connected and self.rpc is not None, "Error: no RPC connection"
+            return getattr(self.rpc, name)
 
     def start(self, extra_args=None, stderr=None):
         """Start the node."""
@@ -114,10 +118,13 @@ class TestNode():
         raise AssertionError("Unable to connect to bitcoind")
 
     def get_wallet_rpc(self, wallet_name):
-        assert self.rpc_connected
-        assert self.rpc
-        wallet_path = "wallet/%s" % wallet_name
-        return self.rpc / wallet_path
+        if self.use_cli:
+            return self.cli("-rpcwallet={}".format(wallet_name))
+        else:
+            assert self.rpc_connected
+            assert self.rpc
+            wallet_path = "wallet/%s" % wallet_name
+            return self.rpc / wallet_path
 
     def stop_node(self):
         """Stop the node."""
@@ -210,6 +217,7 @@ class TestNodeCLI():
         self.binary = binary
         self.datadir = datadir
         self.input = None
+        self.log = logging.getLogger('TestFramework.bitcoincli')
 
     def __call__(self, *args, input=None):
         # TestNodeCLI is callable with bitcoin-cli command-line args
@@ -240,6 +248,7 @@ class TestNodeCLI():
         if named_args:
             p_args += ["-named"]
         p_args += [command] + pos_args + named_args
+        self.log.debug("Running bitcoin-cli command: %s" % command)
         process = subprocess.Popen(p_args, stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, universal_newlines=True)
         cli_stdout, cli_stderr = process.communicate(input=self.input)
         returncode = process.poll()