diff --git a/cmd/ethereum/flags.go b/cmd/ethereum/flags.go
index 1e6869a69..577bee442 100644
--- a/cmd/ethereum/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/ethereum/flags.go
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func Init() {
 		natstr      = flag.String("nat", "any", "port mapping mechanism (any|none|upnp|pmp|extip:<IP>)")
 	)
 	flag.BoolVar(&Dial, "dial", true, "dial out connections (default on)")
-	flag.BoolVar(&SHH, "shh", true, "run whisper protocol (default on)")
+	//flag.BoolVar(&SHH, "shh", true, "run whisper protocol (default on)")
 	flag.StringVar(&OutboundPort, "port", "30303", "listening port")
 
 	flag.StringVar(&BootNodes, "bootnodes", "", "space-separated node URLs for discovery bootstrap")
diff --git a/cmd/ethereum/main.go b/cmd/ethereum/main.go
index 0dba462be..1ffd4b6e9 100644
--- a/cmd/ethereum/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ethereum/main.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func main() {
 		Port:      OutboundPort,
 		NAT:       NAT,
 		KeyRing:   KeyRing,
-		Shh:       SHH,
+		Shh:       true,
 		Dial:      Dial,
 		BootNodes: BootNodes,
 		NodeKey:   NodeKey,
diff --git a/cmd/mist/main.go b/cmd/mist/main.go
index 32222fbef..14f561e99 100644
--- a/cmd/mist/main.go
+++ b/cmd/mist/main.go
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ func run() error {
 		MaxPeers:  MaxPeer,
 		Port:      OutboundPort,
 		NAT:       NAT,
+		Shh:       true,
 		BootNodes: BootNodes,
 		NodeKey:   NodeKey,
 		KeyRing:   KeyRing,
diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index 690c7136d..d109ab98e 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -160,7 +160,11 @@ func New(config *Config) (*Ethereum, error) {
 	eth.blockPool = NewBlockPool(hasBlock, insertChain, ezp.Verify)
 
 	ethProto := EthProtocol(eth.txPool, eth.chainManager, eth.blockPool)
-	protocols := []p2p.Protocol{ethProto, eth.whisper.Protocol()}
+	protocols := []p2p.Protocol{ethProto}
+	if config.Shh {
+		protocols = append(protocols, eth.whisper.Protocol())
+	}
+
 	netprv := config.NodeKey
 	if netprv == nil {
 		if netprv, err = crypto.GenerateKey(); err != nil {