diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index b4a8115360..4112c98e1d 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1764,6 +1764,8 @@ bool AppInitMain(NodeContext& node, interfaces::BlockAndHeaderTipInfo* tip_info)
     connOptions.m_added_nodes = args.GetArgs("-addnode");
     connOptions.nMaxOutboundLimit = *opt_max_upload;
     connOptions.m_peer_connect_timeout = peer_connect_timeout;
+    connOptions.whitelist_forcerelay = args.GetBoolArg("-whitelistforcerelay", DEFAULT_WHITELISTFORCERELAY);
+    connOptions.whitelist_relay = args.GetBoolArg("-whitelistrelay", DEFAULT_WHITELISTRELAY);
 
     // Port to bind to if `-bind=addr` is provided without a `:port` suffix.
     const uint16_t default_bind_port =
diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
index ddee34168a..3a43b83bda 100644
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -1069,6 +1069,8 @@ public:
         std::vector<std::string> m_specified_outgoing;
         std::vector<std::string> m_added_nodes;
         bool m_i2p_accept_incoming;
+        bool whitelist_forcerelay = DEFAULT_WHITELISTFORCERELAY;
+        bool whitelist_relay = DEFAULT_WHITELISTRELAY;
     };
 
     void Init(const Options& connOptions) EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(!m_added_nodes_mutex, !m_total_bytes_sent_mutex)
@@ -1103,6 +1105,8 @@ public:
             }
         }
         m_onion_binds = connOptions.onion_binds;
+        whitelist_forcerelay = connOptions.whitelist_forcerelay;
+        whitelist_relay = connOptions.whitelist_relay;
     }
 
     CConnman(uint64_t seed0, uint64_t seed1, AddrMan& addrman, const NetGroupManager& netgroupman,
@@ -1539,6 +1543,18 @@ private:
      */
     std::vector<CService> m_onion_binds;
 
+    /**
+     * flag for adding 'forcerelay' permission to whitelisted inbound
+     * and manual peers with default permissions.
+     */
+    bool whitelist_forcerelay;
+
+    /**
+     * flag for adding 'relay' permission to whitelisted inbound
+     * and manual peers with default permissions.
+     */
+    bool whitelist_relay;
+
     /**
      * Mutex protecting m_i2p_sam_sessions.
      */