diff --git a/PENDING.md b/PENDING.md
index 109e18ab5002..84b24b28d4c7 100644
--- a/PENDING.md
+++ b/PENDING.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ BREAKING CHANGES
     - `--insecure` flag is removed.
     - `--tls` is now used to enable secure layer.
   - [\#3451](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/3451) `gaiacli` now returns transactions in plain text including tags.
+  - [\#3497](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/issues/3497) `gaiad init` now takes moniker as required arguments, not as parameter.
 
 * Gaia
   *  [\#3457](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/issues/3457) Changed governance tally validatorGovInfo to use sdk.Int power instead of sdk.Dec
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ IMPROVEMENTS
 
 * Gaia CLI  (`gaiacli`)
   * [\#3476](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/issues/3476) New `withdraw-all-rewards` command to withdraw all delegations rewards for delegators.
+  - [\#3497](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/issues/3497) `gaiad gentx` supports `--ip` flag to take a custom ip address.
 
 * Gaia
   * [\#3418](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/issues/3418) Add vesting account
diff --git a/cmd/gaia/init/gentx.go b/cmd/gaia/init/gentx.go
index ec3ae3573946..111dbfbbd8fa 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/init/gentx.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/init/gentx.go
@@ -62,10 +62,13 @@ following delegation and commission default parameters:
 				return err
 			}
 
-			ip, err := server.ExternalIP()
-			if err != nil {
-				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "couldn't retrieve an external IP, "+
-					"consequently the tx's memo field will be unset: %s", err)
+			ip := viper.GetString(cli.FlagIP)
+			if ip == "" {
+				ip, err = server.ExternalIP()
+				if err != nil {
+					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "couldn't retrieve an external IP, "+
+						"consequently the tx's memo field will be unset: %s", err)
+				}
 			}
 
 			genDoc, err := LoadGenesisDoc(cdc, config.GenesisFile())
@@ -161,6 +164,7 @@ following delegation and commission default parameters:
 	cmd.Flags().String(client.FlagName, "", "name of private key with which to sign the gentx")
 	cmd.Flags().String(client.FlagOutputDocument, "",
 		"write the genesis transaction JSON document to the given file instead of the default location")
+	cmd.Flags().String(cli.FlagIP, "", "The node's public IP.")
 	cmd.Flags().AddFlagSet(cli.FsCommissionCreate)
 	cmd.Flags().AddFlagSet(cli.FsAmount)
 	cmd.Flags().AddFlagSet(cli.FsPk)
diff --git a/cmd/gaia/init/init.go b/cmd/gaia/init/init.go
index 922cfbafa5c1..a2af2a1c27e2 100644
--- a/cmd/gaia/init/init.go
+++ b/cmd/gaia/init/init.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import (
 const (
 	flagOverwrite  = "overwrite"
 	flagClientHome = "home-client"
-	flagMoniker    = "moniker"
 )
 
 type printInfo struct {
@@ -46,11 +45,11 @@ func displayInfo(cdc *codec.Codec, info printInfo) error {
 // nolint
 func InitCmd(ctx *server.Context, cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:   "init",
+		Use:   "init [moniker]",
 		Short: "Initialize private validator, p2p, genesis, and application configuration files",
 		Long:  `Initialize validators's and node's configuration files.`,
-		Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
-		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
+		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			config := ctx.Config
 			config.SetRoot(viper.GetString(cli.HomeFlag))
 
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ func InitCmd(ctx *server.Context, cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			config.Moniker = viper.GetString(flagMoniker)
+			config.Moniker = args[0]
 
 			var appState json.RawMessage
 			genFile := config.GenesisFile()
@@ -89,8 +88,6 @@ func InitCmd(ctx *server.Context, cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.Flags().String(cli.HomeFlag, app.DefaultNodeHome, "node's home directory")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolP(flagOverwrite, "o", false, "overwrite the genesis.json file")
 	cmd.Flags().String(client.FlagChainID, "", "genesis file chain-id, if left blank will be randomly created")
-	cmd.Flags().String(flagMoniker, "", "set the validator's moniker")
-	cmd.MarkFlagRequired(flagMoniker)
 
 	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/docs/gaia/deploy-testnet.md b/docs/gaia/deploy-testnet.md
index c617e2052bc8..a91c6d09c6f2 100644
--- a/docs/gaia/deploy-testnet.md
+++ b/docs/gaia/deploy-testnet.md
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ This guide helps you create a single validator node that runs a network locally
 cd $HOME
 
 # Initialize the genesis.json file that will help you to bootstrap the network
-gaiad init --chain-id testing --moniker testing
+gaiad init --chain-id=testing testing
 
 # Create a key to hold your validator account
 gaiacli keys add validator
diff --git a/docs/gaia/join-testnet.md b/docs/gaia/join-testnet.md
index 91b3afef613f..a4bbb915f22d 100644
--- a/docs/gaia/join-testnet.md
+++ b/docs/gaia/join-testnet.md
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ These instructions are for setting up a brand new full node from scratch.
 First, initialize the node and create the necessary config files:
 
 ```bash
-gaiad init --moniker <your_custom_moniker>
+gaiad init <your_custom_moniker>
 ```
 
 ::: warning Note
-Only ASCII characters are supported for the `--moniker`. Using Unicode characters will render your node unreachable.
+Monikers can contain only Only ASCII characters. Using Unicode characters will render your node unreachable.
 :::
 
 You can edit this `moniker` later, in the `~/.gaiad/config/config.toml` file: