diff --git a/bin/start.js b/bin/start.js
index bd98b5eb..72a59a0c 100644
--- a/bin/start.js
+++ b/bin/start.js
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var start = require('../lib/scaffold/start');
+var path = require('path');
 
 start({
   path: process.cwd(),
   config: {
-    datadir: process.env.BITCORENODE_DIR || '~/.bitcoin',
+    datadir: process.env.BITCORENODE_DIR || path.resolve(process.env.HOME, '.bitcoin'),
     network: process.env.BITCORENODE_NETWORK || 'livenet',
-    port: 3000
+    port: process.env.BITCORENODE_PORT || 3001
   }
 });
 
diff --git a/lib/node.js b/lib/node.js
index 18712823..4218cd3e 100644
--- a/lib/node.js
+++ b/lib/node.js
@@ -57,12 +57,11 @@ Node.DEFAULT_DAEMON_CONFIG = 'whitelist=127.0.0.1\n' + 'txindex=1\n';
 
 Node.prototype._loadBitcoinConf = function(config) {
   $.checkArgument(config.datadir, 'Please specify "datadir" in configuration options');
-  var datadir = config.datadir.replace(/^~/, process.env.HOME);
-  var configPath = datadir + '/bitcoin.conf';
+  var configPath = config.datadir + '/bitcoin.conf';
   this.bitcoinConfiguration = {};
 
-  if (!fs.existsSync(datadir)) {
-    mkdirp.sync(datadir);
+  if (!fs.existsSync(config.datadir)) {
+    mkdirp.sync(config.datadir);
   }
 
   if (!fs.existsSync(configPath)) {
@@ -329,13 +328,12 @@ Node.prototype._loadDB = function(config) {
   $.checkArgument(config.datadir, 'Please specify "datadir" in configuration options');
   $.checkState(this.network, 'Network property not defined');
   var regtest = Networks.get('regtest');
-  var datadir = config.datadir.replace(/^~/, process.env.HOME);
   if (this.network === Networks.livenet) {
-    options.path = datadir + '/bitcore-node.db';
+    config.db.path = config.datadir + '/bitcore-node.db';
   } else if (this.network === Networks.testnet) {
-    options.path = datadir + '/testnet3/bitcore-node.db';
+    config.db.path = config.datadir + '/testnet3/bitcore-node.db';
   } else if (this.network === regtest) {
-    options.path = datadir + '/regtest/bitcore-node.db';
+    config.db.path = config.datadir + '/regtest/bitcore-node.db';
   } else {
     throw new Error('Unknown network: ' + this.network);
   }
diff --git a/lib/scaffold/start.js b/lib/scaffold/start.js
index 44324eb0..ff624006 100644
--- a/lib/scaffold/start.js
+++ b/lib/scaffold/start.js
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@ function start(options) {
   var fullConfig = _.clone(config);
 
   // expand to the full path
-  var datadir = config.datadir.replace(/^~/, process.env.HOME);
-  fullConfig.datadir = path.resolve(configPath, datadir);
+  fullConfig.datadir = path.resolve(configPath, config.datadir);
 
   // load the modules
   fullConfig.db = {
diff --git a/test/node.unit.js b/test/node.unit.js
index 552b3e40..831c2959 100644
--- a/test/node.unit.js
+++ b/test/node.unit.js
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ describe('Bitcoind Node', function() {
   describe('#_loadBitcoinConf', function() {
     it('will parse a bitcoin.conf file', function() {
       var node = new Node({});
-      node._loadBitcoinConf({datadir: '~/.bitcoin'});
+      node._loadBitcoinConf({datadir: process.env.HOME + '/.bitcoin'});
       should.exist(node.bitcoinConfiguration);
       node.bitcoinConfiguration.should.deep.equal({
         server: 1,
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ describe('Bitcoind Node', function() {
       };
       var config = {
         DB: DB,
-        datadir: '~/.bitcoin'
+        datadir: process.env.HOME + '/.bitcoin'
       };
 
       var node = new Node(config);
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ describe('Bitcoind Node', function() {
       };
       var config = {
         DB: DB,
-        datadir: '~/.bitcoin'
+        datadir: process.env.HOME + '/.bitcoin'
       };
 
       var node = new Node(config);
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ describe('Bitcoind Node', function() {
     });
     it('error with unknown network', function() {
       var config = {
-        datadir: '~/.bitcoin'
+        datadir: process.env.HOME + '/.bitcoin'
       };
 
       var node = new Node(config);
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ describe('Bitcoind Node', function() {
       };
       var config = {
         DB: DB,
-        datadir: '~/.bitcoin'
+        datadir: process.env.HOME + '/.bitcoin'
       };
 
       var node = new Node(config);