diff --git a/examples/chat2/chat.go b/examples/chat2/chat.go
index c565d575..a66c4f24 100644
--- a/examples/chat2/chat.go
+++ b/examples/chat2/chat.go
@@ -48,8 +48,15 @@ func NewChat(ctx context.Context, n *node.WakuNode, selfID peer.ID, contentTopic
 	}
 
 	if useLightPush {
-		chat.C = make(filter.ContentFilterChan)
-		n.SubscribeFilter(ctx, string(relay.GetTopic(nil)), []string{contentTopic}, chat.C)
+		cf := filter.ContentFilter{
+			Topic:         string(relay.GetTopic(nil)),
+			ContentTopics: []string{contentTopic},
+		}
+		var err error
+		_, chat.C, err = n.SubscribeFilter(ctx, cf)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	} else {
 		sub, err := n.Subscribe(ctx, nil)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/examples/chat2/main.go b/examples/chat2/main.go
index 1eb26026..bb0d21c3 100644
--- a/examples/chat2/main.go
+++ b/examples/chat2/main.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	opts := []node.WakuNodeOption{
 		node.WithPrivateKey(prvKey),
-		node.WithHostAddress([]net.Addr{hostAddr}),
+		node.WithHostAddress([]*net.TCPAddr{hostAddr}),
 		node.WithWakuStore(false, true),
 		node.WithKeepAlive(time.Duration(*keepAliveFlag) * time.Second),
 	}
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	if *filterFlag {
-		opts = append(opts, node.WithWakuFilter())
+		opts = append(opts, node.WithWakuFilter(false))
 	}
 
 	if *lightPushFlag || *lightPushNodeFlag != "" {
diff --git a/examples/filter2/main.go b/examples/filter2/main.go
index 2d6fe161..8ac23c96 100644
--- a/examples/filter2/main.go
+++ b/examples/filter2/main.go
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ func main() {
 
 	fullNode, err := node.New(ctx,
 		node.WithPrivateKey(prvKey1),
-		node.WithHostAddress([]net.Addr{hostAddr1}),
+		node.WithHostAddress([]*net.TCPAddr{hostAddr1}),
 		node.WithWakuRelay(),
-		node.WithWakuFilter(),
+		node.WithWakuFilter(true),
 	)
 
 	err = fullNode.Start()
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ func main() {
 
 	lightNode, err := node.New(ctx,
 		node.WithPrivateKey(prvKey2),
-		node.WithHostAddress([]net.Addr{hostAddr2}),
-		node.WithWakuFilter(),
+		node.WithHostAddress([]*net.TCPAddr{hostAddr2}),
+		node.WithWakuFilter(false),
 	)
 
 	_, err = lightNode.AddPeer(fullNode.ListenAddresses()[0], filter.FilterID_v20beta1)
diff --git a/waku/node.go b/waku/node.go
index 013d9e89..f78e1fa3 100644
--- a/waku/node.go
+++ b/waku/node.go
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ func Execute(options Options) {
 	}
 
 	if options.Filter.Enable {
-		nodeOpts = append(nodeOpts, node.WithWakuFilter())
+		nodeOpts = append(nodeOpts, node.WithWakuFilter(!options.Filter.DisableFullNode))
 	}
 
 	if options.Store.Enable {
@@ -178,10 +178,12 @@ func Execute(options Options) {
 		options.Relay.Topics = []string{string(relay.DefaultWakuTopic)}
 	}
 
-	for _, t := range options.Relay.Topics {
-		nodeTopic := relay.Topic(t)
-		_, err := wakuNode.Subscribe(ctx, &nodeTopic)
-		failOnErr(err, "Error subscring to topic")
+	if !options.Relay.Disable {
+		for _, t := range options.Relay.Topics {
+			nodeTopic := relay.Topic(t)
+			_, err := wakuNode.Subscribe(ctx, &nodeTopic)
+			failOnErr(err, "Error subscring to topic")
+		}
 	}
 
 	for _, n := range options.StaticNodes {
diff --git a/waku/options.go b/waku/options.go
index 630c101a..04f92a49 100644
--- a/waku/options.go
+++ b/waku/options.go
@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@ type RelayOptions struct {
 }
 
 type FilterOptions struct {
-	Enable bool     `long:"filter" description:"Enable filter protocol"`
-	Nodes  []string `long:"filter-node" description:"Multiaddr of a peer that supports filter protocol. Option may be repeated"`
+	Enable          bool     `long:"filter" description:"Enable filter protocol"`
+	DisableFullNode bool     `long:"no-subscribers" description:"Don't accept filter subscribers"`
+	Nodes           []string `long:"filter-node" description:"Multiaddr of a peer that supports filter protocol. Option may be repeated"`
 }
 
 // LightpushOptions are settings used to enable the lightpush protocol. This is
diff --git a/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go b/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go
index 573984cc..6c3ad738 100644
--- a/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go
+++ b/waku/v2/node/wakunode2.go
@@ -155,9 +155,11 @@ func (w *WakuNode) Start() error {
 		w.opts.wOpts = append(w.opts.wOpts, pubsub.WithDiscovery(rendezvous, w.opts.rendezvousOpts...))
 	}
 
-	err := w.mountRelay(w.opts.enableRelay, w.opts.wOpts...)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	if w.opts.enableRelay {
+		err := w.mountRelay(w.opts.wOpts...)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	if w.opts.enableLightPush {
@@ -242,15 +244,16 @@ func (w *WakuNode) Filter() *filter.WakuFilter {
 	return w.filter
 }
 
-func (w *WakuNode) mountRelay(shouldRelayMessages bool, opts ...pubsub.Option) error {
+func (w *WakuNode) mountRelay(opts ...pubsub.Option) error {
 	var err error
 	w.relay, err = relay.NewWakuRelay(w.ctx, w.host, opts...)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
-	if shouldRelayMessages {
-		_, err := w.Subscribe(w.ctx, nil)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+	_, err = w.Subscribe(w.ctx, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// TODO: rlnRelay
@@ -265,7 +268,7 @@ func (w *WakuNode) mountFilter() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	w.filter = filter.NewWakuFilter(w.ctx, w.host, filterHandler)
+	w.filter = filter.NewWakuFilter(w.ctx, w.host, w.opts.isFilterFullNode, filterHandler)
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -572,10 +575,6 @@ func (node *WakuNode) UnsubscribeFilter(ctx context.Context, cf filter.ContentFi
 }
 
 func (node *WakuNode) Publish(ctx context.Context, message *pb.WakuMessage, topic *relay.Topic) ([]byte, error) {
-	if node.relay == nil {
-		return nil, errors.New("WakuRelay hasn't been set")
-	}
-
 	if message == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("message can't be null")
 	}
@@ -584,6 +583,10 @@ func (node *WakuNode) Publish(ctx context.Context, message *pb.WakuMessage, topi
 		return node.LightPush(ctx, message, topic)
 	}
 
+	if node.relay == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("WakuRelay hasn't been set")
+	}
+
 	hash, err := node.relay.Publish(ctx, message, topic)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions.go b/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions.go
index cdb70c56..26d751b1 100644
--- a/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions.go
+++ b/waku/v2/node/wakuoptions.go
@@ -28,9 +28,10 @@ type WakuNodeParameters struct {
 	privKey        *crypto.PrivKey
 	libP2POpts     []libp2p.Option
 
-	enableRelay  bool
-	enableFilter bool
-	wOpts        []pubsub.Option
+	enableRelay      bool
+	enableFilter     bool
+	isFilterFullNode bool
+	wOpts            []pubsub.Option
 
 	enableStore  bool
 	shouldResume bool
@@ -151,9 +152,10 @@ func WithRendezvousServer(storage rendezvous.Storage) WakuNodeOption {
 
 // WithWakuFilter enables the Waku V2 Filter protocol. This WakuNodeOption
 // accepts a list of WakuFilter gossipsub options to setup the protocol
-func WithWakuFilter(opts ...pubsub.Option) WakuNodeOption {
+func WithWakuFilter(fullNode bool) WakuNodeOption {
 	return func(params *WakuNodeParameters) error {
 		params.enableFilter = true
+		params.isFilterFullNode = fullNode
 		return nil
 	}
 }
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/waku_filter.go b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/waku_filter.go
index 93ba7872..3d0fbd6d 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/filter/waku_filter.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/filter/waku_filter.go
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ type (
 		ctx         context.Context
 		h           host.Host
 		subscribers []Subscriber
+		isFullNode  bool
 		pushHandler MessagePushHandler
 		MsgC        chan *protocol.Envelope
 	}
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ func (wf *WakuFilter) onRequest(s network.Stream) {
 
 		log.Info("filter light node, received a message push. ", len(filterRPCRequest.Push.Messages), " messages")
 		stats.Record(wf.ctx, metrics.Messages.M(int64(len(filterRPCRequest.Push.Messages))))
-	} else if filterRPCRequest.Request != nil {
+	} else if filterRPCRequest.Request != nil && wf.isFullNode {
 		// We're on a full node.
 		// This is a filter request coming from a light node.
 		if filterRPCRequest.Request.Subscribe {
@@ -197,10 +198,13 @@ func (wf *WakuFilter) onRequest(s network.Stream) {
 
 			stats.Record(wf.ctx, metrics.FilterSubscriptions.M(int64(len(wf.subscribers))))
 		}
+	} else {
+		log.Error("can't serve request")
+		return
 	}
 }
 
-func NewWakuFilter(ctx context.Context, host host.Host, handler MessagePushHandler) *WakuFilter {
+func NewWakuFilter(ctx context.Context, host host.Host, isFullNode bool, handler MessagePushHandler) *WakuFilter {
 	ctx, err := tag.New(ctx, tag.Insert(metrics.KeyType, "filter"))
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error(err)
@@ -211,10 +215,17 @@ func NewWakuFilter(ctx context.Context, host host.Host, handler MessagePushHandl
 	wf.MsgC = make(chan *protocol.Envelope)
 	wf.h = host
 	wf.pushHandler = handler
+	wf.isFullNode = isFullNode
 
 	wf.h.SetStreamHandlerMatch(FilterID_v20beta1, protocol.PrefixTextMatch(string(FilterID_v20beta1)), wf.onRequest)
 	go wf.FilterListener()
 
+	if wf.isFullNode {
+		log.Info("Filter protocol started")
+	} else {
+		log.Info("Filter protocol started (only client mode)")
+	}
+
 	return wf
 }
 
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go b/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
index 6d55546f..8654be72 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/lightpush/waku_lightpush.go
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ func NewWakuLightPush(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, relay *relay.WakuRelay)
 	if relay != nil {
 		wakuLP.h.SetStreamHandlerMatch(LightPushID_v20beta1, protocol.PrefixTextMatch(string(LightPushID_v20beta1)), wakuLP.onRequest)
 		log.Info("Light Push protocol started")
+	} else {
+		log.Info("Light Push protocol started (only client mode)")
 	}
 
 	return wakuLP