diff --git a/src/bitcoind.cpp b/src/bitcoind.cpp
--- a/src/bitcoind.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoind.cpp
@@ -135,27 +135,18 @@
             }
         }
 
+        // Make sure we setup and lock data dir after daemonization
+        ParameterSetup();
+        if (!AppInitBase(config, rpcServer)) {
+            // InitError will have been called with detailed error, which ends
+            // up on console
+            exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        }
+
         // -server defaults to true for bitcoind but not for the GUI so do this
         // here
         gArgs.SoftSetBoolArg("-server", true);
         // Set this early so that parameter interactions go to console
-        InitLogging();
-        InitParameterInteraction();
-        if (!AppInitBasicSetup()) {
-            // InitError will have been called with detailed error, which ends
-            // up on console
-            exit(1);
-        }
-        if (!AppInitParameterInteraction(config, rpcServer)) {
-            // InitError will have been called with detailed error, which ends
-            // up on console
-            exit(1);
-        }
-        if (!AppInitSanityChecks()) {
-            // InitError will have been called with detailed error, which ends
-            // up on console
-            exit(1);
-        }
         if (gArgs.GetBoolArg("-daemon", false)) {
 #if HAVE_DECL_DAEMON
             fprintf(stdout, "Bitcoin server starting\n");
@@ -177,7 +168,6 @@
 
         // Lock data directory after daemonization
         if (!AppInitLockDataDirectory()) {
-            // If locking the data directory failed, exit immediately
             exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
         }
         fRet = AppInitMain(config, httpRPCRequestProcessor, threadGroup,
diff --git a/src/init.h b/src/init.h
--- a/src/init.h
+++ b/src/init.h
@@ -60,6 +60,18 @@
  * AppInitSanityChecks should have been called.
  */
 bool AppInitLockDataDirectory();
+
+/**
+ * Setup logging and parameter interactions
+ */
+void ParameterSetup();
+
+/**
+ * Init Base: Basic Setup init parameter interaction, sanity checks, and lock
+ * the data dir.
+ */
+bool AppInitBase(Config &config, RPCServer &rpcServer);
+
 /**
  * Bitcoin main initialization.
  * @note This should only be done after daemonization.
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1252,6 +1252,11 @@
     return strprintf(_("Cannot resolve -%s address: '%s'"), optname, strBind);
 }
 
+void ParameterSetup() {
+    InitLogging();
+    InitParameterInteraction();
+}
+
 void InitLogging() {
     BCLog::Logger &logger = GetLogger();
     logger.m_print_to_console = gArgs.GetBoolArg("-printtoconsole", false);
@@ -1745,6 +1750,22 @@
     return true;
 }
 
+bool AppInitBase(Config &config, RPCServer &rpcServer) {
+    if (!AppInitBasicSetup()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (!AppInitParameterInteraction(config, rpcServer)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (!AppInitSanityChecks()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (!AppInitLockDataDirectory()) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
 bool AppInitMain(Config &config,
                  HTTPRPCRequestProcessor &httpRPCRequestProcessor,
                  boost::thread_group &threadGroup, CScheduler &scheduler) {
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -169,12 +169,6 @@
 public:
     explicit BitcoinABC();
 
-    /**
-     * Basic initialization, before starting initialization/shutdown thread.
-     * Return true on success.
-     */
-    static bool baseInitialize(Config &config, RPCServer &rpcServer);
-
 public Q_SLOTS:
     void initialize(Config *config,
                     HTTPRPCRequestProcessor *httpRPCRequestProcessor);
@@ -204,8 +198,6 @@
     /// Create payment server
     void createPaymentServer();
 #endif
-    /// parameter interaction/setup based on rules
-    void parameterSetup();
     /// Create options model
     void createOptionsModel(bool resetSettings);
     /// Create main window
@@ -267,22 +259,6 @@
     Q_EMIT runawayException(QString::fromStdString(GetWarnings("gui")));
 }
 
-bool BitcoinABC::baseInitialize(Config &config, RPCServer &rpcServer) {
-    if (!AppInitBasicSetup()) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if (!AppInitParameterInteraction(config, rpcServer)) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if (!AppInitSanityChecks()) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if (!AppInitLockDataDirectory()) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    return true;
-}
-
 void BitcoinABC::initialize(Config *cfg,
                             HTTPRPCRequestProcessor *httpRPCRequestProcessor) {
     Config &config(*cfg);
@@ -423,11 +399,6 @@
     coreThread->start();
 }
 
-void BitcoinApplication::parameterSetup() {
-    InitLogging();
-    InitParameterInteraction();
-}
-
 void BitcoinApplication::requestInitialize(
     Config &config, HTTPRPCRequestProcessor &httpRPCRequestProcessor,
     RPCServer &rpcServer) {
@@ -751,7 +722,7 @@
     // Install qDebug() message handler to route to debug.log
     qInstallMessageHandler(DebugMessageHandler);
     // Allow parameter interaction before we create the options model
-    app.parameterSetup();
+    ParameterSetup();
     // Load GUI settings from QSettings
     app.createOptionsModel(gArgs.IsArgSet("-resetguisettings"));
 
@@ -775,7 +746,7 @@
         // initialization/shutdown thread. This is acceptable because this
         // function only contains steps that are quick to execute, so the GUI
         // thread won't be held up.
-        if (BitcoinABC::baseInitialize(config, rpcServer)) {
+        if (AppInitBase(config, rpcServer)) {
             app.requestInitialize(config, httpRPCRequestProcessor, rpcServer);
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN)
             WinShutdownMonitor::registerShutdownBlockReason(