diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1944,8 +1944,9 @@
     // need to reindex later.
 
     assert(!g_banman);
-    g_banman = std::make_unique<BanMan>(GetDataDir() / "banlist.dat",
-                                        config.GetChainParams(), &uiInterface);
+    g_banman = std::make_unique<BanMan>(
+        GetDataDir() / "banlist.dat", config.GetChainParams(), &uiInterface,
+        gArgs.GetArg("-bantime", DEFAULT_MISBEHAVING_BANTIME));
     assert(!g_connman);
     g_connman = std::make_unique<CConnman>(
         config, GetRand(std::numeric_limits<uint64_t>::max()),
diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@
     // new code.
     ~BanMan();
     BanMan(fs::path ban_file, const CChainParams &chainParams,
-           CClientUIInterface *client_interface);
+           CClientUIInterface *client_interface, int64_t default_ban_time);
     void Ban(const CNetAddr &netAddr, const BanReason &reason,
              int64_t bantimeoffset = 0, bool sinceUnixEpoch = false);
     void Ban(const CSubNet &subNet, const BanReason &reason,
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@
     bool setBannedIsDirty;
     CClientUIInterface *clientInterface = nullptr;
     CBanDB m_ban_db;
+    int64_t m_default_ban_time;
 };
 
 class NetEventsInterface;
diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@
     CBanEntry banEntry(GetTime());
     banEntry.banReason = banReason;
     if (bantimeoffset <= 0) {
-        bantimeoffset = gArgs.GetArg("-bantime", DEFAULT_MISBEHAVING_BANTIME);
+        bantimeoffset = m_default_ban_time;
         sinceUnixEpoch = false;
     }
     banEntry.nBanUntil = (sinceUnixEpoch ? 0 : GetTime()) + bantimeoffset;
@@ -2519,9 +2519,10 @@
 }
 
 BanMan::BanMan(fs::path ban_file, const CChainParams &chainParams,
-               CClientUIInterface *client_interface)
+               CClientUIInterface *client_interface, int64_t default_ban_time)
     : clientInterface(client_interface),
-      m_ban_db(std::move(ban_file), chainParams) {
+      m_ban_db(std::move(ban_file), chainParams),
+      m_default_ban_time(default_ban_time) {
     if (clientInterface) {
         clientInterface->InitMessage(_("Loading banlist..."));
     }
diff --git a/src/test/denialofservice_tests.cpp b/src/test/denialofservice_tests.cpp
--- a/src/test/denialofservice_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/denialofservice_tests.cpp
@@ -230,7 +230,8 @@
     std::atomic<bool> interruptDummy(false);
 
     auto banman = std::make_unique<BanMan>(GetDataDir() / "banlist.dat",
-                                           config.GetChainParams(), nullptr);
+                                           config.GetChainParams(), nullptr,
+                                           DEFAULT_MISBEHAVING_BANTIME);
     auto connman = std::make_unique<CConnman>(config, 0x1337, 0x1337);
     auto peerLogic = std::make_unique<PeerLogicValidation>(
         connman.get(), banman.get(), scheduler, false);
@@ -295,7 +296,8 @@
     std::atomic<bool> interruptDummy(false);
 
     auto banman = std::make_unique<BanMan>(GetDataDir() / "banlist.dat",
-                                           config.GetChainParams(), nullptr);
+                                           config.GetChainParams(), nullptr,
+                                           DEFAULT_MISBEHAVING_BANTIME);
     auto connman = std::make_unique<CConnman>(config, 0x1337, 0x1337);
     auto peerLogic = std::make_unique<PeerLogicValidation>(
         connman.get(), banman.get(), scheduler, false);
@@ -348,7 +350,8 @@
     std::atomic<bool> interruptDummy(false);
 
     auto banman = std::make_unique<BanMan>(GetDataDir() / "banlist.dat",
-                                           config.GetChainParams(), nullptr);
+                                           config.GetChainParams(), nullptr,
+                                           DEFAULT_MISBEHAVING_BANTIME);
     auto connman = std::make_unique<CConnman>(config, 0x1337, 0x1337);
     auto peerLogic = std::make_unique<PeerLogicValidation>(
         connman.get(), banman.get(), scheduler, false);
diff --git a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
--- a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
@@ -117,8 +117,9 @@
         threadGroup.create_thread(&ThreadScriptCheck);
     }
 
-    g_banman = std::make_unique<BanMan>(GetDataDir() / "banlist.dat",
-                                        chainparams, nullptr);
+    g_banman =
+        std::make_unique<BanMan>(GetDataDir() / "banlist.dat", chainparams,
+                                 nullptr, DEFAULT_MISBEHAVING_BANTIME);
     // Deterministic randomness for tests.
     g_connman = std::make_unique<CConnman>(config, 0x1337, 0x1337);
 }