diff --git a/cli/main.js b/cli/main.js
index dc0b98a9..8eb36763 100644
--- a/cli/main.js
+++ b/cli/main.js
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ function main() {
     .command('start')
     .description('Start the current node')
     .option('-c, --config <dir>', 'Specify the directory with Bitcore Node configuration')
+    .option('-d, --daemon', 'Make bitcore-node a daemon (running in the background)')
     .action(function(cmd){
       if (cmd.config) {
         cmd.config = path.resolve(process.cwd(), cmd.config);
@@ -54,6 +55,9 @@ function main() {
       if (!configInfo) {
         configInfo = defaultConfig();
       }
+      if(cmd.daemon) {
+        configInfo.config.daemon = true;
+      }
       start(configInfo);
     });
 
diff --git a/lib/scaffold/start.js b/lib/scaffold/start.js
index bae01a23..a459a7a4 100644
--- a/lib/scaffold/start.js
+++ b/lib/scaffold/start.js
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ var bitcore = require('bitcore');
 var _ = bitcore.deps._;
 var $ = bitcore.util.preconditions;
 var log = index.log;
+var child_process = require('child_process');
+var fs = require('fs');
+
 log.debug = function() {};
 
 /**
@@ -111,10 +114,10 @@ function registerSyncHandlers(node, delay) {
 /**
  * Will register event handlers to stop the node for `process` events
  * `uncaughtException` and `SIGINT`.
- * @param {Object} proc - The Node.js process
+ * @param {Object} _process - The Node.js process
  * @param {Node} node
  */
-function registerExitHandlers(proc, node) {
+function registerExitHandlers(_process, node) {
 
   function exitHandler(options, err) {
     if (err) {
@@ -126,27 +129,27 @@ function registerExitHandlers(proc, node) {
         if(err) {
           log.error('Failed to stop services: ' + err);
         }
-        proc.exit(-1);
+        _process.exit(-1);
       });
     }
     if (options.sigint) {
       node.stop(function(err) {
         if(err) {
           log.error('Failed to stop services: ' + err);
-          return proc.exit(1);
+          return _process.exit(1);
         }
 
         log.info('Halted');
-        proc.exit(0);
+        _process.exit(0);
       });
     }
   }
 
   //catches uncaught exceptions
-  proc.on('uncaughtException', exitHandler.bind(null, {exit:true}));
+  _process.on('uncaughtException', exitHandler.bind(null, {exit:true}));
 
   //catches ctrl+c event
-  proc.on('SIGINT', exitHandler.bind(null, {sigint:true}));
+  _process.on('SIGINT', exitHandler.bind(null, {sigint:true}));
 }
 
 /**
@@ -164,16 +167,20 @@ function registerExitHandlers(proc, node) {
 function start(options) {
 
   var fullConfig = _.clone(options.config);
-  fullConfig.services = setupServices(require, options.path, options.config);
+  fullConfig.services = start.setupServices(require, options.path, options.config);
   fullConfig.datadir = path.resolve(options.path, options.config.datadir);
 
+  if (fullConfig.daemon) {
+    start.spawnChildProcess(fullConfig.datadir, process);
+  }
+
   var node = new BitcoreNode(fullConfig);
 
   // set up the event handlers for logging sync information
-  registerSyncHandlers(node);
+  start.registerSyncHandlers(node);
 
   // setup handlers for uncaught exceptions and ctrl+c
-  registerExitHandlers(process, node);
+  start.registerExitHandlers(process, node);
 
   node.on('ready', function() {
     log.info('Bitcore Node ready');
@@ -187,7 +194,44 @@ function start(options) {
 
 }
 
+/**
+ * This function will fork the passed in process and exit the parent process
+ * in order to daemonize the process. If there is already a daemon for this pid (process),
+ * then the function just returns. Stdout and stderr both append to one file, 'bitcore-node.log'
+ * located in the datadir.
+ * @param {String} datadir - The data directory where the bitcoin blockchain and config live.
+ * @param {Object} _process - The process that needs to fork a child and then, itself, exit.
+ */
+function spawnChildProcess(datadir, _process) {
+
+  if (_process.env.__bitcore_node) {
+    return _process.pid;
+  }
+
+  var args = [].concat(_process.argv);
+  args.shift();
+  var script = args.shift();
+  var env = _process.env;
+  var cwd = _process.cwd();
+  env.__bitcore_node = true;
+
+  var stderr = fs.openSync(datadir + '/bitcore-node.log', 'a+');
+  var stdout = stderr;
+
+  var cp_opt = {
+    stdio: ['ignore', stdout, stderr],
+    env: env,
+    cwd: cwd,
+    detached: true
+  };
+
+  var child = child_process.spawn(_process.execPath, [script].concat(args), cp_opt);
+  child.unref();
+  return _process.exit();
+}
+
 module.exports = start;
 module.exports.registerExitHandlers = registerExitHandlers;
 module.exports.registerSyncHandlers = registerSyncHandlers;
 module.exports.setupServices = setupServices;
+module.exports.spawnChildProcess = spawnChildProcess;
diff --git a/test/scaffold/start.unit.js b/test/scaffold/start.unit.js
index 2a592045..1b507db0 100644
--- a/test/scaffold/start.unit.js
+++ b/test/scaffold/start.unit.js
@@ -163,4 +163,104 @@ describe('#start', function() {
       });
     });
   });
+  describe('#spawnChildProcess', function() {
+
+    it('should build the appropriate arguments to spawn a child process', function() {
+      var child = {
+        unref: function() {}
+      };
+      var _process = {
+        exit: function() {},
+        env: {
+          __bitcore_node: false
+        },
+        argv: [
+          'node',
+          'bitcore-node'
+        ],
+        cwd: function(){return ''},
+        pid: 999,
+        execPath: '/tmp'
+      };
+      var fd = {};
+      var spawn = sinon.stub().returns(child);
+      var openSync = sinon.stub().returns(fd);
+      var spawnChildProcess = proxyquire('../../lib/scaffold/start', {
+        fs: {
+          openSync: openSync
+        },
+        child_process: {
+          spawn: spawn
+        }
+      }).spawnChildProcess;
+
+      spawnChildProcess('/tmp', _process);
+
+      spawn.callCount.should.equal(1);
+      spawn.args[0][0].should.equal(_process.execPath);
+      var expected = [].concat(_process.argv);
+      expected.shift();
+      spawn.args[0][1].should.deep.equal(expected);
+      var cp_opt = {
+        stdio: ['ignore', fd, fd],
+        env: _process.env,
+        cwd: '',
+        detached: true
+      };
+      spawn.args[0][2].should.deep.equal(cp_opt);
+      openSync.callCount.should.equal(1);
+      openSync.args[0][0].should.equal('/tmp/bitcore-node.log');
+      openSync.args[0][1].should.equal('a+');
+    });
+    it('should not spawn a new child process if there is already a daemon running', function() {
+      var _process = {
+        exit: function() {},
+        env: {
+          __bitcore_node: true
+        },
+        argv: [
+          'node',
+          'bitcore-node'
+        ],
+        cwd: 'cwd',
+        pid: 999,
+        execPath: '/tmp'
+      };
+      var spawnChildProcess = proxyquire('../../lib/scaffold/start', {}).spawnChildProcess;
+      spawnChildProcess('/tmp', _process).should.equal(999);
+    });
+  });
+  describe('daemon', function() {
+    var sandbox;
+    var spawn;
+    var setup;
+    var registerSync;
+    var registerExit;
+    var start = require('../../lib/scaffold/start');
+    var options = {
+      config: {
+        datadir: '/tmp',
+        daemon: true
+      }
+    }
+    beforeEach(function() {
+      sandbox = sinon.sandbox.create();
+      spawn = sandbox.stub(start, 'spawnChildProcess', function() {});
+      setup = sandbox.stub(start, 'setupServices', function() {});
+      registerSync = sandbox.stub(start, 'registerSyncHandlers', function() {});
+      registerExit = sandbox.stub(start, 'registerExitHandlers', function() {});
+    });
+    afterEach(function() {
+      sandbox.restore();
+    });
+    it('call spawnChildProcess if there is a config option to do so', function() {
+      start(options);
+      spawn.callCount.should.equal(1);
+    });
+    it('not call spawnChildProcess if there is not an option to do so', function() {
+      options.config.daemon = false;
+      start(options);
+      spawn.callCount.should.equal(0);
+    });
+  });
 });