diff --git a/lib/services/bitcoind.js b/lib/services/bitcoind.js
index 7e0e04f9..f1e21464 100644
--- a/lib/services/bitcoind.js
+++ b/lib/services/bitcoind.js
@@ -313,6 +313,15 @@ Bitcoin.prototype._parseBitcoinConf = function(configPath) {
   return options;
 };
 
+Bitcoin.prototype._expandRelativeDatadir = function() {
+  if (!utils.isAbsolutePath(this.options.spawn.datadir)) {
+    $.checkState(this.node.configPath);
+    $.checkState(utils.isAbsolutePath(this.node.configPath));
+    var baseConfigPath = path.dirname(this.node.configPath);
+    this.options.spawn.datadir = path.resolve(baseConfigPath, this.options.spawn.datadir);
+  }
+};
+
 Bitcoin.prototype._loadSpawnConfiguration = function(node) {
   /* jshint maxstatements: 25 */
 
@@ -320,12 +329,7 @@ Bitcoin.prototype._loadSpawnConfiguration = function(node) {
   $.checkArgument(this.options.spawn.datadir, 'Please specify "spawn.datadir" in bitcoind config options');
   $.checkArgument(this.options.spawn.exec, 'Please specify "spawn.exec" in bitcoind config options');
 
-  if (!utils.isAbsolutePath(this.options.spawn.datadir)) {
-    $.checkState(this.node.configPath);
-    $.checkState(utils.isAbsolutePath(this.node.configPath));
-    var baseConfigPath = path.dirname(this.node.configPath);
-    this.options.spawn.datadir = path.resolve(baseConfigPath, this.options.spawn.datadir);
-  }
+  this._expandRelativeDatadir();
 
   var spawnOptions = this.options.spawn;
   var configPath = path.resolve(spawnOptions.datadir, './bitcoin.conf');