diff --git a/beacon-chain/p2p/discovery.go b/beacon-chain/p2p/discovery.go
index bca78f381..99c7d01de 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/p2p/discovery.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/p2p/discovery.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func createListener(ipAddr net.IP, privKey *ecdsa.PrivateKey, cfg *Config) *disc
 	}
 	if cfg.HostAddress != "" {
 		hostIP := net.ParseIP(cfg.HostAddress)
-		if hostIP.To4() == nil {
+		if hostIP.To4() == nil && hostIP.To16() == nil {
 			log.Errorf("Invalid host address given: %s", hostIP.String())
 		} else {
 			localNode.SetFallbackIP(hostIP)
diff --git a/beacon-chain/p2p/options.go b/beacon-chain/p2p/options.go
index 019a20422..7d0d7133f 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/p2p/options.go
+++ b/beacon-chain/p2p/options.go
@@ -42,7 +42,11 @@ func buildOptions(cfg *Config, ip net.IP, priKey *ecdsa.PrivateKey) []libp2p.Opt
 	}
 	if cfg.HostAddress != "" {
 		options = append(options, libp2p.AddrsFactory(func(addrs []multiaddr.Multiaddr) []multiaddr.Multiaddr {
-			external, err := multiaddr.NewMultiaddr(fmt.Sprintf("/ip4/%s/tcp/%d", cfg.HostAddress, cfg.TCPPort))
+			protocol := "ip4"
+			if ip := net.ParseIP(cfg.HostAddress); ip.To4() == nil {
+				protocol = "ip6"
+			}
+			external, err := multiaddr.NewMultiaddr(fmt.Sprintf("/%s/%s/tcp/%d", protocol, cfg.HostAddress, cfg.TCPPort))
 			if err != nil {
 				log.WithError(err).Error("Unable to create external multiaddress")
 			} else {