diff --git a/test/functional/interface_rest.py b/test/functional/interface_rest.py
--- a/test/functional/interface_rest.py
+++ b/test/functional/interface_rest.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
     def set_test_params(self):
         self.setup_clean_chain = True
         self.num_nodes = 3
+        self.extra_args = [["-rest"]] * self.num_nodes
 
     def setup_network(self, split=False):
         super().setup_network()
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
@@ -399,9 +399,7 @@
                 self.nodes.append(TestNode(i, get_datadir_path(self.options.cachedir, i), extra_conf=["bind=127.0.0.1"], extra_args=[], host=None, rpc_port=rpc_port(
                     i), p2p_port=p2p_port(i), timewait=None, bitcoind=self.options.bitcoind, bitcoin_cli=self.options.bitcoincli, mocktime=self.mocktime, coverage_dir=None))
                 self.nodes[i].clear_default_args()
-                self.nodes[i].extend_default_args([
-                    "-server", "-keypool=1", "-datadir=" + datadir,
-                    "-discover=0"])
+                self.nodes[i].extend_default_args(["-datadir=" + datadir])
                 if i > 0:
                     self.nodes[i].extend_default_args(
                         ["-connect=127.0.0.1:" + str(p2p_port(0))])
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
@@ -75,10 +75,12 @@
         # Most callers will just need to add extra args to the default list
         # below.
         # For those callers that need more flexibity, they can access the
-        # default args using the provided facilities
+        # default args using the provided facilities.
+        # Note that common args are set in the config file (see
+        # initialize_datadir)
         self.extra_args = extra_args
-        self.default_args = ["-datadir=" + self.datadir, "-server", "-keypool=1", "-discover=0", "-rest", "-logtimemicros",
-                             "-debug", "-debugexclude=libevent", "-debugexclude=leveldb", "-mocktime=" + str(mocktime), "-uacomment=" + self.name]
+        self.default_args = ["-datadir=" + self.datadir, "-logtimemicros", "-debug", "-debugexclude=libevent",
+                             "-debugexclude=leveldb", "-mocktime=" + str(mocktime), "-uacomment=" + self.name]
 
         if not os.path.isfile(bitcoin_cli):
             raise FileNotFoundError(
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
@@ -331,6 +331,9 @@
         f.write("[regtest]\n")
         f.write("port=" + str(p2p_port(n)) + "\n")
         f.write("rpcport=" + str(rpc_port(n)) + "\n")
+        f.write("server=1\n")
+        f.write("keypool=1\n")
+        f.write("discover=0\n")
         f.write("listenonion=0\n")
         f.write("usecashaddr=1\n")
         os.makedirs(os.path.join(datadir, 'stderr'), exist_ok=True)