diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/cryptoconditions.py b/qa/rpc-tests/cryptoconditions.py
index 9367055d7..849d7daea 100755
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/cryptoconditions.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/cryptoconditions.py
@@ -26,10 +26,11 @@ class CryptoConditionsTest (BitcoinTestFramework):
         self.privkey = "UqMgxk7ySPNQ4r9nKAFPjkXy6r5t898yhuNCjSZJLg3RAM4WW1m9"
         self.nodes   = start_nodes(self.num_nodes, self.options.tmpdir,
                     extra_args=[[
+                    # always give -ac_name as first extra_arg
+                    '-ac_name=REGTEST',
                     '-conf='+self.options.tmpdir+'/node0/REGTEST.conf',
                     '-port=64367',
                     '-rpcport=64368',
-                    '-ac_name=REGTEST',
                     '-regtest',
                     '-addressindex=1',
                     '-spentindex=1',
diff --git a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
index 856ae5a05..5cb0d1b10 100644
--- a/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
+++ b/qa/rpc-tests/test_framework/util.py
@@ -223,9 +223,10 @@ def start_node(i, dirname, extra_args=None, rpchost=None, timewait=None, binary=
     if os.getenv("PYTHON_DEBUG", ""):
         print "start_node: calling komodo-cli -rpcwait getblockcount returned"
     devnull.close()
-    #url = "http://rt:rt@%s:%d" % (rpchost or '127.0.0.1', rpc_port(i))
-    #TODO: this breaks non CC tests
-    url = "http://rt:rt@%s:%d" % (rpchost or '127.0.0.1', 64368)
+    if extra_args[0] == '-ac_name=REGTEST':
+        url = "http://rt:rt@%s:%d" % (rpchost or '127.0.0.1', 64368)
+    else:
+        url = "http://rt:rt@%s:%d" % (rpchost or '127.0.0.1', rpc_port(i))
     print("connecting to " + url)
     if timewait is not None:
         proxy = AuthServiceProxy(url, timeout=timewait)