diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 317216ae4..4a0cc222f 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -340,6 +340,7 @@ std::string HelpMessage(HelpMessageMode mode)
 #endif
     }
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-datadir=<dir>", _("Specify data directory"));
+    strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-paramsdir=<dir>", _("Specify Zcash network parameters directory"));
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-dbcache=<n>", strprintf(_("Set database cache size in megabytes (%d to %d, default: %d)"), nMinDbCache, nMaxDbCache, nDefaultDbCache));
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-debuglogfile=<file>", strprintf(_("Specify location of debug log file: this can be an absolute path or a path relative to the data directory (default: %s)"), DEFAULT_DEBUGLOGFILE));
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-exportdir=<dir>", _("Specify directory to be used when exporting data"));
diff --git a/src/util.cpp b/src/util.cpp
index dc0ecd0ff..9d77cd5dc 100644
--- a/src/util.cpp
+++ b/src/util.cpp
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ static boost::filesystem::path pathCachedNetSpecific;
 static boost::filesystem::path zc_paramsPathCached;
 static CCriticalSection csPathCached;
 
-static boost::filesystem::path ZC_GetBaseParamsDir()
+static boost::filesystem::path ZC_GetDefaultBaseParamsDir()
 {
     // Copied from GetDefaultDataDir and adapter for zcash params.
 
@@ -475,7 +475,14 @@ const boost::filesystem::path &ZC_GetParamsDir()
     if (!path.empty())
         return path;
 
-    path = ZC_GetBaseParamsDir();
+    if (mapArgs.count("-paramsdir")) {
+        path = fs::system_complete(mapArgs["-paramsdir"]);
+        if (!fs::is_directory(path)) {
+            throw std::runtime_error(strprintf("The -paramsdir '%s' does not exist or is not a directory", path.string()));
+        }
+    } else {
+        path = ZC_GetDefaultBaseParamsDir();
+    }
 
     return path;
 }