diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7a6cb3af6..514fc9785 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ testcommon: | build deps
 ##########
 ## Waku ##
 ##########
-.PHONY: testwaku wakunode2 testwakunode2 example2 chat2 chat2bridge liteprotocoltester
+.PHONY: testwaku wakunode2 run-wakunode2 testwakunode2 example2 chat2 chat2bridge liteprotocoltester
 
 # install anvil only for the testwaku target
 testwaku: | build deps anvil librln
@@ -190,6 +190,9 @@ wakunode2: | build deps librln
 	echo -e $(BUILD_MSG) "build/$@" && \
 		$(ENV_SCRIPT) nim wakunode2 $(NIM_PARAMS) waku.nims
 
+run-wakunode2: | wakunode2
+	./build/wakunode2 $(ARGS)
+
 benchmarks: | build deps librln
 	echo -e $(BUILD_MSG) "build/$@" && \
 		$(ENV_SCRIPT) nim benchmarks $(NIM_PARAMS) waku.nims
@@ -429,4 +432,4 @@ negentropy:
 		cp vendor/negentropy/cpp/libnegentropy.so ./
 negentropy-clean:
 	$(MAKE) -C vendor/negentropy/cpp clean && \
-		rm libnegentropy.so
\ No newline at end of file
+		rm libnegentropy.so