diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 5b14e77c..defcfbe9 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ type config struct {
 	PeerPort int    `long:"peerport" description:"The port to listen on for incoming p2p connections"`
 	RPCPort  int    `long:"rpcport" description:"The port for the rpc server"`
 	SPVMode  bool   `long:"spv" description:"assert to enter spv wallet mode"`
-	RPCHost  string `long:"btcdhost" description:"The btcd rpc listening address."`
+	RPCHost  string `long:"btcdhost" description:"The btcd rpc listening address. If a port is omitted, then the default port for the selected chain parameters will be used."`
 	RPCUser  string `short:"u" long:"rpcuser" description:"Username for RPC connections"`
 	RPCPass  string `short:"P" long:"rpcpass" default-mask:"-" description:"Password for RPC connections"`
 
diff --git a/lnd.go b/lnd.go
index d40d7329..bf0643cb 100644
--- a/lnd.go
+++ b/lnd.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 
@@ -90,13 +91,16 @@ func lndMain() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	rpcIP, err := net.LookupHost(cfg.RPCHost)
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("unable to resolve rpc host: %v", err)
-		return err
+	// If the specified host for the btcd RPC server already has a port
+	// specified, then we use that directly. Otherwise, we assume the
+	// default port according to the selected chain parameters.
+	var btcdHost string
+	if strings.Contains(cfg.RPCHost, ":") {
+		btcdHost = cfg.RPCHost
+	} else {
+		btcdHost = fmt.Sprintf("%v:%v", cfg.RPCHost, activeNetParams.rpcPort)
 	}
 
-	btcdHost := fmt.Sprintf("%v:%v", cfg.RPCHost, activeNetParams.rpcPort)
 	btcdUser := cfg.RPCUser
 	btcdPass := cfg.RPCPass
 
@@ -120,7 +124,7 @@ func lndMain() error {
 	walletConfig := &btcwallet.Config{
 		PrivatePass: []byte("hello"),
 		DataDir:     filepath.Join(cfg.DataDir, "lnwallet"),
-		RpcHost:     fmt.Sprintf("%v:%v", rpcIP[0], activeNetParams.rpcPort),
+		RpcHost:     btcdHost,
 		RpcUser:     cfg.RPCUser,
 		RpcPass:     cfg.RPCPass,
 		CACert:      rpcCert,
diff --git a/networktest.go b/networktest.go
index f346b979..ea86da65 100644
--- a/networktest.go
+++ b/networktest.go
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func newLightningNode(rpcConfig *btcrpcclient.ConnConfig, lndArgs []string) (*li
 	var err error
 
 	cfg := &config{
-		RPCHost: "127.0.0.1",
+		RPCHost: rpcConfig.Host,
 		RPCUser: rpcConfig.User,
 		RPCPass: rpcConfig.Pass,
 	}