diff --git a/kinode/src/main.rs b/kinode/src/main.rs
index 2c8c1435..7b2e8360 100644
--- a/kinode/src/main.rs
+++ b/kinode/src/main.rs
@@ -499,19 +499,24 @@ async fn set_http_server_port(set_port: Option<&u16>) -> u16 {
 /// If a specific port is provided, it attempts to bind to it directly.
 /// If no port is provided, it searches for the first available port between 9000 and 65535.
 /// Returns a tuple containing the TcpListener and a boolean indicating if a specific port was used.
-async fn setup_networking(networking_port: Option<&u16>) -> (tokio::net::TcpListener, bool) {
+async fn setup_networking(
+    networking_port: Option<&u16>,
+) -> (Option<tokio::net::TcpListener>, bool) {
+    if let Some(0) = networking_port {
+        return (None, true);
+    }
     match networking_port {
         Some(port) => {
             let listener = http::utils::find_open_port(*port, port + 1)
                 .await
                 .expect("port selected with flag could not be bound");
-            (listener, true)
+            (Some(listener), true)
         }
         None => {
             let listener = http::utils::find_open_port(9000, 65535)
                 .await
                 .expect("no ports found in range 9000-65535 for kinode networking");
-            (listener, false)
+            (Some(listener), false)
         }
     }
 }
@@ -709,8 +714,8 @@ async fn find_public_ip() -> std::net::Ipv4Addr {
 async fn serve_register_fe(
     home_directory_path: &str,
     our_ip: String,
-    ws_networking: (tokio::net::TcpListener, bool),
-    tcp_networking: (tokio::net::TcpListener, bool),
+    ws_networking: (Option<tokio::net::TcpListener>, bool),
+    tcp_networking: (Option<tokio::net::TcpListener>, bool),
     http_server_port: u16,
     maybe_rpc: Option<String>,
 ) -> (Identity, Vec<u8>, Keyfile) {
@@ -754,8 +759,8 @@ async fn serve_register_fe(
 async fn login_with_password(
     home_directory_path: &str,
     our_ip: String,
-    ws_networking: (tokio::net::TcpListener, bool),
-    tcp_networking: (tokio::net::TcpListener, bool),
+    ws_networking: (Option<tokio::net::TcpListener>, bool),
+    tcp_networking: (Option<tokio::net::TcpListener>, bool),
     maybe_rpc: Option<String>,
     password: &str,
 ) -> (Identity, Vec<u8>, Keyfile) {
@@ -795,14 +800,14 @@ async fn login_with_password(
         &mut our,
         kns_address,
         provider,
-        (
-            ws_networking.0.local_addr().unwrap().port(),
-            ws_networking.1,
-        ),
-        (
-            tcp_networking.0.local_addr().unwrap().port(),
-            tcp_networking.1,
-        ),
+        match ws_networking.0 {
+            Some(listener) => (listener.local_addr().unwrap().port(), ws_networking.1),
+            None => (0, ws_networking.1),
+        },
+        match tcp_networking.0 {
+            Some(listener) => (listener.local_addr().unwrap().port(), tcp_networking.1),
+            None => (0, tcp_networking.1),
+        },
     )
     .await
     .expect("information used to boot does not match information onchain");
diff --git a/kinode/src/register.rs b/kinode/src/register.rs
index 9ae8ba6d..a1e96431 100644
--- a/kinode/src/register.rs
+++ b/kinode/src/register.rs
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ pub async fn register(
     tx: RegistrationSender,
     kill_rx: oneshot::Receiver<bool>,
     ip: String,
-    ws_networking: (tokio::net::TcpListener, bool),
-    tcp_networking: (tokio::net::TcpListener, bool),
+    ws_networking: (Option<tokio::net::TcpListener>, bool),
+    tcp_networking: (Option<tokio::net::TcpListener>, bool),
     http_port: u16,
     keyfile: Option<Vec<u8>>,
     maybe_rpc: Option<String>,
@@ -54,11 +54,25 @@ pub async fn register(
     let net_keypair = Arc::new(serialized_networking_keypair.as_ref().to_vec());
     let tx = Arc::new(tx);
 
-    let ws_port = ws_networking.0.local_addr().unwrap().port();
+    let ws_port = match ws_networking.0 {
+        Some(listener) => listener.local_addr().unwrap().port(),
+        None => 0,
+    };
     let ws_flag_used = ws_networking.1;
-    let tcp_port = tcp_networking.0.local_addr().unwrap().port();
+    let tcp_port = match tcp_networking.0 {
+        Some(listener) => listener.local_addr().unwrap().port(),
+        None => 0,
+    };
     let tcp_flag_used = tcp_networking.1;
 
+    let mut ports_map = std::collections::BTreeMap::new();
+    if ws_port != 0 {
+        ports_map.insert("ws".to_string(), ws_port);
+    }
+    if tcp_port != 0 {
+        ports_map.insert("tcp".to_string(), tcp_port);
+    }
+
     // This is a **temporary** identity, passed to the UI.
     // If it is confirmed through a /boot or /confirm-change-network-keys,
     // then it will be used to replace the current identity.
@@ -67,10 +81,7 @@ pub async fn register(
         name: "".to_string(),
         routing: NodeRouting::Both {
             ip: ip.clone(),
-            ports: std::collections::BTreeMap::from([
-                ("ws".to_string(), ws_port),
-                ("tcp".to_string(), tcp_port),
-            ]),
+            ports: ports_map,
             routers: vec![
                 "default-router-1.os".into(),
                 "default-router-2.os".into(),