diff --git a/tools/confutils/cli_args.nim b/tools/confutils/cli_args.nim
index 541215f76..112e3911a 100644
--- a/tools/confutils/cli_args.nim
+++ b/tools/confutils/cli_args.nim
@@ -1145,4 +1145,7 @@ proc toWakuConf*(n: WakuNodeConf): ConfResult[WakuConf] =
   of WakuMode.noMode:
     discard # use explicit CLI flags as-is
 
+  b.kademliaDiscoveryConf.withEnabled(n.enableKadDiscovery)
+  b.kademliaDiscoveryConf.withBootstrapNodes(n.kadBootstrapNodes)
+
   return b.build()
diff --git a/waku/discovery/waku_kademlia.nim b/waku/discovery/waku_kademlia.nim
index 94b63a321..aab3a9819 100644
--- a/waku/discovery/waku_kademlia.nim
+++ b/waku/discovery/waku_kademlia.nim
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ proc runDiscoveryLoop(
   info "extended kademlia discovery loop started", interval = interval
 
   try:
-    while true:
+    while wk.running:
       # Wait for node to be started
       if not wk.isNodeStarted.isNil() and not wk.isNodeStarted():
         await sleepAsync(ExtendedKademliaDiscoveryStartupDelay)
@@ -258,6 +258,8 @@ proc start*(
   except CatchableError as e:
     return err("failed to start kademlia discovery: " & e.msg)
 
+  wk.running = true
+
   wk.discoveryLoop = wk.runDiscoveryLoop(interval, minMixPeers)
 
   info "kademlia discovery started"