diff --git a/test/functional/rpcbind_test.py b/test/functional/rpcbind_test.py
--- a/test/functional/rpcbind_test.py
+++ b/test/functional/rpcbind_test.py
@@ -32,7 +32,13 @@
         if allow_ips:
             base_args += ['-rpcallowip=' + x for x in allow_ips]
         binds = ['-rpcbind=' + addr for addr in addresses]
-        self.nodes[0].rpchost = connect_to
+        parts = connect_to.split(':')
+        if len(parts) == 2:
+            self.nodes[0].host = parts[0]
+            self.nodes[0].rpc_port = parts[1]
+        else:
+            self.nodes[0].host = connect_to
+            self.nodes[0].rpc_port = rpc_port(self.nodes[0].index)
         self.start_node(0, base_args + binds)
         pid = self.nodes[0].process.pid
         assert_equal(set(get_bind_addrs(pid)), set(expected))
@@ -46,11 +52,12 @@
         self.log.info("Allow IP test for %s:%d" % (rpchost, rpcport))
         base_args = ['-disablewallet', '-nolisten'] + \
             ['-rpcallowip=' + x for x in allow_ips]
-        self.nodes[0].rpchost = None
+        self.nodes[0].host = None
         self.start_nodes([base_args])
         # connect to node through non-loopback interface
-        node = get_rpc_proxy(rpc_url(get_datadir_path(self.options.tmpdir, 0), 0, "%s:%d" % (
-            rpchost, rpcport)), 0, coveragedir=self.options.coveragedir)
+        url = rpc_url(get_datadir_path(self.options.tmpdir, 0),
+                      rpchost, rpcport)
+        node = get_rpc_proxy(url, 0, coveragedir=self.options.coveragedir)
         node.getnetworkinfo()
         self.stop_nodes()
 
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_framework.py
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@
                         "-keypool=1", "-datadir=" + datadir, "-discover=0"]
                 if i > 0:
                     args.append("-connect=127.0.0.1:" + str(p2p_port(0)))
-                self.nodes.append(TestNode(i, self.options.cachedir, extra_args=[], rpchost=None, rpc_port=rpc_port(i), p2p_port=p2p_port(i),
+                self.nodes.append(TestNode(i, self.options.cachedir, extra_args=[], host=None, rpc_port=rpc_port(i), p2p_port=p2p_port(i),
                                            timewait=None, binary=None, stderr=None, mocktime=self.mocktime, coverage_dir=None))
                 self.nodes[i].args = args
                 self.start_node(i)
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/test_node.py
@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@
     To make things easier for the test writer, a bit of magic is happening under the covers.
     Any unrecognised messages will be dispatched to the RPC connection."""
 
-    def __init__(self, i, dirname, extra_args, rpchost, rpc_port, p2p_port, timewait, binary, stderr, mocktime, coverage_dir):
+    def __init__(self, i, dirname, extra_args, host, rpc_port, p2p_port, timewait, binary, stderr, mocktime, coverage_dir):
         self.index = i
         self.datadir = os.path.join(dirname, "node" + str(i))
-        self.rpchost = rpchost
+        self.host = host
         self.rpc_port = rpc_port
         self.p2p_port = p2p_port
         self.name = "testnode-{}".format(i)
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
             assert self.process.poll(
             ) is None, "bitcoind exited with status %i during initialization" % self.process.returncode
             try:
-                self.rpc = get_rpc_proxy(rpc_url(self.datadir, self.index, self.rpchost),
+                self.rpc = get_rpc_proxy(rpc_url(self.datadir, self.host, self.rpc_port),
                                          self.index, timeout=self.rpc_timeout, coveragedir=self.coverage_dir)
                 self.rpc.getblockcount()
                 # If the call to getblockcount() succeeds then the RPC connection is up
diff --git a/test/functional/test_framework/util.py b/test/functional/test_framework/util.py
--- a/test/functional/test_framework/util.py
+++ b/test/functional/test_framework/util.py
@@ -310,16 +310,10 @@
     return PORT_MIN + PORT_RANGE + n + (MAX_NODES * PortSeed.n) % (PORT_RANGE - 1 - MAX_NODES)
 
 
-def rpc_url(datadir, i, rpchost=None):
+def rpc_url(datadir, host, port):
     rpc_u, rpc_p = get_auth_cookie(datadir)
-    host = '127.0.0.1'
-    port = rpc_port(i)
-    if rpchost:
-        parts = rpchost.split(':')
-        if len(parts) == 2:
-            host, port = parts
-        else:
-            host = rpchost
+    if host == None:
+        host = '127.0.0.1'
     return "http://%s:%s@%s:%d" % (rpc_u, rpc_p, host, int(port))
 
 # Node functions
@@ -393,7 +387,10 @@
 
 
 def connect_nodes(from_node, to_node):
-    ip_port = "127.0.0.1:" + str(to_node.p2p_port)
+    host = to_node.host
+    if host == None:
+        host = '127.0.0.1'
+    ip_port = host + ':' + str(to_node.p2p_port)
     from_node.addnode(ip_port, "onetry")
     # poll until version handshake complete to avoid race conditions
     # with transaction relaying