diff --git a/src/test/util_tests.cpp b/src/test/util_tests.cpp
--- a/src/test/util_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/util_tests.cpp
@@ -628,7 +628,8 @@
     const char *argv_both[] = {"cmd", "-testnet", "-regtest"};
 
     // equivalent to "-testnet"
-    const char *testnetconf = "testnet=1\nregtest=0\n";
+    // regtest in testnet section is ignored
+    const char *testnetconf = "testnet=1\nregtest=0\n[test]\nregtest=1";
 
     test_args.ParseParameters(0, (char **)argv_testnet);
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(test_args.GetChainName(), "main");
@@ -664,6 +665,30 @@
     test_args.ParseParameters(3, (char **)argv_both);
     test_args.ReadConfigString(testnetconf);
     BOOST_CHECK_THROW(test_args.GetChainName(), std::runtime_error);
+
+    // check setting the network to test (and thus making
+    // [test] regtest=1 potentially relevent) doesn't break things
+    test_args.SelectConfigNetwork("test");
+
+    test_args.ParseParameters(0, (char **)argv_testnet);
+    test_args.ReadConfigString(testnetconf);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(test_args.GetChainName(), "test");
+
+    test_args.ParseParameters(2, (char **)argv_testnet);
+    test_args.ReadConfigString(testnetconf);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(test_args.GetChainName(), "test");
+
+    test_args.ParseParameters(2, (char **)argv_regtest);
+    test_args.ReadConfigString(testnetconf);
+    BOOST_CHECK_THROW(test_args.GetChainName(), std::runtime_error);
+
+    test_args.ParseParameters(2, (char **)argv_test_no_reg);
+    test_args.ReadConfigString(testnetconf);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(test_args.GetChainName(), "test");
+
+    test_args.ParseParameters(3, (char **)argv_both);
+    test_args.ReadConfigString(testnetconf);
+    BOOST_CHECK_THROW(test_args.GetChainName(), std::runtime_error);
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(util_FormatMoney) {
diff --git a/src/util.cpp b/src/util.cpp
--- a/src/util.cpp
+++ b/src/util.cpp
@@ -255,6 +255,24 @@
 
         return found_result;
     }
+
+    /* Special test for -testnet and -regtest args, because we don't want to be
+     * confused by craziness like "[regtest] testnet=1"
+     */
+    static inline bool GetNetBoolArg(const ArgsManager &am,
+                                     const std::string &net_arg) {
+        std::pair<bool, std::string> found_result(false, std::string());
+        found_result = GetArgHelper(am.m_override_args, net_arg, true);
+        if (!found_result.first) {
+            found_result = GetArgHelper(am.m_config_args, net_arg, true);
+            if (!found_result.first) {
+                // not set
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        // is set, so evaluate
+        return InterpretBool(found_result.second);
+    }
 };
 
 /**
@@ -695,8 +713,8 @@
 }
 
 std::string ArgsManager::GetChainName() const {
-    bool fRegTest = GetBoolArg("-regtest", false);
-    bool fTestNet = GetBoolArg("-testnet", false);
+    bool fRegTest = ArgsManagerHelper::GetNetBoolArg(*this, "-regtest");
+    bool fTestNet = ArgsManagerHelper::GetNetBoolArg(*this, "-testnet");
 
     if (fTestNet && fRegTest) {
         throw std::runtime_error(