diff --git a/nucypher/cli/commands/alice.py b/nucypher/cli/commands/alice.py
index 83e3ee055..d6d16623c 100644
--- a/nucypher/cli/commands/alice.py
+++ b/nucypher/cli/commands/alice.py
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ class AliceConfigOptions:
                  middleware: RestMiddleware,
                  gas_strategy: str,
                  signer_uri: str,
-                 lonely: bool,
                  ):
 
         if federated_only and geth:
@@ -117,7 +116,6 @@ class AliceConfigOptions:
         self.discovery_port = discovery_port
         self.registry_filepath = registry_filepath
         self.middleware = middleware
-        self.lonely = lonely
 
     def create_config(self, emitter, config_file):
 
diff --git a/nucypher/cli/commands/bob.py b/nucypher/cli/commands/bob.py
index 09c70584b..24a714bd5 100644
--- a/nucypher/cli/commands/bob.py
+++ b/nucypher/cli/commands/bob.py
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ class BobConfigOptions:
                  federated_only: bool,
                  gas_strategy: str,
                  signer_uri: str,
-                 lonely: bool,
                  ):
 
         self.provider_uri = provider_uri
@@ -86,7 +85,6 @@ 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:
@@ -182,8 +180,7 @@ class BobCharacterOptions:
                                   emitter=emitter,
                                   unlock_keyring=not self.config_options.dev,
                                   teacher_uri=self.teacher_uri,
-                                  min_stake=self.min_stake,
-                                  lonely=self.config_options.lonely)
+                                  min_stake=self.min_stake)
 
 
 group_character_options = group_options(
diff --git a/nucypher/config/node.py b/nucypher/config/node.py
index 56c81704e..744b033bd 100644
--- a/nucypher/config/node.py
+++ b/nucypher/config/node.py
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ class CharacterConfiguration(BaseConfiguration):
                  domains: Set[str] = None,  # TODO: Mapping between learning domains and "registry" domains - #1580
                  interface_signature: Signature = None,
                  network_middleware: RestMiddleware = None,
+                 lonely: bool = False,
 
                  # Node Storage
                  known_nodes: set = None,
@@ -152,6 +153,7 @@ class CharacterConfiguration(BaseConfiguration):
         self.save_metadata = save_metadata
         self.reload_metadata = reload_metadata
         self.known_nodes = known_nodes or set()  # handpicked
+        self.lonely = lonely
 
         # Configuration
         self.__dev_mode = dev_mode
@@ -400,6 +402,7 @@ class CharacterConfiguration(BaseConfiguration):
             start_learning_now=self.start_learning_now,
             save_metadata=self.save_metadata,
             node_storage=self.node_storage.payload(),
+            lonely=self.lonely,
         )
 
         # Optional values (mode)