diff --git a/src/chainparams.cpp b/src/chainparams.cpp
index cfb48138c..d9a566646 100644
--- a/src/chainparams.cpp
+++ b/src/chainparams.cpp
@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@ public:
         pchMessageStart[2] = 0x22;
         pchMessageStart[3] = 0x05;
         nDefaultPort = 15714;
-        nMaxTipAge = 24 * 60 * 60;
         nPruneAfterHeight = 100000;
 
         genesis = CreateGenesisBlock(1393221600, 164482, 0x1e0fffff, 1, 0);
@@ -219,7 +218,6 @@ public:
         pchMessageStart[2] = 0xc0;
         pchMessageStart[3] = 0xef;
         nDefaultPort = 25714;
-        nMaxTipAge = 0x7fffffff;
 
         // The best chain should have at least this much work.
         consensus.nMinimumChainWork = uint256S("0x00");
@@ -318,7 +316,6 @@ public:
         pchMessageStart[2] = 0x22;
         pchMessageStart[3] = 0x06;
         nDefaultPort = 25714;
-        nMaxTipAge = 0x7fffffff;
         nPruneAfterHeight = 100000;
 
         genesis = CreateGenesisBlock(1393221600, 216178, 0x1f00ffff, 1, 0);
diff --git a/src/chainparams.h b/src/chainparams.h
index eadea1b76..774593cfa 100644
--- a/src/chainparams.h
+++ b/src/chainparams.h
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ public:
     bool DefaultConsistencyChecks() const { return fDefaultConsistencyChecks; }
     /** Policy: Filter transactions that do not match well-defined patterns */
     bool RequireStandard() const { return fRequireStandard; }
-    int64_t MaxTipAge() const { return nMaxTipAge; }
     uint64_t PruneAfterHeight() const { return nPruneAfterHeight; }
     /** Make miner stop after a block is found. In RPC, don't return until nGenProcLimit blocks are generated */
     bool MineBlocksOnDemand() const { return fMineBlocksOnDemand; }
@@ -84,7 +83,6 @@ protected:
     Consensus::Params consensus;
     CMessageHeader::MessageStartChars pchMessageStart;
     int nDefaultPort;
-    long nMaxTipAge;
     uint64_t nPruneAfterHeight;
     std::vector<CDNSSeedData> vSeeds;
     std::vector<uint8_t> base58Prefixes[MAX_BASE58_TYPES];
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 88e6c1abb..0ffc86e8b 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -429,6 +429,7 @@ std::string HelpMessage(HelpMessageMode mode)
         strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-limitfreerelay=<n>", strprintf("Continuously rate-limit free transactions to <n>*1000 bytes per minute (default: %u)", DEFAULT_LIMITFREERELAY));
         strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-relaypriority", strprintf("Require high priority for relaying free or low-fee transactions (default: %u)", DEFAULT_RELAYPRIORITY));
         strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-maxsigcachesize=<n>", strprintf("Limit size of signature cache to <n> MiB (default: %u)", DEFAULT_MAX_SIG_CACHE_SIZE));
+        strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-maxtipage=<n>", strprintf("Maximum tip age in seconds to consider node in initial block download (default: %u)", DEFAULT_MAX_TIP_AGE));
     }
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-minrelaytxfee=<amt>", strprintf(_("Fees (in %s/kB) smaller than this are considered zero fee for relaying, mining and transaction creation (default: %s)"),
         CURRENCY_UNIT, FormatMoney(DEFAULT_MIN_RELAY_TX_FEE)));
@@ -984,6 +985,8 @@ bool AppInit2(Config& config, boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& sche
         fEnableReplacement = (std::find(vstrReplacementModes.begin(), vstrReplacementModes.end(), "fee") != vstrReplacementModes.end());
     }
 
+    nMaxTipAge = GetArg("-maxtipage", DEFAULT_MAX_TIP_AGE);
+
     // ********************************************************* Step 4: application initialization: dir lock, daemonize, pidfile, debug log
 
     // Initialize elliptic curve code
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index eaba495a3..be52f7766 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ size_t nCoinCacheUsage = 5000 * 300;
 uint64_t nPruneTarget = 0;
 bool fEnableReplacement = DEFAULT_ENABLE_REPLACEMENT;
 
+/* If the tip is older than this (in seconds), the node is considered to be in initial block download.
+ */
+int64_t nMaxTipAge = DEFAULT_MAX_TIP_AGE;
 
 CFeeRate minRelayTxFee = CFeeRate(DEFAULT_MIN_RELAY_TX_FEE);
 CAmount maxTxFee = DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_MAXFEE;
@@ -1760,7 +1763,7 @@ bool IsInitialBlockDownload()
     if (lockIBDState)
         return false;
     bool state = (chainActive.Height() < pindexBestHeader->nHeight - 24 * 6 ||
-            pindexBestHeader->GetBlockTime() < GetTime() - chainParams.MaxTipAge());
+            pindexBestHeader->GetBlockTime() < GetTime() - nMaxTipAge);
     if (!state)
         lockIBDState = true;
     return state;
diff --git a/src/main.h b/src/main.h
index 0596389af..d03744e92 100644
--- a/src/main.h
+++ b/src/main.h
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ static const int64_t BLOCK_DOWNLOAD_TIMEOUT_PER_PEER = 500000;
 
 static const unsigned int DEFAULT_LIMITFREERELAY = 15;
 static const bool DEFAULT_RELAYPRIORITY = true;
+static const int64_t DEFAULT_MAX_TIP_AGE = 24 * 60 * 60;
 
 /** Default for -permitbaremultisig */
 static const bool DEFAULT_PERMIT_BAREMULTISIG = true;
@@ -172,6 +173,7 @@ extern CFeeRate minRelayTxFee;
 extern CAmount maxTxFee;
 extern bool fEnableReplacement;
 extern int64_t nLastCoinStakeSearchInterval;
+extern int64_t nMaxTipAge;
 
 /** Best header we've seen so far (used for getheaders queries' starting points). */
 extern CBlockIndex *pindexBestHeader;