diff --git a/src/bitcoind.cpp b/src/bitcoind.cpp
index 4fd32960..e0cf1a70 100644
--- a/src/bitcoind.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoind.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ bool AppInit(int argc, char* argv[])
 #endif
 
         detectShutdownThread = new boost::thread(boost::bind(&DetectShutdownThread, &threadGroup));
-        fRet = AppInit2(threadGroup);
+        fRet = AppInit2(threadGroup, true);
     }
     catch (std::exception& e) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(&e, "AppInit()");
@@ -142,7 +142,6 @@ extern void noui_connect();
 int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 {
     bool fRet = false;
-    fHaveGUI = false;
 
     // Connect bitcoind signal handlers
     noui_connect();
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index eb46aed9..80ba65f8 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ void ThreadImport(std::vector<boost::filesystem::path> vImportFiles)
 /** Initialize bitcoin.
  *  @pre Parameters should be parsed and config file should be read.
  */
-bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup)
+bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, bool fForceServer)
 {
     // ********************************************************* Step 1: setup
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
@@ -490,14 +490,11 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup)
     else if (nScriptCheckThreads > MAX_SCRIPTCHECK_THREADS)
         nScriptCheckThreads = MAX_SCRIPTCHECK_THREADS;
 
-    if (fDaemon)
+    if (fDaemon || fForceServer)
         fServer = true;
     else
         fServer = GetBoolArg("-server", false);
 
-    /* force fServer when running without GUI */
-    if (!fHaveGUI)
-        fServer = true;
     fPrintToConsole = GetBoolArg("-printtoconsole", false);
     fPrintToDebugger = GetBoolArg("-printtodebugger", false);
     fLogTimestamps = GetBoolArg("-logtimestamps", true);
diff --git a/src/init.h b/src/init.h
index 8cb1bf52..c33da942 100644
--- a/src/init.h
+++ b/src/init.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ extern CWallet* pwalletMain;
 void StartShutdown();
 bool ShutdownRequested();
 void Shutdown();
-bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup);
+bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, bool fForceServer);
 
 /* The help message mode determines what help message to show */
 enum HelpMessageMode
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 4dc2e5c6..a952bc27 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ bool fReindex = false;
 bool fBenchmark = false;
 bool fTxIndex = false;
 unsigned int nCoinCacheSize = 5000;
-bool fHaveGUI = false;
 
 /** Fees smaller than this (in satoshi) are considered zero fee (for transaction creation) */
 int64 CTransaction::nMinTxFee = 10000;  // Override with -mintxfee
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
index c5452185..1e2f93f1 100644
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -173,8 +173,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     bool fMissingDatadir = false;
     bool fSelParFromCLFailed = false;
 
-    fHaveGUI = true;
-
     // Command-line options take precedence:
     ParseParameters(argc, argv);
     // ... then bitcoin.conf:
@@ -293,7 +291,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         QObject::connect(pollShutdownTimer, SIGNAL(timeout()), guiref, SLOT(detectShutdown()));
         pollShutdownTimer->start(200);
 
-        if(AppInit2(threadGroup))
+        if(AppInit2(threadGroup, false))
         {
             {
                 // Put this in a block, so that the Model objects are cleaned up before