diff --git a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
index a2b95d5086..1b638e99e9 100644
--- a/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoin-cli.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,20 @@ static bool AppInitRPC(int argc, char* argv[])
     // Parameters
     //
     ParseParameters(argc, argv);
+    if (argc<2 || mapArgs.count("-?") || mapArgs.count("-help") || mapArgs.count("-version")) {
+        std::string strUsage = _("Bitcoin Core RPC client version") + " " + FormatFullVersion() + "\n";
+        if (!mapArgs.count("-version")) {
+            strUsage += "\n" + _("Usage:") + "\n" +
+                  "  bitcoin-cli [options] <command> [params]  " + _("Send command to Bitcoin Core") + "\n" +
+                  "  bitcoin-cli [options] help                " + _("List commands") + "\n" +
+                  "  bitcoin-cli [options] help <command>      " + _("Get help for a command") + "\n";
+
+            strUsage += "\n" + HelpMessageCli();
+        }
+
+        fprintf(stdout, "%s", strUsage.c_str());
+        return false;
+    }
     if (!boost::filesystem::is_directory(GetDataDir(false))) {
         fprintf(stderr, "Error: Specified data directory \"%s\" does not exist.\n", mapArgs["-datadir"].c_str());
         return false;
@@ -81,20 +95,6 @@ static bool AppInitRPC(int argc, char* argv[])
         fprintf(stderr, "Error: Invalid combination of -regtest and -testnet.\n");
         return false;
     }
-    if (argc<2 || mapArgs.count("-?") || mapArgs.count("-help") || mapArgs.count("-version")) {
-        std::string strUsage = _("Bitcoin Core RPC client version") + " " + FormatFullVersion() + "\n";
-        if (!mapArgs.count("-version")) {
-            strUsage += "\n" + _("Usage:") + "\n" +
-                  "  bitcoin-cli [options] <command> [params]  " + _("Send command to Bitcoin Core") + "\n" +
-                  "  bitcoin-cli [options] help                " + _("List commands") + "\n" +
-                  "  bitcoin-cli [options] help <command>      " + _("Get help for a command") + "\n";
-
-            strUsage += "\n" + HelpMessageCli();
-        }
-
-        fprintf(stdout, "%s", strUsage.c_str());
-        return false;
-    }
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/bitcoind.cpp b/src/bitcoind.cpp
index a79e581a80..be7757b0b6 100644
--- a/src/bitcoind.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoind.cpp
@@ -59,13 +59,36 @@ bool AppInit(int argc, char* argv[])
     boost::thread* detectShutdownThread = NULL;
 
     bool fRet = false;
+
+    //
+    // Parameters
+    //
+    // If Qt is used, parameters/bitcoin.conf are parsed in qt/bitcoin.cpp's main()
+    ParseParameters(argc, argv);
+
+    // Process help and version before taking care about datadir
+    if (mapArgs.count("-?") || mapArgs.count("-help") || mapArgs.count("-version"))
+    {
+        std::string strUsage = _("Bitcoin Core Daemon") + " " + _("version") + " " + FormatFullVersion() + "\n";
+
+        if (mapArgs.count("-version"))
+        {
+            strUsage += LicenseInfo();
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            strUsage += "\n" + _("Usage:") + "\n" +
+                  "  bitcoind [options]                     " + _("Start Bitcoin Core Daemon") + "\n";
+
+            strUsage += "\n" + HelpMessage(HMM_BITCOIND);
+        }
+
+        fprintf(stdout, "%s", strUsage.c_str());
+        return false;
+    }
+
     try
     {
-        //
-        // Parameters
-        //
-        // If Qt is used, parameters/bitcoin.conf are parsed in qt/bitcoin.cpp's main()
-        ParseParameters(argc, argv);
         if (!boost::filesystem::is_directory(GetDataDir(false)))
         {
             fprintf(stderr, "Error: Specified data directory \"%s\" does not exist.\n", mapArgs["-datadir"].c_str());
@@ -84,26 +107,6 @@ bool AppInit(int argc, char* argv[])
             return false;
         }
 
-        if (mapArgs.count("-?") || mapArgs.count("-help") || mapArgs.count("-version"))
-        {
-            std::string strUsage = _("Bitcoin Core Daemon") + " " + _("version") + " " + FormatFullVersion() + "\n";
-
-            if (mapArgs.count("-version"))
-            {
-                strUsage += LicenseInfo();
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                strUsage += "\n" + _("Usage:") + "\n" +
-                      "  bitcoind [options]                     " + _("Start Bitcoin Core Daemon") + "\n";
-
-                strUsage += "\n" + HelpMessage(HMM_BITCOIND);
-            }
-
-            fprintf(stdout, "%s", strUsage.c_str());
-            return false;
-        }
-
         // Command-line RPC
         bool fCommandLine = false;
         for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++)