diff --git a/src/util.cpp b/src/util.cpp
index 6dfb12f8e..11b83798b 100644
--- a/src/util.cpp
+++ b/src/util.cpp
@@ -735,10 +735,9 @@ fs::path GetConfigFile(const std::string& confPath)
     return AbsPathForConfigVal(fs::path(confPath), false);
 }
 
-void ArgsManager::ReadConfigFile(const std::string& confPath)
+void ArgsManager::ReadConfigStream(std::istream& stream)
 {
-    fs::ifstream streamConfig(GetConfigFile(confPath));
-    if (!streamConfig.good())
+    if (!stream.good())
         return; // No bitcoin.conf file is OK
 
     {
@@ -746,7 +745,7 @@ void ArgsManager::ReadConfigFile(const std::string& confPath)
         std::set<std::string> setOptions;
         setOptions.insert("*");
 
-        for (boost::program_options::detail::config_file_iterator it(streamConfig, setOptions), end; it != end; ++it)
+        for (boost::program_options::detail::config_file_iterator it(stream, setOptions), end; it != end; ++it)
         {
             // Don't overwrite existing settings so command line settings override bitcoin.conf
             std::string strKey = std::string("-") + it->string_key;
@@ -757,6 +756,13 @@ void ArgsManager::ReadConfigFile(const std::string& confPath)
             mapMultiArgs[strKey].push_back(strValue);
         }
     }
+}
+
+void ArgsManager::ReadConfigFile(const std::string& confPath)
+{
+    fs::ifstream stream(GetConfigFile(confPath));
+    ReadConfigStream(stream);
+
     // If datadir is changed in .conf file:
     ClearDatadirCache();
     if (!fs::is_directory(GetDataDir(false))) {
diff --git a/src/util.h b/src/util.h
index 5afe80cb0..bfd3184ac 100644
--- a/src/util.h
+++ b/src/util.h
@@ -228,6 +228,8 @@ protected:
     std::map<std::string, std::vector<std::string>> mapMultiArgs;
     std::unordered_set<std::string> m_negated_args;
 
+    void ReadConfigStream(std::istream& stream);
+
 public:
     void ParseParameters(int argc, const char*const argv[]);
     void ReadConfigFile(const std::string& confPath);