diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -2277,7 +2277,14 @@
     if (gArgs.IsArgSet("-seednode")) {
         connOptions.vSeedNodes = gArgs.GetArgs("-seednode");
     }
-
+    // Initiate outbound connections unless connect=0
+    connOptions.m_use_addrman_outgoing = !gArgs.IsArgSet("-connect");
+    if (!connOptions.m_use_addrman_outgoing) {
+        const auto connect = gArgs.GetArgs("-connect");
+        if (connect.size() != 1 || connect[0] != "0") {
+            connOptions.m_specified_outgoing = connect;
+        }
+    }
     if (!connman.Start(scheduler, connOptions)) {
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@
         std::vector<std::string> vSeedNodes;
         std::vector<CSubNet> vWhitelistedRange;
         std::vector<CService> vBinds, vWhiteBinds;
+        bool m_use_addrman_outgoing = true;
+        std::vector<std::string> m_specified_outgoing;
     };
 
     void Init(const Options &connOptions) {
@@ -307,7 +309,7 @@
     void ThreadOpenAddedConnections();
     void AddOneShot(const std::string &strDest);
     void ProcessOneShot();
-    void ThreadOpenConnections();
+    void ThreadOpenConnections(std::vector<std::string> connect);
     void ThreadMessageHandler();
     void AcceptConnection(const ListenSocket &hListenSocket);
     void ThreadSocketHandler();
diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -1765,12 +1765,12 @@
     }
 }
 
-void CConnman::ThreadOpenConnections() {
+void CConnman::ThreadOpenConnections(const std::vector<std::string> connect) {
     // Connect to specific addresses
-    if (gArgs.IsArgSet("-connect")) {
+    if (!connect.empty()) {
         for (int64_t nLoop = 0;; nLoop++) {
             ProcessOneShot();
-            for (const std::string &strAddr : gArgs.GetArgs("-connect")) {
+            for (const std::string &strAddr : connect) {
                 CAddress addr(CService(), NODE_NONE);
                 OpenNetworkConnection(addr, false, nullptr, strAddr.c_str(),
                                       false, false, true);
@@ -2502,13 +2502,23 @@
                     std::function<void()>(std::bind(
                         &CConnman::ThreadOpenAddedConnections, this)));
 
-    // Initiate outbound connections unless connect=0
-    if (!gArgs.IsArgSet("-connect") || gArgs.GetArgs("-connect").size() != 1 ||
-        gArgs.GetArgs("-connect")[0] != "0") {
+    if (connOptions.m_use_addrman_outgoing &&
+        !connOptions.m_specified_outgoing.empty()) {
+        if (clientInterface) {
+            clientInterface->ThreadSafeMessageBox(
+                _("Cannot provide specific connections and have addrman find "
+                  "outgoing connections at the same."),
+                "", CClientUIInterface::MSG_ERROR);
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (connOptions.m_use_addrman_outgoing ||
+        !connOptions.m_specified_outgoing.empty()) {
         threadOpenConnections =
             std::thread(&TraceThread<std::function<void()>>, "opencon",
                         std::function<void()>(
-                            std::bind(&CConnman::ThreadOpenConnections, this)));
+                            std::bind(&CConnman::ThreadOpenConnections, this,
+                                      connOptions.m_specified_outgoing)));
     }
 
     // Process messages