diff --git a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/ArgsParser.kt b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/ArgsParser.kt
index 8353dd7f1a..f42a922564 100644
--- a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/ArgsParser.kt
+++ b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/ArgsParser.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package net.corda.node
 
+import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
 import joptsimple.OptionParser
 import joptsimple.util.EnumConverter
 import net.corda.core.internal.div
@@ -93,7 +94,9 @@ data class CmdLineOptions(val baseDirectory: Path,
                           val justGenerateNodeInfo: Boolean,
                           val bootstrapRaftCluster: Boolean) {
     fun loadConfig(): NodeConfiguration {
-        val config = ConfigHelper.loadConfig(baseDirectory, configFile).parseAsNodeConfiguration()
+        val config = ConfigHelper.loadConfig(baseDirectory, configFile, configOverrides = ConfigFactory.parseMap(
+                mapOf("noLocalShell" to this.noLocalShell)
+        )).parseAsNodeConfiguration()
         if (isRegistration) {
             requireNotNull(config.compatibilityZoneURL) { "Compatibility Zone Url must be provided in registration mode." }
             requireNotNull(networkRootTruststorePath) { "Network root trust store path must be provided in registration mode." }
diff --git a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/AbstractNode.kt b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/AbstractNode.kt
index 42355c78f4..30e484471f 100644
--- a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/AbstractNode.kt
+++ b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/AbstractNode.kt
@@ -36,10 +36,7 @@ import net.corda.node.services.ContractUpgradeHandler
 import net.corda.node.services.FinalityHandler
 import net.corda.node.services.NotaryChangeHandler
 import net.corda.node.services.api.*
-import net.corda.node.services.config.BFTSMaRtConfiguration
-import net.corda.node.services.config.NodeConfiguration
-import net.corda.node.services.config.NotaryConfig
-import net.corda.node.services.config.configureWithDevSSLCertificate
+import net.corda.node.services.config.*
 import net.corda.node.services.events.NodeSchedulerService
 import net.corda.node.services.events.ScheduledActivityObserver
 import net.corda.node.services.identity.PersistentIdentityService
@@ -278,7 +275,9 @@ abstract class AbstractNode(val configuration: NodeConfiguration,
     protected abstract fun getRxIoScheduler(): Scheduler
 
     open fun startShell(rpcOps: CordaRPCOps) {
-        InteractiveShell.startShell(configuration, rpcOps, securityManager, _services.identityService, _services.database)
+        if (configuration.shouldInitCrashShell()) {
+            InteractiveShell.startShell(configuration, rpcOps, securityManager, _services.identityService, _services.database)
+        }
     }
 
     private fun initNodeInfo(networkMapCache: NetworkMapCacheBaseInternal,
diff --git a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/NodeStartup.kt b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/NodeStartup.kt
index fa3ea52d3a..c19516aafb 100644
--- a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/NodeStartup.kt
+++ b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/internal/NodeStartup.kt
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import net.corda.core.utilities.loggerFor
 import net.corda.node.*
 import net.corda.node.services.config.NodeConfiguration
 import net.corda.node.services.config.NodeConfigurationImpl
+import net.corda.node.services.config.shouldStartLocalShell
 import net.corda.node.services.transactions.bftSMaRtSerialFilter
 import net.corda.node.shell.InteractiveShell
 import net.corda.node.utilities.registration.HTTPNetworkRegistrationService
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ open class NodeStartup(val args: Array<String>) {
             Node.printBasicNodeInfo("Node for \"$name\" started up and registered in $elapsed sec")
 
             // Don't start the shell if there's no console attached.
-            if (!cmdlineOptions.noLocalShell && System.console() != null && conf.devMode) {
+            if (conf.shouldStartLocalShell()) {
                 startedNode.internals.startupComplete.then {
                     try {
                         InteractiveShell.runLocalShell(startedNode)
diff --git a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/services/config/NodeConfiguration.kt b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/services/config/NodeConfiguration.kt
index 4af6cb07e4..b26e18cffb 100644
--- a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/services/config/NodeConfiguration.kt
+++ b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/services/config/NodeConfiguration.kt
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ interface NodeConfiguration : NodeSSLConfiguration {
     val detectPublicIp: Boolean get() = true
     val sshd: SSHDConfiguration?
     val database: DatabaseConfig
+    val noLocalShell: Boolean get() = false
     val transactionCacheSizeBytes: Long get() = defaultTransactionCacheSize
     val attachmentContentCacheSizeBytes: Long get() = defaultAttachmentContentCacheSize
     val attachmentCacheBound: Long get() = defaultAttachmentCacheBound
@@ -69,6 +70,10 @@ fun NodeConfiguration.shouldCheckCheckpoints(): Boolean {
     return this.devMode && this.devModeOptions?.disableCheckpointChecker != true
 }
 
+fun NodeConfiguration.shouldStartSSHDaemon() = this.sshd != null
+fun NodeConfiguration.shouldStartLocalShell() = !this.noLocalShell && System.console() != null && this.devMode
+fun NodeConfiguration.shouldInitCrashShell() = shouldStartLocalShell() || shouldStartSSHDaemon()
+
 data class NotaryConfig(val validating: Boolean,
                         val raft: RaftConfig? = null,
                         val bftSMaRt: BFTSMaRtConfiguration? = null,
@@ -128,6 +133,7 @@ data class NodeConfigurationImpl(
         override val notary: NotaryConfig?,
         override val certificateChainCheckPolicies: List<CertChainPolicyConfig>,
         override val devMode: Boolean = false,
+        override val noLocalShell: Boolean = false,
         override val devModeOptions: DevModeOptions? = null,
         override val useTestClock: Boolean = false,
         override val detectPublicIp: Boolean = true,
diff --git a/node/src/test/kotlin/net/corda/node/services/config/NodeConfigurationImplTest.kt b/node/src/test/kotlin/net/corda/node/services/config/NodeConfigurationImplTest.kt
index ab9958f73c..21899cce86 100644
--- a/node/src/test/kotlin/net/corda/node/services/config/NodeConfigurationImplTest.kt
+++ b/node/src/test/kotlin/net/corda/node/services/config/NodeConfigurationImplTest.kt
@@ -29,6 +29,18 @@ class NodeConfigurationImplTest {
         assertFalse { configDebugOptions(true, DevModeOptions(true)).shouldCheckCheckpoints() }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun `check crashShell flags helper`() {
+        assertFalse { testConfiguration.copy(sshd = null).shouldStartSSHDaemon() }
+        assertTrue { testConfiguration.copy(sshd = SSHDConfiguration(1234)).shouldStartSSHDaemon() }
+        assertFalse { testConfiguration.copy(noLocalShell = true).shouldStartLocalShell() }
+        assertFalse { testConfiguration.copy(noLocalShell = false, devMode = false).shouldStartLocalShell() }
+        assertFalse { testConfiguration.copy(noLocalShell = false, devMode = true).shouldStartLocalShell() }
+        assertFalse { testConfiguration.copy(noLocalShell = true).shouldInitCrashShell() }
+        assertFalse { testConfiguration.copy(sshd = null).shouldInitCrashShell() }
+        assertFalse { testConfiguration.copy(noLocalShell = true, sshd = null).shouldInitCrashShell() }
+    }
+
     private fun configDebugOptions(devMode: Boolean, devModeOptions: DevModeOptions?): NodeConfiguration {
         return testConfiguration.copy(devMode = devMode, devModeOptions = devModeOptions)
     }
@@ -63,6 +75,7 @@ class NodeConfigurationImplTest {
                 notary = null,
                 certificateChainCheckPolicies = emptyList(),
                 devMode = true,
+                noLocalShell = false,
                 activeMQServer = ActiveMqServerConfiguration(BridgeConfiguration(0, 0, 0.0)),
                 rpcSettings = rpcSettings
         )