diff --git a/nucypher/cli/commands/alice.py b/nucypher/cli/commands/alice.py
index 5ca4dff20..83e3ee055 100644
--- a/nucypher/cli/commands/alice.py
+++ b/nucypher/cli/commands/alice.py
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ from nucypher.cli.options import (
     option_provider_uri,
     option_registry_filepath,
     option_signer_uri,
-    option_teacher_uri, option_lonely
+    option_teacher_uri,
+    option_lonely
 )
 from nucypher.cli.painting.help import paint_new_installation_help
 from nucypher.cli.processes import get_geth_provider_process
diff --git a/nucypher/cli/commands/bob.py b/nucypher/cli/commands/bob.py
index c67b1dd2a..09c70584b 100644
--- a/nucypher/cli/commands/bob.py
+++ b/nucypher/cli/commands/bob.py
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ from nucypher.cli.options import (
     option_provider_uri,
     option_registry_filepath,
     option_signer_uri,
-    option_teacher_uri
+    option_teacher_uri,
+    option_lonely
 )
 from nucypher.cli.painting.help import paint_new_installation_help
 from nucypher.cli.utils import make_cli_character, setup_emitter
@@ -71,7 +72,9 @@ class BobConfigOptions:
                  middleware: RestMiddleware,
                  federated_only: bool,
                  gas_strategy: str,
-                 signer_uri: str):
+                 signer_uri: str,
+                 lonely: bool,
+                 ):
 
         self.provider_uri = provider_uri
         self.signer_uri = signer_uri
@@ -83,6 +86,7 @@ class BobConfigOptions:
         self.dev = dev
         self.middleware = middleware
         self.federated_only = federated_only
+        self.lonely = lonely
 
     def create_config(self, emitter: StdoutEmitter, config_file: str) -> BobConfiguration:
         if self.dev:
@@ -158,7 +162,8 @@ group_config_options = group_options(
     discovery_port=option_discovery_port(),
     dev=option_dev,
     middleware=option_middleware,
-    federated_only=option_federated_only
+    federated_only=option_federated_only,
+    lonely=option_lonely,
 )
 
 
@@ -177,7 +182,8 @@ class BobCharacterOptions:
                                   emitter=emitter,
                                   unlock_keyring=not self.config_options.dev,
                                   teacher_uri=self.teacher_uri,
-                                  min_stake=self.min_stake)
+                                  min_stake=self.min_stake,
+                                  lonely=self.config_options.lonely)
 
 
 group_character_options = group_options(
diff --git a/nucypher/cli/commands/ursula.py b/nucypher/cli/commands/ursula.py
index 714d7a97c..1e1f7b6c7 100644
--- a/nucypher/cli/commands/ursula.py
+++ b/nucypher/cli/commands/ursula.py
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ from nucypher.cli.options import (
     option_provider_uri,
     option_registry_filepath,
     option_signer_uri,
-    option_teacher_uri
+    option_teacher_uri,
+    option_lonely
 )
 from nucypher.cli.painting.help import paint_new_installation_help
 from nucypher.cli.painting.transactions import paint_receipt_summary
@@ -94,7 +95,9 @@ class UrsulaConfigOptions:
                  light,
                  gas_strategy,
                  signer_uri,
-                 availability_check):
+                 availability_check,
+                 lonely: bool
+                 ):
 
         if federated_only:
             if geth:
@@ -125,6 +128,7 @@ class UrsulaConfigOptions:
         self.light = light
         self.gas_strategy = gas_strategy
         self.availability_check = availability_check
+        self.lonely = lonely
 
     def create_config(self, emitter, config_file):
         if self.dev:
@@ -246,7 +250,8 @@ group_config_options = group_options(
     poa=option_poa,
     light=option_light,
     dev=option_dev,
-    availability_check=click.option('--availability-check/--disable-availability-check', help="Enable or disable self-health checks while running", is_flag=True, default=None)
+    availability_check=click.option('--availability-check/--disable-availability-check', help="Enable or disable self-health checks while running", is_flag=True, default=None),
+    lonely=option_lonely,
 )
 
 
@@ -254,9 +259,8 @@ class UrsulaCharacterOptions:
 
     __option_name__ = 'character_options'
 
-    def __init__(self, config_options: UrsulaConfigOptions, lonely, teacher_uri, min_stake):
+    def __init__(self, config_options: UrsulaConfigOptions, teacher_uri, min_stake):
         self.config_options = config_options
-        self.lonely = lonely
         self.teacher_uri = teacher_uri
         self.min_stake = min_stake
 
@@ -279,9 +283,9 @@ class UrsulaCharacterOptions:
                                         min_stake=self.min_stake,
                                         teacher_uri=self.teacher_uri,
                                         unlock_keyring=not self.config_options.dev,
-                                        lonely=self.lonely,
+                                        lonely=self.config_options.lonely,
                                         client_password=client_password,
-                                        load_preferred_teachers=load_seednodes and not self.lonely,
+                                        # load_preferred_teachers=load_seednodes and not self.lonely,
                                         start_learning_now=load_seednodes)
             return ursula_config, URSULA
 
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/cli/test_bob.py b/tests/acceptance/cli/test_bob.py
index 71ecf2fc9..f1b99edf7 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/cli/test_bob.py
+++ b/tests/acceptance/cli/test_bob.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def test_initialize_bob_with_custom_configuration_root(custom_filepath, click_ru
 
 def test_bob_control_starts_with_preexisting_configuration(click_runner, custom_filepath):
     custom_config_filepath = os.path.join(custom_filepath, BobConfiguration.generate_filename())
-    init_args = ('bob', 'run', '--dry-run', '--config-file', custom_config_filepath)
+    init_args = ('bob', 'run', '--dry-run', '--lonely', '--config-file', custom_config_filepath)
     result = click_runner.invoke(nucypher_cli, init_args, input=FAKE_PASSWORD_CONFIRMED)
     assert result.exit_code == 0, result.exception
     assert "Bob Verifying Key" in result.output
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ def test_bob_view_with_preexisting_configuration(click_runner, custom_filepath):
 
 
 def test_bob_public_keys(click_runner):
-    derive_key_args = ('bob', 'public-keys', '--dev')
+    derive_key_args = ('bob', 'public-keys', '--lonely', '--dev')
     result = click_runner.invoke(nucypher_cli, derive_key_args, catch_exceptions=False)
     assert result.exit_code == 0
     assert "bob_encrypting_key" in result.output