diff --git a/src/chainparams.cpp b/src/chainparams.cpp
index 9c843f6e7..02c417c38 100644
--- a/src/chainparams.cpp
+++ b/src/chainparams.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include "chainparams.h"
 
+#include "tinyformat.h"
 #include "util.h"
 #include "utilstrencodings.h"
 
@@ -260,28 +261,27 @@ const CChainParams &Params() {
     return *pCurrentParams;
 }
 
-CChainParams &Params(CBaseChainParams::Network network) {
-    switch (network) {
-        case CBaseChainParams::MAIN:
+CChainParams& Params(const std::string& chain)
+{
+    if (chain == CBaseChainParams::MAIN)
             return mainParams;
-        case CBaseChainParams::TESTNET:
+    else if (chain == CBaseChainParams::TESTNET)
             return testNetParams;
-        case CBaseChainParams::REGTEST:
+    else if (chain == CBaseChainParams::REGTEST)
             return regTestParams;
-        default:
-            assert(false && "Unimplemented network");
-            return mainParams;
-    }
+    else
+        throw std::runtime_error(strprintf("%s: Unknown chain %s.", __func__, chain));
 }
 
-void SelectParams(CBaseChainParams::Network network) {
+void SelectParams(const std::string& network)
+{
     SelectBaseParams(network);
     pCurrentParams = &Params(network);
 }
 
 bool SelectParamsFromCommandLine()
 {
-    CBaseChainParams::Network network = NetworkIdFromCommandLine();
+    std::string network = ChainNameFromCommandLine();
     if (network == CBaseChainParams::MAX_NETWORK_TYPES)
         return false;
 
diff --git a/src/chainparams.h b/src/chainparams.h
index 5db39aa09..71e2ad861 100644
--- a/src/chainparams.h
+++ b/src/chainparams.h
@@ -103,11 +103,16 @@ protected:
  */
 const CChainParams &Params();
 
-/** Return parameters for the given network. */
-CChainParams &Params(CBaseChainParams::Network network);
+/**
+ * @returns CChainParams for the given BIP70 chain name.
+ */
+CChainParams& Params(const std::string& chain);
 
-/** Sets the params returned by Params() to those for the given network. */
-void SelectParams(CBaseChainParams::Network network);
+/**
+ * Sets the params returned by Params() to those for the given BIP70 chain name.
+ * @throws std::runtime_error when the chain is not supported.
+ */
+void SelectParams(const std::string& chain);
 
 /**
  * Looks for -regtest or -testnet and then calls SelectParams as appropriate.
diff --git a/src/chainparamsbase.cpp b/src/chainparamsbase.cpp
index 9c87bf215..e46212279 100644
--- a/src/chainparamsbase.cpp
+++ b/src/chainparamsbase.cpp
@@ -5,10 +5,16 @@
 
 #include "chainparamsbase.h"
 
+#include "tinyformat.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
 #include <assert.h>
 
+const std::string CBaseChainParams::MAIN = "main";
+const std::string CBaseChainParams::TESTNET = "test";
+const std::string CBaseChainParams::REGTEST = "regtest";
+const std::string CBaseChainParams::MAX_NETWORK_TYPES = "unknown_chain";
+
 /**
  * Main network
  */
@@ -71,25 +77,19 @@ const CBaseChainParams& BaseParams()
     return *pCurrentBaseParams;
 }
 
-void SelectBaseParams(CBaseChainParams::Network network)
+void SelectBaseParams(const std::string& chain)
 {
-    switch (network) {
-    case CBaseChainParams::MAIN:
+    if (chain == CBaseChainParams::MAIN)
         pCurrentBaseParams = &mainParams;
-        break;
-    case CBaseChainParams::TESTNET:
+    else if (chain == CBaseChainParams::TESTNET)
         pCurrentBaseParams = &testNetParams;
-        break;
-    case CBaseChainParams::REGTEST:
+    else if (chain == CBaseChainParams::REGTEST)
         pCurrentBaseParams = &regTestParams;
-        break;
-    default:
-        assert(false && "Unimplemented network");
-        return;
-    }
+    else
+        throw std::runtime_error(strprintf("%s: Unknown chain %s.", __func__, chain));
 }
 
-CBaseChainParams::Network NetworkIdFromCommandLine()
+std::string ChainNameFromCommandLine()
 {
     bool fRegTest = GetBoolArg("-regtest", false);
     bool fTestNet = GetBoolArg("-testnet", false);
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ CBaseChainParams::Network NetworkIdFromCommandLine()
 
 bool SelectBaseParamsFromCommandLine()
 {
-    CBaseChainParams::Network network = NetworkIdFromCommandLine();
+    std::string network = ChainNameFromCommandLine();
     if (network == CBaseChainParams::MAX_NETWORK_TYPES)
         return false;
 
diff --git a/src/chainparamsbase.h b/src/chainparamsbase.h
index 4369d0aef..25a5b3450 100644
--- a/src/chainparamsbase.h
+++ b/src/chainparamsbase.h
@@ -15,13 +15,11 @@
 class CBaseChainParams
 {
 public:
-    enum Network {
-        MAIN,
-        TESTNET,
-        REGTEST,
-
-        MAX_NETWORK_TYPES
-    };
+    /** BIP70 chain name strings (main, test or regtest) */
+    static const std::string MAIN;
+    static const std::string TESTNET;
+    static const std::string REGTEST;
+    static const std::string MAX_NETWORK_TYPES;
 
     const std::string& DataDir() const { return strDataDir; }
     int RPCPort() const { return nRPCPort; }
@@ -40,13 +38,13 @@ protected:
 const CBaseChainParams& BaseParams();
 
 /** Sets the params returned by Params() to those for the given network. */
-void SelectBaseParams(CBaseChainParams::Network network);
+void SelectBaseParams(const std::string& chain);
 
 /**
- * Looks for -regtest or -testnet and returns the appropriate Network ID.
- * Returns MAX_NETWORK_TYPES if an invalid combination is given.
+ * Looks for -regtest, -testnet and returns the appropriate BIP70 chain name.
+ * @return CBaseChainParams::MAX_NETWORK_TYPES if an invalid combination is given. CBaseChainParams::MAIN by default.
  */
-CBaseChainParams::Network NetworkIdFromCommandLine();
+std::string ChainNameFromCommandLine();
 
 /**
  * Calls NetworkIdFromCommandLine() and then calls SelectParams as appropriate.
diff --git a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
index 8d81275a6..a74fbfc0d 100644
--- a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
@@ -32,13 +32,13 @@ CWallet* pwalletMain;
 extern bool fPrintToConsole;
 extern void noui_connect();
 
-BasicTestingSetup::BasicTestingSetup(CBaseChainParams::Network network)
+BasicTestingSetup::BasicTestingSetup(const std::string& chainName)
 {
         ECC_Start();
         SetupEnvironment();
         fPrintToDebugLog = false; // don't want to write to debug.log file
         fCheckBlockIndex = true;
-        SelectParams(network);
+        SelectParams(chainName);
         noui_connect();
 }
 
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ BasicTestingSetup::~BasicTestingSetup()
         ECC_Stop();
 }
 
-TestingSetup::TestingSetup(CBaseChainParams::Network network) : BasicTestingSetup(network)
+TestingSetup::TestingSetup(const std::string& chainName) : BasicTestingSetup(chainName)
 {
 #ifdef ENABLE_WALLET
         bitdb.MakeMock();
diff --git a/src/test/test_bitcoin.h b/src/test/test_bitcoin.h
index b9314d061..0bab4b683 100644
--- a/src/test/test_bitcoin.h
+++ b/src/test/test_bitcoin.h
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
  * This just configures logging and chain parameters.
  */
 struct BasicTestingSetup {
-    BasicTestingSetup(CBaseChainParams::Network network = CBaseChainParams::MAIN);
+    BasicTestingSetup(const std::string& chainName = CBaseChainParams::MAIN);
     ~BasicTestingSetup();
 };
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ struct TestingSetup: public BasicTestingSetup {
     boost::filesystem::path pathTemp;
     boost::thread_group threadGroup;
 
-    TestingSetup(CBaseChainParams::Network network = CBaseChainParams::MAIN);
+    TestingSetup(const std::string& chainName = CBaseChainParams::MAIN);
     ~TestingSetup();
 };