diff --git a/integration/bip0009_test.go b/integration/bip0009_test.go
index df3721b1..b7206559 100644
--- a/integration/bip0009_test.go
+++ b/integration/bip0009_test.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func assertSoftForkStatus(r *rpctest.Harness, t *testing.T, forkKey string, stat
 // specific soft fork deployment to test.
 func testBIP0009(t *testing.T, forkKey string, deploymentID uint32) {
 	// Initialize the primary mining node with only the genesis block.
-	r, err := rpctest.New(&chaincfg.RegressionNetParams, nil, nil)
+	r, err := rpctest.New(&chaincfg.RegressionNetParams, nil, nil, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to create primary harness: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ func TestBIP0009Mining(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	// Initialize the primary mining node with only the genesis block.
-	r, err := rpctest.New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil)
+	r, err := rpctest.New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to create primary harness: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/integration/csv_fork_test.go b/integration/csv_fork_test.go
index 345217c8..b623487e 100644
--- a/integration/csv_fork_test.go
+++ b/integration/csv_fork_test.go
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func TestBIP0113Activation(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	btcdCfg := []string{"--rejectnonstd"}
-	r, err := rpctest.New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, btcdCfg)
+	r, err := rpctest.New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, btcdCfg, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("unable to create primary harness: ", err)
 	}
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ func TestBIP0068AndBIP0112Activation(t *testing.T) {
 	// relative lock times.
 
 	btcdCfg := []string{"--rejectnonstd"}
-	r, err := rpctest.New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, btcdCfg)
+	r, err := rpctest.New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, btcdCfg, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("unable to create primary harness: ", err)
 	}
diff --git a/integration/rpcserver_test.go b/integration/rpcserver_test.go
index df526442..e5528453 100644
--- a/integration/rpcserver_test.go
+++ b/integration/rpcserver_test.go
@@ -109,7 +109,9 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	// ensure that non-standard transactions aren't accepted into the
 	// mempool or relayed.
 	btcdCfg := []string{"--rejectnonstd"}
-	primaryHarness, err = rpctest.New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, btcdCfg)
+	primaryHarness, err = rpctest.New(
+		&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, btcdCfg, "",
+	)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println("unable to create primary harness: ", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
diff --git a/integration/rpctest/node.go b/integration/rpctest/node.go
index 6aec2b11..73dc15fc 100644
--- a/integration/rpctest/node.go
+++ b/integration/rpctest/node.go
@@ -41,10 +41,18 @@ type nodeConfig struct {
 }
 
 // newConfig returns a newConfig with all default values.
-func newConfig(prefix, certFile, keyFile string, extra []string) (*nodeConfig, error) {
-	btcdPath, err := btcdExecutablePath()
-	if err != nil {
-		btcdPath = "btcd"
+func newConfig(prefix, certFile, keyFile string, extra []string,
+	customExePath string) (*nodeConfig, error) {
+
+	var btcdPath string
+	if customExePath != "" {
+		btcdPath = customExePath
+	} else {
+		var err error
+		btcdPath, err = btcdExecutablePath()
+		if err != nil {
+			btcdPath = "btcd"
+		}
 	}
 
 	a := &nodeConfig{
diff --git a/integration/rpctest/rpc_harness.go b/integration/rpctest/rpc_harness.go
index 1c2612e4..ee7b62fd 100644
--- a/integration/rpctest/rpc_harness.go
+++ b/integration/rpctest/rpc_harness.go
@@ -94,11 +94,12 @@ type Harness struct {
 // New creates and initializes new instance of the rpc test harness.
 // Optionally, websocket handlers and a specified configuration may be passed.
 // In the case that a nil config is passed, a default configuration will be
-// used.
+// used. If a custom btcd executable is specified, it will be used to start the
+// harness node. Otherwise a new binary is built on demand.
 //
 // NOTE: This function is safe for concurrent access.
 func New(activeNet *chaincfg.Params, handlers *rpcclient.NotificationHandlers,
-	extraArgs []string) (*Harness, error) {
+	extraArgs []string, customExePath string) (*Harness, error) {
 
 	harnessStateMtx.Lock()
 	defer harnessStateMtx.Unlock()
@@ -144,7 +145,9 @@ func New(activeNet *chaincfg.Params, handlers *rpcclient.NotificationHandlers,
 	miningAddr := fmt.Sprintf("--miningaddr=%s", wallet.coinbaseAddr)
 	extraArgs = append(extraArgs, miningAddr)
 
-	config, err := newConfig("rpctest", certFile, keyFile, extraArgs)
+	config, err := newConfig(
+		"rpctest", certFile, keyFile, extraArgs, customExePath,
+	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/integration/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go b/integration/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go
index 717f8f45..25faf969 100644
--- a/integration/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go
+++ b/integration/rpctest/rpc_harness_test.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func assertConnectedTo(t *testing.T, nodeA *Harness, nodeB *Harness) {
 
 func testConnectNode(r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 	// Create a fresh test harness.
-	harness, err := New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil)
+	harness, err := New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func testActiveHarnesses(r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 	numInitialHarnesses := len(ActiveHarnesses())
 
 	// Create a single test harness.
-	harness1, err := New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil)
+	harness1, err := New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ func testJoinMempools(r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 	// Create a local test harness with only the genesis block.  The nodes
 	// will be synced below so the same transaction can be sent to both
 	// nodes without it being an orphan.
-	harness, err := New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil)
+	harness, err := New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ func testJoinMempools(r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 func testJoinBlocks(r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 	// Create a second harness with only the genesis block so it is behind
 	// the main harness.
-	harness, err := New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil)
+	harness, err := New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ func testGenerateAndSubmitBlockWithCustomCoinbaseOutputs(r *Harness,
 func testMemWalletReorg(r *Harness, t *testing.T) {
 	// Create a fresh harness, we'll be using the main harness to force a
 	// re-org on this local harness.
-	harness, err := New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil)
+	harness, err := New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ const (
 
 func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	var err error
-	mainHarness, err = New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil)
+	mainHarness, err = New(&chaincfg.SimNetParams, nil, nil, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println("unable to create main harness: ", err)
 		os.Exit(1)