diff --git a/apps/wakunode2/wakunode2.nim b/apps/wakunode2/wakunode2.nim
index d8917b524..6c8ced876 100644
--- a/apps/wakunode2/wakunode2.nim
+++ b/apps/wakunode2/wakunode2.nim
@@ -440,8 +440,6 @@ proc setupProtocols(node: WakuNode, conf: WakuNodeConf,
     except:
       return err("failed to mount waku peer-exchange protocol: " & getCurrentExceptionMsg())
 
-    asyncSpawn runPeerExchangeDiscv5Loop(node.wakuPeerExchange)
-
     if conf.peerExchangeNode != "":
       try:
         setPeerExchangePeer(node, conf.peerExchangeNode)
@@ -484,6 +482,9 @@ proc startNode(node: WakuNode, conf: WakuNodeConf,
     except:
       return err("failed to connect to dynamic bootstrap nodes: " & getCurrentExceptionMsg())
 
+  if conf.peerExchange:
+    asyncSpawn runPeerExchangeDiscv5Loop(node.wakuPeerExchange)
+
   # retrieve and connect to peer exchange peers
   if conf.peerExchangeNode != "":
     info "Retrieving peer info via peer exchange protocol"