diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index 2d2281d984..a5892245c5 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ func MakeSystemNode(name, version string, relconf release.Config, extra []byte,
 		DataDir:         MustMakeDataDir(ctx),
 		PrivateKey:      MakeNodeKey(ctx),
 		Name:            MakeNodeName(name, version, ctx),
-		NoDiscovery:     ctx.GlobalBool(NoDiscoverFlag.Name),
+		NoDiscovery:     ctx.GlobalBool(NoDiscoverFlag.Name) || ctx.GlobalBool(LightModeFlag.Name),  // light client hack
 		BootstrapNodes:  MakeBootstrapNodes(ctx),
 		ListenAddr:      MakeListenAddress(ctx),
 		NAT:             MakeNAT(ctx),