diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/core/node/AbstractNode.kt b/src/main/kotlin/core/node/AbstractNode.kt
index 816ae493b5..e9d7c1e767 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/core/node/AbstractNode.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/core/node/AbstractNode.kt
@@ -91,8 +91,6 @@ abstract class AbstractNode(val dir: Path, val configuration: NodeConfiguration,
     lateinit var api: APIServer
 
     open fun start(): AbstractNode {
-        require(timestamperAddress == null || timestamperAddress.advertisedServices.contains(TimestamperService.Type))
-                {"Timestamper address must indicate a node that provides timestamping services"}
         log.info("Node starting up ...")
 
         storage = initialiseStorageService(dir)
@@ -117,6 +115,10 @@ abstract class AbstractNode(val dir: Path, val configuration: NodeConfiguration,
         // given the details, the timestamping node is somewhere else. Otherwise, we do our own timestamping.
         val tsid = if (timestamperAddress != null) {
             inNodeTimestampingService = null
+            require(TimestamperService.Type in timestamperAddress.advertisedServices) {
+                "Timestamper address must indicate a node that provides timestamping services, actually " +
+                        "has ${timestamperAddress.advertisedServices}"
+            }
             timestamperAddress
         } else {
             inNodeTimestampingService = NodeTimestamperService(net, storage.myLegalIdentity, storage.myLegalIdentityKey, platformClock)
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/demos/TraderDemo.kt b/src/main/kotlin/demos/TraderDemo.kt
index 7e06d7e871..4ba5c54a88 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/demos/TraderDemo.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/demos/TraderDemo.kt
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ import core.messaging.SingleMessageRecipient
 import core.node.Node
 import core.node.NodeConfiguration
 import core.node.NodeConfigurationFromConfig
-import core.node.services.ArtemisMessagingService
 import core.node.NodeInfo
+import core.node.services.ArtemisMessagingService
 import core.node.services.NodeAttachmentService
 import core.node.services.NodeWalletService
+import core.node.services.TimestamperService
 import core.protocols.ProtocolLogic
 import core.serialization.deserialize
 import core.utilities.ANSIProgressRenderer
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ fun main(args: Array<String>) {
         val addr = HostAndPort.fromString(options.valueOf(timestamperNetAddr)).withDefaultPort(Node.DEFAULT_PORT)
         val path = Paths.get(options.valueOf(timestamperIdentityFile))
         val party = Files.readAllBytes(path).deserialize<Party>(includeClassName = true)
-        NodeInfo(ArtemisMessagingService.makeRecipient(addr), party)
+        NodeInfo(ArtemisMessagingService.makeRecipient(addr), party, advertisedServices = setOf(TimestamperService.Type))
     } else null
 
     val node = logElapsedTime("Node startup") { Node(dir, myNetAddr, config, timestamperId).start() }